A pie chart is a circular chart that is divided into different pieces in the same fashion one would slice a pie, thus the name. However, with the pie chart, each piece stands for something different and represents a certain percentage of the whole.

Typical Uses

Pie charts make a simplistic visual when trying to see at first glance how something has been divided up, such as company spending, consumer feedback, employment and hiring, etc. It can show easily show someone how evenly any of these things have been divided up.

Best Practices

• Identify a purpose. Decide what it is that you are trying to communicate using the pie chart. Write what the entire circle represents as whole, such as funding, customers, etc.
• Determine the pieces. What are the various categories that divide up the pie? Make sure that you know every different way the pie is divided up.
• Determine percentages. Take a single category. What percentage of the whole circle does that category represent? Now make a piece of the circle that represents that percentage and label the piece with its percentage and category. Do this for each of the categories.
• Make a key. If you have many different pieces on you pie and don't want to label each of them you can create a key off to the side and use colors to identify between different pieces. Write what each color represents inside the key.
• Verify accuracy. Consult with coworkers or team members to ensure that your diagram is accurate.