Unveiling the Power of Waffle Charts: A Comprehensive Exploration of a Rising Star in Data Visualization

13 min readSep 11, 2023

INTRODUCTION

There once was a data scientist by the name of Zayd. Although Zayd had a lot of information, it was all simply text and numbers. It was difficult to comprehend and interpret.

Zayd had a thought one day. He made the decision to visualize the data using images, charts, and graphs. This greatly simplified the data’s interpretation. Zayd was able to recognize patterns and trends that he had never before recognized.

Zayd was ecstatic. He could now use statistics to tell stories. He could demonstrate to others how the data changed over time. He may assist individuals in comprehending the significance of the data.

Zayd, though, wasn’t content. He was looking for a solution to increase the enjoyment and interest in data visualization. Consequently, he created the waffle chart! Waffle charts are a modern kind of data visualization that show data as colored squares. They are quite attractive and simple to understand.

Zayd was really pleased with his waffle charts. He was aware that they will enable individuals to comprehend data in whole new ways. He was correct, too! Data scientists currently utilize waffle charts all over the world.

So there you go! This is the tale of how data visualization evolved from being a dull, outdated method of displaying data to a lively and interesting way of using data to create stories. Thanks to Zayd and his waffle charts, data visualization is now more popular than ever!”

I hope you appreciate the tale; I came up with it while attempting to compose this post.

THE BASICS OF WAFFLE CHARTS

Waffle charts, which resemble a waffle grid with each mini-square representing a fraction of your data, are a fun way to visualize data. Think of your data as a tasty waffle batter, with each square representing a bite-sized piece of information. You categorize your data, much like you would when baking a waffle. For instance, if you were keeping count of the toppings on your pizza, each square might represent one slice.

Now that we’ve covered structure, let’s use a delicious illustration: ice cream preferences! With 100 students voting, let’s say 25 prefer vanilla (according to 25 waffle squares), 40 enjoy chocolate (corresponding to 40 squares), and 35 are fervent strawberry fans (corresponding to 35 squares). The distribution is deliciously illustrated by placing these squares on the waffle chart.

Thus, waffle charts are the most delicious method to enjoy your facts. They are comparable to a data-driven dessert that offers bite-sized information. Good luck, data explorer! 🧇📊

WHY WAFFLE CHART MATTERS?

The oddball sidekicks of data storytelling are waffle charts. They have several great advantages and give your story a distinctive feel. They excel at making proportions stand out, to start. Your data pie is practically visible to you, making it simple to understand. Additionally, they are entertaining, bringing in your audience with their lighthearted demeanor like a good stand-up comic at a data conference.

Waffle charts now have their place. Think about yourself choosing toppings at a pizza shop. Right on the menu, a waffle chart can display the preferences of the crowd. 40 squares are needed for Pepperoni to win. Consider an activity where team members choose their favorite team-building activity as an alternative. At a look, you could tell which candidate received the most votes.

Waffle charts are your secret ingredient for enhancing the flavor of data narrative, then. They’re ideal for when you want your audience to have a “aha” moment and exclaim, “I got it!” 🍕📊

Waffle chart excel in:

Tracking work completion.
Visualizing progress toward goals.
Comparing expenses to budgets.
Displaying profit percentages.
Gauging achievement against targets.
Monitoring company progress.
Representing pass percentages in exams.

They offer a concise, visual way to convey these insights effectively.

CREATING A WAFFLE CHART

I will demonstrate how to construct a Waffle chart in Excel in this part. Since there isn’t a custom chart option, I will outline a different procedure that can be utilized to produce this visualization.

You must first make the 10 by 10 Grid of square cells for the Waffle Chart so that the Grid itself is a square.

Step 1 − Create a 10 × 10 square grid on an Excel sheet by adjusting the cell widths.

Step 2 − Fill the cells with % values, starting with 1% in the left-bottom cell and ending with 100% in the right-top cell.

Step 3 − Decrease the font size such that all the values are visible but do not change the shape of the grid.

This is the grid that you will use for the Waffle chart.

Suppose you have the following data −

Step 4 − Create a Waffle chart that displays the Profit% for the Region East by applying Conditional Formatting to the Grid you have created as follows −

Select the Grid.
Click Conditional Formatting on the Ribbon.
Select New Rule from the drop down list.
Define the Rule to format values <= 85 % (give the cell reference of the Profit %) with fill color and font color as dark green.

Step 5 − Define another rule to format values > 85 % (give the cell reference of the Profit %) with fill color and font color as light green.

Step 6 − Give the Chart Title by giving reference to the cell B3.

As you can see, choosing the same color for both Fill and Font enable you not to display the %values.

Step 7 − Give a Label to the chart as follows.

