Meaningful Graphs: Converting Data into Informative Excel Charts

Meaningful Graphs is a concise and practical go-to guide for creating charts in Excel ® that clearly and accurately tell the story in your data. It incorporates (a) the graph design principles of the experts (applicable regardless of the software package used), (b) the software steps necessary to incorporate these principles into Excel ® 2010 charts, and (c) chart-related discussions of quality improvement (including Pareto charts), statistics (including run charts and correlations), and the use of graphs in PowerPoint ® presentations (including chart animation). Examples are taken from healthcare but the principles of graph design and Excel® techniques apply to all areas.  Over 120 graphs are presented in full color, many with tables of data to facilitate practice.

Reading this book you'll learn:

• how to select the correct chart type for your data and how to format it to tell your story more effectively
• the nature of "chartjunk" and why the design of some charts requires mental gymnastics to interpret
• why looks can be deceiving (3-D charts)
• the appropriate use of color in charts
• why truncating the value axis of several types of charts is a fatal flaw
• how to determine whether a statistically significant change has occurred merely by calculating the mean or median and plotting the data
• the type of chart that one chart design expert refers to as a mortal sin
• why chart design experts disparage the use of pie charts and what they recommend in their place
• which of the six less frequently used chart types (area, stock, surface, doughnut, bubble, and radar) may have some value in healthcare applications
• how letting the data talk in their own terms often leads to problem solutions

If you follow the advice in this book, the graphs you create for reports, presentations, posters, or publications will be more informative and more readily understood.

James M. Smith, Ph.D. has over 35 years experience with data analysis and presentation.  He served as a Director for Quality Assurance in facilities operated by the NYS Office of Mental Health and then as Quality Management Officer for Veterans Health Administration facilities in the New York and New Jersey metropolitan area.  He is a frequent speaker at healthcare facilities, colleges, and conferences on how to analyze and present data more effectively.