Pie and donut charts might be the most controversial visuals in analytics. Spend enough time in data circles and you’ll inevitably hear the same advice: “never use pie charts”. They’re often blamed for misleading audiences, hiding nuance, and oversimplifying data.

But outside ~the internet~, most people actually appreciate the dessert charts (myself included).

In fact, they show up in more places than you’d expect: dashboards, news articles, budgeting apps, fitness trackers, as well as video games. And there’s a very good reason for that. Pie and donut charts tap into something intuitive, which is our natural ability to understand parts of a whole.

This doesn’t necessarily mean they’re perfect though, there’s certainly a time and place for them. One major drawback is the fact that humans aren’t great at comparing angles, which makes crowded pie charts harder to interpret. But dismissing them entirely misses the main reason I think they can be uniquely powerful.

So in this issue, we’re giving these dessert charts the redemption arc they deserve and looking at when they work, when they don’t, and how to get the best out of them.

Ever think about what happens to a solopreneur’s automation stack when they ☠ ? Check out the last issue where we explored what can happen when automations go unattended.

When Pie Charts Work (And When They Don’t)

If you only remember one thing about pie charts from this issue, remember this:

They work best when the message is simple.

Here’s the rule of thumb I personally follow:

• 3 or fewer categories: Perfect for a pie chart
• 4–5 categories: Use cautiously
• 6+ categories: Use something else (bar chart, table, etc.)

The reason is simple: pie charts rely on our ability to compare angles and slices, which becomes harder as the chart gets crowded.

When used intentionally, pie and donut charts can be one of the clearest and most accessible ways to communicate simple proportions, especially for non-technical audiences.

Where they shine is in clear part-to-whole relationships, like:

• Survey responses (Yes / No / Maybe)
• Budget breakdowns (Income / Expense)
• Progress toward a total (70 out of 100%)

A recent favorite discovery of a donut chart in the wild (pun intended) is in the hit game The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild. Check out Link’s stamina. It functions exactly like a donut chart!

The green representing Link’s remaining stamina, the red is what’s being consumed, and the dark gray is what’s already gone. Chances are, even if you’ve never played or heard of this game you can get an understanding of what’s happening just from this screenshot.

In these situations, a dessert chart communicates the big picture instantly, often faster than any other chart type ever could.

The mistake most people make isn’t simply using pie charts, as we’ve seen there is a time and place for them. The mistake is using them when the message isn’t simple enough to fit inside one. When we are trying to convey more than what the visual can handle things can get messy quick.

This week’s topic was: helpful / not helpful

Why do donuts traditionally have a hole in the middle?

A. To make them easier to stack in bakeries
B. To help the dough cook evenly
C. To reduce the number of calories
D. To hold fillings like jelly

Answer at the bottom of this issue

“Save the Pies for Dessert” by Stephen Few
One of the most famous essays in the pie chart debate. Few argues that bar charts are usually better for comparing values, but he also acknowledges that pie charts naturally communicate part-to-whole relationships. Read more

Pie charts aren't always evil. A confession of a hypocrite. by VizWiz
A thoughtful take arguing that pie charts can work in the right context, especially when the goal is to show simple proportions rather than precise comparisons. It’s a funny story because most of us who not only conduct analyses, but present them as well, have found ourselves at a similar crossroad of using pie charts for non-technical audiences. Read more

Assessing the Role of Chart Types Affordances in High-Level Decision Task by Yixuan Li et al.
If you fancy research papers. Researchers (Li et al.) discuss how different chart types affect decision-making. Their findings suggest that while bar charts help with precise comparisons, the overall decisions people make often don’t change much depending on the chart type. Read more

Charticulator #data-visualization #productivity
A free, open-source, no-code tool developed by Microsoft Research that enables users to design bespoke and reusable data visualizations directly in the browser using drag-and-drop or touch.

SankeyMATIC #data-visualization #productivity
Another open-source tool. Create custom diagrams with SankeyMATIC. A super easy web builder you can learn in under 1 minute. (I use this for my monthly budget)

▶️ How I built this AWESOME donut chart without using custom visuals (Power BI) by Mara Pereira (11 mins)
Learn how to create a multi-layer donut chart in Power BI from YouTube creator, Mara Pereira. Uses native visuals and DAX.

Why do donuts traditionally have a hole in the middle?

A. To make them easier to stack in bakeries
B. To help the dough cook evenly ✅
C. To reduce the number of calories
D. To hold fillings like jelly

The hole was introduced because early donuts often had raw dough in the center. Removing the middle allowed the dough to cook evenly while frying.

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