Insert a Text box in the chart.
Give the reference to the cell C3 in the Text box.

Step 8 − Color the cell borders white.

Your Waffle chart for the Region East is ready.

Create Waffle charts for the Regions, i.e. North, South and West as follows −

Create the Grids for North, South and West as given in the previous section.
For each Grid, apply conditional formatting as given above based on the corresponding Profit % value.

You can also make Waffle charts for different regions distinctly, by choosing a variation in the colors for Conditional Formatting.

As you can see, the colors chosen for the Waffle charts on the right are varying from the colors chosen for the Waffle charts on the left.

CASE STUDIES

In this part, I’ll give an example of how a Waffle chart may be used to analyze data and visualize problems in real-world settings.

I hope you enjoy my stories

Bean’s Bliss: Brewing Success with Waffle Charts

Now, let’s use waffle charts to create a deeper story! Think of “Bean’s Bliss,” a welcoming coffee shop tucked away in the middle of a busy city. Sarah and Mike, the astute proprietors, set out to improve their menu and increase sales. They utilized waffle charts as their formula for success.

They chose to depict the popularity of their coffee options in their first chart. They had information, and it was a mouthful, from a month’s worth of orders! They could split it down into digestible, aesthetically pleasing portions using waffle charts.

The “Cappuccino” order, which was represented by a massive 40 waffle squares, was the clear winner, devouring 40% of the orders, according to their waffle chart. “Latte” and “Espresso” came in second and third, respectively, with 30% and 20%. Here’s where the magic of the waffle chart came into play.

Initially, Sarah and Mike had shown the same data with a conventional bar graph. The waffle chart served its purpose, but it also highlighted “Cappuccino’s” hegemony. Those waffle squares seemed to be proclaiming, “We’re the crowd’s favorite!”

This improved understanding led the team to decide to launch a “Cappuccino of the Month” promotion. Every month, they offered a distinctive variation of their best-selling beverage. Using, you guessed it, waffle charts, they made sure to highlight it prominently on their menu! Customers loved the anticipation of trying something new, and cappuccino sales skyrocketed.

However, Bean’s Bliss continued after that. Waffle charts were also utilized for other things. For instance, they were interested in learning which pastries complemented their coffees the best. They again presented the data on their bakery selection using waffle charts. Customers could see that “Croissants” were the most popular item, accounting for 35% of purchases, followed by “Muffins” (30%) and “Danishes” (20%).

Customers were better able to make educated decisions because to this transparency, which also increased pastries’ sales as a result of people’s increased self-assurance. It was as though the facts could now communicate in tasty squares, a universally understood language.

Ultimately, Bean’s Bliss gained notoriety for its flavorful coffee alone but also for its creative application of waffle charts. Customers valued the openness, and Sarah and Mike delighted in the increase in sales. The waffle charts came to represent their dedication to excellent coffee and wonderful customer service.

That is the elaborate story of how waffle charts transformed Bean’s Bliss into a successful coffee mecca. Just goes to show that a waffle chart can be your best buddy in the coffee shop and beyond when you want to tell a story with your data! ☕📊

Green Energy Revolution: Harnessing Wind Power with Waffle Charts

In the center of a windy coastal town, EcoTech Engineers, an engineering company, set out on a mission to more effectively harness wind energy. To illustrate their data and innovate their strategy, they used waffle charts.

Over the course of a year, the engineers gathered data on wind turbine performance. They were curious about the most effective turbines. They would have typically used bar graphs. They chose waffle charts instead, which added some spice to their research.

Each square on their waffle graph reflected the energy output of one turbine for a given amount of time. Blue denoted a high output, green a moderate production, and red a low output in the data, which was color-coded. Patterns were instantly visible thanks to the graphic portrayal.

They noticed that whereas some turbines consistently displayed squares in blue, others tended to display squares in red. In a typical bar graph, this striking difference wouldn’t have been as noticeable. With this knowledge, they were able to identify problems with the lower-performing turbines and improve maintenance schedules for the high-output ones.

EcoTech Engineers continued after that. Waffle charts were also utilized for public participation. To demonstrate to the public the advantages of their wind energy project, they showed them at town hall meetings. Everyone was able to understand the effects of clean energy thanks to the waffle charts’ clarity.

The locals’ support for this strategy encouraged them to make more ecologically responsible decisions. The waffle chart appeared to be praising its production of sustainable energy by exclaiming, Look at all the squares we’re generating!

The changing winds eventually became a strong, data-driven breeze thanks to EcoTech Engineers. By utilizing waffle charts, they were able to optimize their wind energy project and engage the neighborhood in a visually appealing manner.

