Radar Chart
Radar Chart
What Is This Report Type?
A Radar Chart (also called a Spider Chart or Web Chart) displays multivariate data on a two-dimensional chart with three or more quantitative variables represented on axes radiating from a central point. Each axis represents a different metric, and data points on each axis are connected by lines to form a polygon shape—making it easy to compare performance profiles across multiple dimensions simultaneously.
Why Is It Used?
Radar Charts excel at comparing entities across multiple variables at once. Instead of reading separate bar or line charts for each metric, a single radar chart overlays multiple subjects as polygons, making strengths and weaknesses immediately visible by shape and area. The larger and more symmetrical the polygon, the more balanced and high-performing the subject.
Key Features and Characteristics
| Feature | Description |
|---|---|
| Multi-Axis Layout | Each metric gets its own axis radiating from the center—typically 3 to 10 axes for best readability. |
| Shape Comparison | Polygon shapes reveal performance profiles at a glance—jagged = uneven, full = well-rounded. |
| Overlay Capability | Multiple series (e.g., Product A vs. Product B) can be overlaid as semi-transparent polygons for direct comparison. |
| Normalized Scale | All axes use the same scale, so values are often normalized to a common range (e.g., 0–100). |
| Area Fill | The polygon area can be filled with color to emphasize overall performance magnitude. |
When to Use It (Use Cases)
- Employee Performance Reviews: Comparing an employee’s scores across Communication, Technical Skills, Leadership, Collaboration, and Delivery.
- Product Comparison: Evaluating competing products across Price, Quality, Features, Support, and Speed.
- Sports Analytics: Profiling athletes across Strength, Speed, Agility, Endurance, and Accuracy.
- Vendor Assessment: Scoring vendors on Reliability, Cost, Lead Time, Quality, and Service.
Real-Time Business Example
Scenario: An HR manager needs to compare two shortlisted candidates across five competency areas during a performance review cycle.
Visualization: A Radar Chart displays two overlapping polygons—Candidate A (blue) and Candidate B (green)—across five axes: Technical Skills, Communication, Problem Solving, Teamwork, and Leadership. Candidate A forms a large polygon skewed toward Technical Skills and Problem Solving, while Candidate B’s polygon bulges toward Communication and Teamwork. The visual instantly reveals that Candidate A is the stronger technical hire, while Candidate B is the stronger team collaborator—helping the manager choose based on role requirements.
Common Metrics Displayed
- Competency Scores: Skills assessments normalized to a 0–100 scale.
- Product Attributes: Feature ratings across quality, price, support, usability, and reliability.
- KPI Profiles: Balanced scorecard metrics comparing departments or regions across multiple performance dimensions.
- Risk Profiles: Risk categories (operational, financial, reputational, compliance) scored per entity.
User Interactions
| Interaction | Behavior |
|---|---|
| Filters | Filter by entity (employee, product, region) to add or remove polygon overlays from the chart. |
| Hover / Tooltip | Hovering over an axis vertex reveals the exact value for that metric and the entity’s name. |
| Click / Drill-Down | Clicking a specific axis or vertex navigates to the detailed report for that metric. |
| Series Toggle | Click a legend entry to show or hide individual polygon overlays for cleaner comparison. |
| Export | Export to Excel. |
Creation Steps
- Select Radar Chart as the report type.
- Group By: Drag a dimension field for the axis labels (e.g., Competency or Attribute).
- Metrics: Drag the value field for the axis measurements (e.g., Score).
- Series (Optional): Drag a category field to create multiple overlapping polygons (e.g., Candidate Name).