A bubble chart is an extension of a scatter plot where a third variable is represented by the size of the data points (bubbles). It enables multidimensional analysis by showing relationships between three numerical variables.
When to Use a Bubble Chart
- Compare and correlate three variables at once
- Visualize economic data (e.g., GDP, population, life expectancy)
- Spot outliers and clusters in multivariate data
Best Practices
- Use proportional scaling for bubble size
- Avoid too many bubbles — limit to 20–30 max for clarity
- Label with tooltips instead of permanent labels
Bubble Charts in ClicData
- Define X, Y, and size dimensions easily
- Customize bubble color based on categories
- Add hover tooltips to show additional metrics