This concludes the tale of “EcoTech Engineers: Harnessing Wind Power with Waffle Charts.” It is a story about creativity, participation, and the influence of visualization in the field of engineering! 🌬️📊

CHALLENGES AND LIMITATION OF WAFFLE CHARTS

Although waffle charts are a fun way to display data, they do have some drawbacks. In the following situations, they might not be the best option:

Complex Data: When you have simple category data with a limited number of categories, waffle charts excel. Using waffle charts can be confusing and cluttered if you’re working with a big dataset with many of variables.
Precise Comparison: Traditional charts like bar graphs or line graphs are typically more accurate if your purpose is to compare data values precisely. Waffle charts are less about giving precise measurements and more about giving a visual sense.
Limited Space: Waffle charts may not work well when there isn’t much room available. They take up more room to display the same data as a pie chart or bar chart that is more compact.
Consider your audience’s familiarity when writing: It could be more difficult to explain the visualization if they are unfamiliar with waffle charts, which could divert attention away from your point.
Waffle charts may not be as appealing to the eye in printed products such as newspapers or reports as they are when they are shown electronically. In print, the intricate details of the individual squares might not be as obvious.
Waffle charts are poor at representing percentages with high precision. It is challenging to effectively communicate fractions or very small percentages since each square represents a fixed unit.

In these situations, it’s crucial to determine if waffle charts are the right tool for the job. Simpler graphs or other methods of visualization may occasionally be more effective at precisely and plainly presenting your data. Waffle charts are therefore not always the best option, even though they are a delightful addition to your data storytelling toolbox.

TIPS FOR EFFECTIVE DATA STORYTELLING WITH WAFFLE CHARTS

As a data analyst, I can provide you with effective tips and steps for data storytelling using Waffle Charts. Here’s a concise guide:

1. Understand Your Audience: Know your audience before you start. To account for their level of data literacy and particular interests, adjust your waffle chart and narrative.

2. Define Your Message: When using the waffle chart, be sure to state your main point or key insight clearly. What tale are you attempting to convey?

3. Choose the Right Data: Identify pertinent and important data. Make sure the dataset backs up the narrative you intend to present.

4. Create the Waffle Chart:

Utilize tools like as Excel, Power BI, R, Python (matplotlib), and Seaborn.
Properly map the waffle chart’s cells to the data values.
Make good use of color to draw attention to important details or groups.

Note

Custom waffle charts are not available in Excel by default. A custom waffle chart is not one of the default possibilities in Excel, despite the fact that it offers a variety of chart kinds. Normally, to design and build a bespoke waffle chart in Excel, you would have to use various chart types in a creative way or use third-party tools like Adobe Illustrator, Tableau, or Python’s matplotlib package. It includes making a grid of squares and coloring them in accordance with your data, which is a little more difficult to do directly in Excel.

5. Label and Annotate: Label your waffle chart elements to provide context. Use annotations to explain key findings or trends.

6. Keep It Simple: Don’t add extraneous details or clutter. Your audience will get the message more quickly if it is simple.

7. Provide Context: Offer background information, benchmarks, or comparisons to help the audience understand the significance of the data.

8. Storytelling Flow: Organize your data story logically, moving from introduction to insights and conclusions.

9. Interactivity (if applicable): If using digital tools like Power BI, make use of interactivity to allow users to explore the data further.

10. Practice: Practice your presentation to ensure a smooth and confident delivery. Rehearse explanations and answers to potential questions.

11. Feedback: Gather feedback from peers or mentors to refine your data storytelling approach.

12. Engage Your Audience: Encourage questions and discussions to foster engagement and understanding.

Remember that the goal of utilizing a waffle chart for data storytelling is to help your audience understand and utilize complex information. Keep it succinct and focused on the key message while using an effective color scheme to improve understanding.

CONCLUSION

Here are the major takeaways from this article;

Waffle Charts Simplify Data: Waffle charts break down complex data into visually digestible squares, making it easier for audiences to comprehend proportions and patterns.
Engaging Visualization: Waffle charts add an engaging and visually appealing element to data presentations, capturing the audience’s attention effectively.
Creating Waffle Charts: To create a waffle chart (in Excel) design a grid of squares and fill them using conditional formatting based on data values, offering a creative approach to data visualization.
Real-World Examples: Two case studies illustrate how businesses and organizations have leveraged waffle charts to gain insights and engage their audience in data-driven decision-making.
Understanding Limitations: Recognize that waffle charts may not be suitable for all data scenarios, particularly when precision and complexity are required.
Effective Data Storytelling: Data analysts can benefit from tips such as understanding the audience, defining clear messages, choosing relevant data, and using labels and annotations effectively.

REFERENCE

Microsoft Corporation. (2023, September 11). Power BI Visuals. Retrieved from https://appsource.microsoft.com/en-us/product/power-bi-visuals/WA104381049?tab=Overview
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