Right Type of Plots for Usage/Traffic

[nadheesh]

Problem

What is the best plot type for usage or traffic data? Line plots may not be ideal, as their shape and scale can vary depending on the bin size used to aggregate data, especially when adjusting the plot’s time range. Below is an example illustrating this issue:

Additionally, using a solid fill under line plots can sometimes be misleading, as it may cause them to resemble bar plots visually:

Solution

Use bar plots, as they are ideal for displaying discrete counters. Each bar can accurately represent a bin (e.g., 1 minute, 15 minutes, 1 hour, 1 day).

Alternatively, if using line plots, consider making the solid fill transparent to avoid any potential misinterpretation.

Affected Component

Analytics

Version

4.4.0

Implementation

No response

Related Issues

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Suggested Labels

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