3 Things you need to know about every Chart

When a chart is presented to you, remember to ask the following questions to yourself and the presenter.

#1 What is the key take-away from this chart?

Ask the presenter on what is her central finding. Why is she presenting the chart and what does she intend to conclude from this?

#2 What is the source of data?

It is important to know the source of data. This makes the claim credible and believable.
I recently received a chart from a TV channel claiming they are the No. 1 channel. In small prints below were the words... In female audience 25 years + in select income classes. It was also mentioned that the channel was No. 1 between 9pm to 10pm between Monday and Wednesdays. You get the point :)

#3 What is the x and y-axis (vertical and horizontal axis)?

You need to check if the x-axis and y-axis are labelled. What is being measured on these axes and where does the measurement start. If the vertical x-axis does not start at zero, you can suspect something is wrong.


Trust in God, but check the charts...