How Do You Compare?

Have you ever encountered a data set where you have to compare a person's score with an average score? What kind of visualization would you use?

You could just do a simple bar chart with a Reference line indicating the person's score compared to the average score.

Example: Reference line bar chart from my YoY Visualization Examples dashboard

If you look at Andy Kriebel's Visual Vocabulary here. There are a couple of charts to use. Maybe you would use a paired bar chart so you can see the person's score compared to the average score.

Example: Paired bar chart from Andy Kriebel's Visual Vocabulary dashboard

But what about combining a lollipop with an Reference line? How do you create that?

Example: Lollipop chart with a reference line from my Yelp reviews dashboard

Steps

For this chart I first placed the following fields on the Rows shelf.

• User Name (It's hidden)

• Business Name

• Review Date - Exact Date - Discrete

I sorted the Review Date descending, in case the user had multiple reviews.

I changed the Chart type to Circle.

I placed the following calculated field on the Columns shelf.

• Fixed Business Review Stars

  { Fixed [User - Name], [Business - Name]: AVG([Review - Stars])}

I changed this field to an average aggregation.

I also filtered the worksheet by User Name = Jennifer to speed it up during build.

I then placed Measure Values on the Columns shelf before the Fixed Business Review Stars calculated field.

I removed all of the measure values except for Fixed Business Review Stars and Review - Stars.

I made the chart a Dual Axis.

I changed the Measure Values marks card to a Line and placed Measure Names from Detail to Path.

I created the following calculated field and added it to Color on both of these Marks cards.

Circle Color

IF AVG([Fixed Business Review Stars]) > AVG([Review - Stars])

then "Yes"

Else "No"

END

I then changed Yes to red and No to blue.

What the dashboard should look like at this step

I placed the Review Stars measure on the Measure Values card on Detail and changed it to an Average. I needed to do this step so the it will be picked up in the next step's menu.

Then from the Analytics tab, I added a Reference line per cell for Measure Values.

I then changed the Value from Measure Values to AVG(Review Stars). I made the below modifications to the view as well.

And that's it! I added labels for the circles. Added a border around the circles to make them sharp.

Feel free to check out the dashboard here.