When to use

Pie & donut encodes values as angle (and area) of a circle slice. Playfair 1801; Florence Nightingale’s coxcomb is a polar cousin, 1858.

In reports, ads and assignments it fits two to five parts that sum to a meaningful whole. Skip it when many similar slices, 3-D pie, or comparing two pies.

Use when

• Use when 1 — two to five parts that sum to a meaningful whole
• Use when 2 — Excel or Google Sheets
• Use when 3 — PowerPoint
• Use when 4 — lab reports and poster boards
• Use when 5 — Meta, Google and retail print

Avoid when

• Avoid when 1 — many similar slices, 3-D pie, or comparing two pies
• Avoid when 2 — 3-D, dual axes, rainbow scales
• Avoid when 3 — Undated numbers, undated time series
• Avoid when 4 — Four charts on one slide

Audiences

• Work — PowerPoint
• Ads — Meta, Google and retail print
• School — lab reports and poster boards

Pie & donut: honour angle (and area) of a circle slice, and switch when many similar slices, 3-D pie, or comparing two pies.

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