Funnel Chart (?)

[smartin]

Not sure if I have the right description here.

What I'm trying to show is the range of possible outcome values around a
mean over time. I actually have something working, but there are a
couple small problems with it and I'm wondering how others may have
accomplished this.

Example here:
http://vfdrake.home.comcast.net/~vfdrake/files/excel/funnel_chart.png

This would resemble the charts NOAA shows to plot predicted storm paths
(e.g., http://preview.tinyurl.com/6xxyrs ) or something like the below:


| x
|
|
| x O
|
| x O
| x O x
| O x x
+--x--------------------
sooner ---> later

The "O"s are the mean values; the "x"s are the upper and lower ranges of
predicted outcomes.

Rather than plotting three lines, I want to shade the area between the
extremes, and draw a line for the mean.

I accomplished this by making the O values as a line chart and the x
values as area charts. The upper x series is shaded grey, the lower x
series is shaded white (effectively erasing the grey below the lower x
series). This works, but as seen in the example my solution limits the
ability to show y-axis gridlines and shows some artifacts.

Any other ideas?

 

[Jon Peltier]

For your area series, plot the lower one as the lower line, and the upper
one as the difference between the two lines, then use the stacked area
option. Then format the lower series to have no fill, and you'll be able to
see through it.

I wrote about just this charting effect in this article:
http://pubs.logicalexpressions.com/Pub0009/LPMArticle.asp?ID=590

- Jon

 

[smartin]

For your area series, plot the lower one as the lower line, and the upper
one as the difference between the two lines, then use the stacked area
option. Then format the lower series to have no fill, and you'll be able to
see through it.

I wrote about just this charting effect in this article:
http://pubs.logicalexpressions.com/Pub0009/LPMArticle.asp?ID=590

That's perfect! Thanks for the tip.