What is a dumbbell chart?
A dumbbell chart (or connected dot plot) is a type of data visualisation used to to highlight the difference between two values for a given category.
For example, here’s one I re-created for Workout Wednesday, showing how mobile phone ownership has changed from 2015 to 2019 for different age groups:
Let’s take a closer look at how to make one!
For this example I will be using the Sample - Superstore data to compare how regional sales change between 2021 and 2024.
Step 1: Drag the Country/Region and Region dimensions to the rows shelf and the Sales to the column shelf (make sure sales are being summed).
Step 2: Switch the mark type from automatic to line.
Step 3: Drag Year(Order Date) to path on the marks shelf.
Step 4: Drag Sum(Sales) onto the columns shelf and change the mark type on the new one from line to circle.
Step 5: Since we are only interested in 2021 and 2024, let’s filter out the other years. Drag Year(Order Date) onto the filters, removing the other years from the view.
Each region should now have two dots on the new graph on the right - one representing the sum of sales in 2021 and one representing the sum of sales in 2024.
Step 6: Let’s combine them, right click the x axis of the circle plot and select ‘dual axis’. Then right click the x axis again and select ‘synchronize axis’.
Step 7: Almost there! Drag Year(Order Date) onto colour in the marks shelf for Sum(Sales) (2).
Now make any cosmetic changes you wish! Adjust the size of the circles, colours and thickness of the lines to suit your needs.