Definition
Bump chart is used to compare dimensions against each other using a single measure value. Useful when exploring the change in rank of value over time dimension or other dimensions.
Example of a bump chart
Bump chart best practices
Use color conservatively (too much color can sometimes clutter your viz)
Enable features like highlighting for users to easily track changes by highlighting fields of interest.
Label the ranks and fields clearly.
Provide additional details on the tooltip.
Therefore, in this post you will learn how to create a Bump chart using Superstores data set pre-loaded in Tableau app, the goal here is to visualize how Product Sub-category's performed in Sales for different months of the year by simply ranking them.
Step by step guide on how to create a bump chart in Tableau.
First lets create a calculated field to Rank Sales along the Sub-category's.
Under, 'Default Table Calculation'. Compute the Table rank using Sub-category. See below.
Lets build our view.
Drag dimension field Order Date to the Columns shelf. Change the level of detail from Year to Month.
Drag dimension field Sub-Category to the Detail tab under the marks card.
See the resulting chart.
Next, Drag the Calculated field Rank above to the Rows shelf, see the results below.
Duplicate the view by holding down Ctrl key of the keyboard and dragging the field Rank on the Rows shelf next to itself. See below.
Make the charts dual and synchronize the axis.
Note that the axis are in reverse, to correct this.
Right click on the axis >> Edit axis.. >> select Reversed under Scale.
See the resulting chart. (With ranks, arranged accordingly).
Select the Second chart and change the chart type to a Circle, make sure the First chart remains to be a Line.
Drag, the field Sub-category to the color shelf under the marks card for both the charts.
Select the second chart (Circles). Drag calculated field Rank to the Label shelf, Open the Label shelf and align the labels to the middle center. See below.
Doing some formatting and editing we've.
And there we have it. From the above bump chart, it is clear that Fasteners' were ranked last across all the months while Phone's & Chair's ranks, varied between one and three across the months, (these are products with huge Sales).
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