Pie Chart Design Component from Shipfaster UI Design Systems

Shipfaster: UI Components

Pie Chart

Overview

Breadcrumbs are used when you have a large amount of content organised in hierarchical structure with defined categories (multiple sections that can be divided into more sub-sections). An excellent example is e-commerce site, in which a large variety of products is grouped into logical categories. They inform visitors of their current location in relation to the entire site hierarchy. Whereas they also improve the find-ability of site pages. The structure of the site is more easily understood because it is laid out in a breadcrumb.

A pie chart is a visual tool that represents the composition of a whole by dividing it into slices. Each slice corresponds to a category. Its size is proportional to the quantity or percentage it represents. Pie charts provide an immediate visual impact for comparative analysis of parts-to-whole relationships and are widely used in business and media to simplify data presentation.

When to use

When you want to illustrate the percentage distribution or proportional data of a small number of categories.
When the total of all the segments equals 100% and you're showing how individual portions compare to the whole.
When the data set is simple and has no more than five to six categories to prevent the chart from becoming cluttered and hard to read.

Anatomy

Pie chart anatomy

Title: A brief heading that explains what the pie chart measures.
Data Number: Represents the central value or total sum that the pie chart segments are a part of. It provides a contextual benchmark for the data displayed.
Slices: The individual sections of the pie chart, each representing a data category.
Legend: A key that explains what the colors or patterns in the pie chart correspond to if labels are not included on the slices.‍
Labels: Text elements that denote what each slice represents, often including the percentage or value.

Best Practices

Limit the number of slices: Too many slices can make the chart hard to read and understand, especially if some slices are much smaller than others.
Use contrasting colors: This helps to differentiate the slices easily.
Avoid using pie charts for detailed comparisons: They are best for visualizing simple composition and not for comparing individual sections to each other.
Label clearly: Include direct labeling or a clear legend to ensure that the information is accessible to all users.‍
Consider alternatives for complex data: If your data is too complex for a pie chart to be clear, consider a bar chart or stacked bar chart as an alternative.