Pie charts often spark a love-hate relationship, specifically because of how they are commonly misused. The chart on the left illustrates this with too many slices, making it difficult to interpret and obscuring the intended message. For example, which is the largest slice? Slice size comparison is not an easy task that can be achieved with a cluttered pie chart.

In contrast, the chart on the right, with fewer slices such as two or three, offers a more straightforward comparison. For instance, it’s immediately apparent that the blue slice is significantly smaller than the gray slice, roughly representing a 20%-80% split. This level of clarity can be useful when precise values aren’t required, such as showing the percentage of a population supporting one team versus another.

How have you observed charts being misused in other ways?