Creating clear, engaging visuals is crucial for effectively presenting data, and one of the best ways to achieve this is by using a donut chart.
It’s a powerful tool for visualizing information, offering a sleek and modern twist on the traditional pie chart.
Let’s explore how to create a donut chart that simplifies your data while improving your storytelling.
How to Make a Donut Chart for Impactful Visuals
Summarize this article for me pleaseWhat Is a Donut Chart?
A donut chart, also spelled doughnut chart, displays data as proportional segments of a disc with a hollow center, similar to a donut.
When you look at a pie chart, it’s easy to misinterpret the size of each slice as a representation of the whole pie.
Instead of presenting categories as slices, donut charts use arcs, which adds clarity. While the central hole might seem like a design choice at first, it helps viewers avoid confusion about the area of each section.
Plus, they’re straightforward to create and have a modern appeal, making them stand out among other visualization techniques.
Summarize this article for me pleaseTypes of Donut Charts
Donut charts come in several types, each serving specific purposes depending on the data being presented. Here are some common types of donut charts:
A simple donut chart
This features a ring divided into segments, each representing a portion of the data. The purpose is to show how different parts compare to the whole while keeping the design clean and visually appealing.Â
You’ll typically find an empty center inside the ring, though sometimes labels or extra info may be added.
Exploded donut chart
An exploded donut chart, on the other hand, takes things a step further. It’s a more advanced version of the simple donut chart, designed to emphasize specific segments.Â
This chart pulls one or more segments from the center, making those portions stand out. This type is beneficial when highlighting specific categories or showing hierarchical relationships within the data.
Visually ‘exploding’ parts of the chart naturally draw the viewer’s attention to the sections that matter most.
Nested donut chart
Also known as a multi-level or concentric donut chart, it features multiple rings. Each ring represents a different level of data, allowing for a more hierarchical display of information.
This type is beneficial when you want to show relationships or breakdowns within categories​.
Stacked donut chart
In this chart, each segment of the donut is further divided into sub-segments that represent different parts of the same category.
This type is useful for showing how different components contribute to a total​
Labeled donut chart
Some donut charts incorporate labels or values inside or outside the segments to provide additional context, enhancing readability and interpretation​.
Summarize this article for me pleaseWhen to Use a Donut Chart
Doughnut charts are a great visualization tool, but they’re not always the right fit for every data visualization. Knowing when to use one can help make your data clearer and more engaging.
Here are some scenarios where a donut chart is the best way to represent data:
Comparing parts to a whole
Donut charts display how different parts contribute to an entire dataset.
📌Example
If you show market share across several companies, each donut segment represents a company’s share. The chart makes it clear how much space each competitor occupies in the market without overwhelming the viewer with numbers.
This visual comparison helps the audience quickly grasp the proportions.
Highlighting key categories
An exploded donut chart is particularly effective when emphasizing specific data points.
📌Example
Let’s say you’re presenting company expenses and want to draw attention to marketing costs. By slightly ‘exploding’ the marketing segment out of the donut, you can highlight it visually, ensuring that viewers notice it immediately.
This is especially useful in presentations where specific data points must stand out without being lost.
Focusing on visual appeal
Sometimes, data needs to be presented in an informative and aesthetically pleasing manner. Donut charts offer a sleek, modern look for infographics or digital presentations.
📌Example
A nonprofit organization might use a donut chart to show how its donations are allocated—one section for administrative costs, another for programs, etc. The hollow center can display a vital number or icon, enhancing the chart’s visual appeal while keeping the focus on the data.
Avoiding confusion
Pie charts can often lead to misinterpretation because viewers tend to focus on the area of each slice rather than the value it represents. Donut charts help eliminate this problem by focusing attention on the length of each arc, making it easier to compare values.
📌Example
The donut chart’s design helps viewers understand the breakdown of time spent on various activities in a project without getting distracted by the overall area of each segment.
The hollow center minimizes confusion, allowing for more precise data comparison.
Simplifying complex data
Donut charts can simplify complicated datasets. They help reduce clutter by focusing on the essential categories without overwhelming your audience with excessive detail.
📌Example
If you’re presenting survey results with multiple responses, a donut chart can summarize the findings, making it easier for viewers to digest the information.
Also Read: 25 Best Free Project Management Software
Summarize this article for me pleaseHow to Create a Donut Chart
While Google Sheets is a good option for creating pie charts and donut charts, it has some limitations.
