How to Understand Analytics: Reading Bar Charts, Line Graphs, and Pie Charts

## Reading bar charts Bar charts help you compare volumes across different categories. ### What you’re seeing - **X-Axis**: Categories (e.g., Check Type, Recruiter, Month) - **Y-Axis**: Number of checks or average turnaround time - **Bars**: The taller the bar, the greater the value ### Tips - **Hover over a bar** to see the exact value - Use filters to isolate results (e.g., by team or date) Use Case: "See which check type is most commonly used across the business." ## Interpreting line graphs Line graphs show trends and changes over time. ### What you’re seeing - **X-Axis = Time**: Weeks, months, or custom date ranges - **Y-Axis = Metric**: Could be average turnaround time, volume of checks, etc. - **Lines**: Show progression of data points over time ### Tips - Look for rising or falling lines to understand trends - Hover over a point for specific values on that date Use Case: "Track whether turnaround times are improving month-on-month." ## Using pie charts Pie charts give a quick snapshot of how data is divided into parts. ### What you’re seeing - Each slice represents a percentage of the whole - Useful for distributions like check outcomes or types ### Tips - Hover over a slice to see exact numbers - Keep pie charts to a few categories for clarity Use Case: "View the proportion of completed checks that passed vs. failed."