Overview
Radar charts, also known as spider charts or web charts, are a type of graphical method used to display multivariate data in the form of a two-dimensional chart. Each variable is represented on a separate axis that starts from the same point in the center of the chart. The relative position and angle of the axes are typically uninformative, but the shape of the resulting polygon can give insights into the data patterns. Radar charts are particularly useful for comparing the performance of different entities on various metrics, making them a popular choice in fields like sports statistics, performance analysis, and market research.
Radar Chart in R with ggradar Package
To create radar chart with the ggradar package, first install and load all the necessary packages in your R session.
Set the working directory and load the dataset as shown below.
View the sample dataset.
Let’s create a radar chart using the code below – positioning the legend at the bottom of the view.
Executing the above code generates the view below.
Let’s format the chart by defining new colors, adjust the size of labels and texts, as well as the width of the lines and points and change the background color to white using the code below.
Executing the above code generates the view below.
Radar Chart in R with fmsb Package
Install and load the fmsb package as shown below.
Load the dataset as shown below.
Preview the sample dataset.
Note: The first row represents the maximum value of the data (1) while the second row represents the minimum value of the data (0), the rest of rows represent the values for different groups being compared i.e., ML Engineers, Data Engineers, Data Scientists and Data Analysts.
Create a sample radar chart using the code below.
Executing the above code generates the view below.
Let’s customize the view, by defining new colors for the lines and areas as follows.
Useful: RGB Color Codes Chart
Formatting the chart by changing the grid line type, the grid line color, the line and area colors, as well as the width of each line and the size of labels using the code below.
Executing the above code generates the view below.
Let’s add a legend at the bottom right section of the view using the code below.
Executing the above code adds a legend at the bottom right section as shown below.
Conclusion
Radar charts are versatile and insightful tool for visualizing multivariate data. With the help of packages like ggradar and fmsb, creating radar charts in R becomes a streamlined process, allowing analysts to effectively compare and contrast different data sets. Whether for sports statistics, performance metrics, or market research, radar charts can reveal patterns and insights that might otherwise remain hidden in traditional graphs, making them an essential addition to any data visualization toolkit.
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