For one, creating charts on the go can be challenging. The interface is better optimized for desktop use, making it difficult to work efficiently on mobile, especially with large data sets.
Additionally, the aesthetics of Google Sheets charts are limited. This can be a drawback when using them in presentations or client calls, as they may not convey a polished look.
ClickUp is a project management solution that doubles as a powerful data visualization tool. It doesn’t stop at task management—it shines when customizing and visualizing data, especially when converting pie charts into donut charts.
Here’s how you can create a donut chart using ClickUp:
Step 1. Identify data
Decide what categories you want to represent in your chart. For example, if you’re tracking project tasks, categories could be ‘Completed,’ ‘In Progress,’ ‘Pending,’ etc.
Collect the numerical values for each category. This could be the number of tasks, hours spent, or any other relevant metric.
In ClickUp, you can select data from various locations, such as Spaces, Folders, or Lists. This flexibility allows you to tailor the chart to your specific needs.
Step 2. Insert a pie chart
Start by creating a pie chart, which will later be converted into a donut chart.
You can start by opening a ClickUp Dashboard, then click on + Add card, and select ‘Pie Chart’ from the custom card options.
ClickUp Dashboards are made up of highly customizable cards, which you can arrange to present your data however you like. Creating a donut chart in ClickUp is as simple as using these Custom cards to input and display your information.
For example, say you’re managing a team’s workload and want to break it down by status—whether tasks are completed, in progress, or pending.
When you input your dataset, ClickUp will show you a pie chart that not only presents the status of tasks but also gives you extra details like task tags, subtask counts, and any indicators for tasks that are blocked or waiting.
Step 3. Convert to donut chart
You can quickly convert that pie chart into a donut chart with just a few clicks. In the pie chart settings, look for the option to convert to a donut chart.
Enable the donut chart option. This will add a hole in the center of the pie chart, displaying the total number in the middle.
This number represents the overall sum of your categories, giving you a quick snapshot of your data.
You can make your donut chart as detailed or simple as possible. This level of customization means your chart won’t just convey data; it will also fit seamlessly into the overall look of your dashboard or report.
Step 4. Use drill-down view
Another feature that makes the donut charts so useful is the ClickUp drill-down view. You can click on any slice or the total in the middle to explore the specific data behind that segment more deeply.Â
For instance, if you’re tracking a team’s tasks, you can drill down to see who’s responsible for which task, their due dates, and what progress has been made.
The platform also allows you to organize your data by date using ClickUp date fields in Dashboard cards. This is particularly helpful for visualizing trends over time, as you can create donut charts highlighting how certain activities or tasks evolve within a specific time range.
Step 5. Save and share
Once your chart is ready, save it and share it with your team or stakeholders, ensuring everyone can access the latest data visualizations.
Summarize this article for me pleaseExamples of Donut Chart Use Cases
Need some ideas for using donut charts? Let’s take a look at a few for inspiration.
Tech donut charts
Donut charts are a fresh take on the classic pie chart, which makes them an ideal match for visualizing tech-related data.
For instance, below is an infographic about popular social media platforms, where donut charts can break down audience demographics by age group.
Similarly, when illustrating laptop brand comparisons, a series of donut charts can visually represent the overall industry size and trends.
Sales donut charts
Sales teams deal with an overwhelming amount of data. A donut chart can pack a ton of valuable information in a small space, which is perfect for a sales dashboard.
For example, a chart can display closed deals, with each type of deal shown proportionally to the total. This helps teams quickly see their performance, spot gaps, and make data-driven decisions to boost conversions.
Manufacturing donut charts
In manufacturing, donut charts can be a powerful tool for understanding production inefficiencies. Using these charts, a manager could visualize the causes of lost production time, such as equipment failures, maintenance needs, or material shortages.
Breaking down these issues into donut chart segments makes it easier to see where problems are concentrated and allocate resources more effectively, which can improve productivity.
Finance donut charts
Financial data can be overwhelming, but donut charts simplify it by displaying categories like paid, pending, overdue, and default accounts. This gives finance teams a quick snapshot of the company’s financial health.
Analysts can instantly see where potential issues arise and act proactively, improving cash flow management and reducing financial risks. It’s a simple yet effective way to monitor the numbers that matter.
Government donut charts
Government dashboards can also benefit from donut charts, particularly regarding tracking processes like grant applications.
