Choose the right chart for your data

Get a clear recommendation of the best chart type, how to build it, and which popular choices to avoid for your message.

Change note: Initial version

Prompt

Help me choose the best chart.

Data: {{data}}
The one message I want the viewer to take away: {{message}}
Audience: {{audience}}
Where it will appear: {{medium}}

Respond with:
1. Recommended chart: the single best chart type, and why it fits this data and message better than the alternatives.
2. Two alternatives and when each would be better.
3. One tempting chart to avoid for this case, and the specific problem it creates.
4. Build spec: what goes on each axis, sort order, how to treat colour (what to highlight, what to mute), what to label directly instead of using a legend, axis starting point, and the number format.
5. Title: write an insight-style title (states the finding) and a subtitle that gives the unit and time period.
6. Honesty check: how this chart could mislead (truncated axis, dual axes, cherry-picked range, too many categories) and how to prevent that.

If the data or message is too vague to decide, ask up to two clarifying questions first. Keep the answer under 450 words.

Variables

• {{data}}Your datalong

  Default: Monthly active users for 4 product tiers (Free, Pro, Team, Enterprise) over the last 24 months

  Variables, how many categories, time span, number of data points.

• {{message}}Key messagetext

  Default: Team is growing fastest and is about to overtake Pro

• {{audience}}Audienceselect

  Options: Executives, Customers, Technical peers, General public, Students

  Default: Executives

• {{medium}}Where it will appearselect

  Options: Slide in a presentation, Dashboard, Printed report, Social media post, Academic paper

  Default: Slide in a presentation

Example output

**Recommended chart: a multi-line chart with Team highlighted**
Time series with four categories is best shown as lines: the eye follows slope, and the crossing of Team and Pro, your message, becomes visible as a literal intersection. Stacked areas would hide that comparison.

**Alternatives**
- Small multiples (one panel per tier, shared axis) if lines overlap heavily.
- Indexed lines (month 0 = 100) if tiers differ greatly in size and you want growth rates.

**Avoid**: Stacked area. Only the bottom series has a common baseline, so the Team vs Pro crossing cannot be judged.

**Build spec**
- X: month, Y: monthly active users starting at 0.
- Team in a strong accent colour, others in grey; Pro in a darker grey.
- Label lines directly at the right end; no legend. Format as 12.4k.
- Add a light annotation at the crossing point.

**Title**: "Team plan is on track to pass Pro within two quarters"
**Subtitle**: "Monthly active users by plan, last 24 months"

**Honesty check**: Do not use a log axis for executives without saying so; if you project the crossing, mark it as a dashed forecast.

Notes

Tying the chart to one message prevents generic advice, and the avoid and honesty sections catch misleading designs. Describe any existing draft chart to get specific critique.