A chart of estimates can look more definite than the underlying information supports. Showing a range can help, provided the reader understands what that range represents.
Label the interval and explain the method used to produce it. A range of observed values, a confidence interval, and a prediction interval describe different ideas. Similar-looking marks do not make them interchangeable.
Read the interval alongside the central value and the context of the question. Avoid drawing a strong conclusion from a small visual difference without considering the method and its assumptions. A useful range makes uncertainty easier to discuss, rather than merely adding decoration around a point.
- Explain what the interval represents.
- Keep the method discoverable.
- Consider uncertainty before interpreting a small difference.
Bring the idea into a day.
A planning chart can show a range of likely task durations beside its central estimate. The reader sees why an exact-looking schedule may need flexibility.
Another angle on the story.
Treat an unexpected value as the start of an investigation. Its source and context matter before you decide whether to remove it or build a story around it.
Follow a related question
Compare one object under two light sources.
A color depends on the lightDistinguish retrieval from composition.
Finding a source and generating a sentenceKeep learning
Related background to continue exploring this subject.
NIST: statistical engineering W3C: accessibility, usability, and inclusion
