Radar charts (also known as spider charts and web charts) can be used to compare the characteristics or features of two or more items (or groups). The radial chart provides an axis for each variable – the axes are arranged radially around a central point and are spaced equally. Gridlines connect the axes and are used as guidelines to make the chart easier to read.
For example, a radar chart could be used to compare the traits of different employees (like in the example above), product characteristics, or the statistics of professional athletes – you can compare whatever you'd like. Follow the steps below to learn how you can create your own radar chart.
Adding a radar chart to your project
- From the Infographics editor, select Add chart in the left-side toolbar.
- Use the search bar at the top to find the chart by typing in "radar" or "spider". You can also scroll down the list until you find it.
- Hover over the chart's thumbnail and select Insert or drag and drop it onto the canvas.
Adding data to the chart
- To access the chart's datasheet, double-click on it or select Edit data in the top right corner of the editor after you've selected the chart.
- All charts have placeholder data for you to see the correct formatting. Here's how you should format the datasheet:
- Use column A to enter the names of the items you wish to compare.
- Use the first row to enter all of the characteristics or features you'll be comparing.
- Use the cells under each characteristic/feature to enter the value opposite of each item you're comparing.
You can also add data by uploading XLS, XLSX, and CSV files, connecting your chart to a Google Drive document, connecting your chart to a JSON feed, as well as connecting to an online database. Just make sure that the formatting matches that of the radar chart.
Customizing the radar chart
Use the settings panel on the right of the editor to edit everything from the chart's colors and fonts to the legend and data format.
- Chart properties. Select whether you'd like to fill in the areas of the chart, use a circular grid, smoothen the curves of the lines, adjust line width, and do much more.
- Color. Adjust the color of each data entry. Click on a color box, then use one of the palette colors, use the color picker, or copy and paste a hex color code.
- Axis & grid. Change the grid color and adjust its transparency, pick the labels you'd like to display, set the axis intervals and range.
- Fonts. Set the font of your radar chart and adjust its color and size. Select Advanced settings to tweak the look of specific text elements.
- Legend. Enable or disable the legend, and adjust its positioning.
- Tooltips. Enable or disable the tooltips.
- Data format. Adjust the data format, add prefixes/suffixes to the values, and do more.
- Accessibility. Make your chart accessible to viewers using screen readers by adding a label and a description.
Making the chart more interactive
All of Infographics's charts are interactive – tooltips are displayed when viewers hover over the chart, and viewers can interact with the legend. But you can make the chart even more engaging. Here are some of the options:
- You can add links to specific values of the radar chart and link out to your website or other pages of your project. Learn more in the articles on adding URL links to content in Infographics, linking pages in Infographics, and adding links to tabs of charts and maps in Infographics.
- In addition to the chart's tooltips, it's also possible to use callouts – add them to your data visualization to create an extra layer of content. Learn more in the article about using callouts in Infographics.
- Enable interactivity hints so that your viewers know they can interact with the chart. Learn more in the article about using interactivity hints in Infographics.
Downloading and sharing the radar chart
Downloading the chart
To download the project you're working on, select the Download option in the top right corner of the editor. Next, choose one of the available file formats at the top and select Download to save the project to your computer.
If you'd like to download the chart straight from the editor, right-click on it, select Export as... in the context menu, and pick the file format.
Learn more in the article about downloading your content in Infographics.
Sharing and embedding the chart
Select Share in the top right corner of the editor to access the project's privacy settings. Choose whether you want to keep it private and use a private link to share the content with others or make it public and visible on search engines. Read more in the article about changing privacy settings in Infographics.
To learn more about embedding the chart on your website, read the article on embedding your Infographics content.