You could use a donut chart to represent the percentage of applications received, approved, or still pending applications. This type of visualization gives administrators an at-a-glance overview, helping them spot inefficiencies and bottlenecks in the system.
By quickly identifying where the process slows down, they can reallocate resources and improve overall performance.
Also Read: 10 Diagram Examples for Any Type of Project
Summarize this article for me pleaseAdvantages of Using Donut Charts
From customization options to simplicity, here’s a breakdown of why donut charts are a great choice for your project management chart.
1. Customizability
One of the biggest advantages of donut charts is customization. Whether you’re a business owner, a teacher, or a student, you can tailor these charts to fit your audience and goals.
The flexibility to adjust colors, labels, and design makes it easier to present complex data in a digestible way. For example, you can match the chart’s color scheme with your brand or use color psychology to influence how viewers interpret the data.
Another useful feature is the ability to explode sections of the chart, drawing attention to key data points and guiding the viewer’s focus. This level of customization can turn what might be a dull dataset into a visually appealing narrative.
2. User-friendliness
You don’t need to be a data expert to create or understand a donut chart. The circular design naturally lends itself to showing proportions, which makes even complex data easier to grasp. Donut charts transcend cultural and language barriers, making them an excellent tool for global collaboration.
Plus, because they are so intuitive, they can help facilitate discussions, even among people unfamiliar with data analysis.
3. Simplicity
The most significant advantage of donut charts is how simple they are to comprehend. Their minimalist design allows viewers to instantly make sense of the data, even if they have little to no experience in reading charts.
The fact that donut charts have very few critical components—like outer and inner rings, segments, tiles, and legends—also means there’s less cognitive load on the viewer, which makes it easier to absorb the information at a glance.
4. Visual appeal
Unlike traditional charts, donut charts give you more space to work with, allowing for creativity in layout and color use. The blank center can effectively display key numbers or totals, enhancing the design and functionality.
When done right, a well-crafted donut chart can be a statement piece in a presentation, leaving a lasting impression on your audience.
Summarize this article for me pleaseLimitations of Donut Charts
While donut charts are visually appealing and practical for displaying certain types of data, they come with a few limitations that might make them less suitable for every situation.
1. Not ideal for frequently changing data
Since the design is static, updating it in real time without creating visual clutter is tricky. When you try to refresh the data, the fixed sections can become disorganized, making the chart hard to read. The circular format also doesn’t lend itself to representing data that fluctuates frequently.
Other formats, like line charts, are often more effective when information needs to be updated quickly.
2. Limited ability to represent many categories
As you try to squeeze in more data points, the chart quickly becomes crowded and hard to interpret. The more sections you add, the more difficult it is to maintain clarity, and viewers may struggle to make sense of the overlapping lines and labels.
For complex datasets with numerous variables, simpler, less cluttered alternatives might be more effective.
3. Less precise for detailed data comparison
Donut charts are visually striking but aren’t the best option for precise data comparisons.
Since they focus on general proportions rather than specific values, it can be hard to gauge the size differences between sections accurately. The rounded design also makes it difficult to measure exact percentages, especially when dealing with smaller data slices.
This lack of precision can lead to misinterpretation, mainly when the goal is to compare subtle differences between categories.
4. Space constraints
Another limitation is that donut charts can struggle when space is tight. Their circular layout requires ample room to display data clearly, especially when labels or additional information must be included.
When presented in small spaces, like on mobile screens or in dense reports, the text and segments can become compressed, making the chart harder to read. This makes a donut chart less flexible than a bar chart or line chart, which can quickly adapt to constrained spaces without sacrificing clarity.
🎊Bonus: Check out this quick guide on How to Make a Pie Chart in Excel in Minutes and simplify your reporting process.
Summarize this article for me pleaseCreate Stunning Donut Charts with ClickUp
Donut charts are like the modern, stylish version of the classic pie chart, and it’s clear why they’re so popular. Their sleek, minimalist design fits seamlessly into any visual style. Their adaptability makes them even better, and you can use them to present data across various industries.
If you’re considering creating your donut charts, ClickUp has you covered.
Not only can you design stunning donut charts, but you can also manage your data, streamline projects, and automate workflows—all in one place.
The best part? It’s free!
Sign up for ClickUp today and start optimizing your entire process!
Everything you need to stay organized and get work done.
