Y-asix category with Multiple X-axis values

[Trouvera52]

I am trying to recreate a very cool chart with no luck. The chart has
categories on the Y-axis (think Key Purchase Criteria) with multiple
companies results in a (horizontal) line format (think Company A, B, C, D) on
the x-axis based on values (customer satisfaction) 1-9.

So Data would look something like:

Category Company A Company B Company C Company D
KPC 1 3 5 7
9
KPC 2 4 9 7
8
KPC 3 2 5 9
4
KPC 4 5 8 2
3

The idea is to visually demonstrate where opportunities are to beat the
competition.

Anyone who can help with this is a SAINT!!!!!!
Trouvera

 

[Jon Peltier]

You need at least one numeric set of data; Excel cannot plot text as values.
I would suggest using 1, 2, 3, 4 as your KPC values, and use a number format
on your axis like "KPC "0, so the numbers look like KPC 1, KPC 2. etc. If
you need more detailed axis labels try one of these:

http://peltiertech.com/Excel/Charts/Y_CategoryAxis.html
http://peltiertech.com/Excel/Charts/DotPlot.html

So your data could look like:
Company KPC Value
Company A 1 3
Company B 1 5
Company C 1 7

etc. Make a bubble chart, so the size of the bubble relates to customer
satisfaction or whatever the column labeled Value contains.

- Jon

 

[Del Cotter]

I am trying to recreate a very cool chart with no luck. The chart has
categories on the Y-axis (think Key Purchase Criteria) with multiple
companies results in a (horizontal) line format (think Company A, B, C, D) on
the x-axis based on values (customer satisfaction) 1-9.

Category Company A Company B Company C
KPC 1 3 5 7
KPC 2 4 9 7
KPC 3 2 5 9

What you're describing is a "dot plot", which is to an Excel "line
chart" what the Excel "bar chart" is to an Excel "column chart".

Excel makes dot plots difficult because it has no built-in way of
providing a category vertical axis for line graphs: the vertical axis
can only ever be a value axis.

If you are only presenting this on paper or overhead transparencies, I
find a quick and dirty way of producing these is to make a simple line
chart and then format all the text so it reads sideways. You have to
tilt your head to read it on the screen when you're designing it, but
you can just turn the paper or transparency round when you present it to
your audience.

If you want it to look upright on screen, the design is trickier, but
still feasible: Jon Peltier, Kelly O'Day, Charley Kyd and other Excel
graph experts have instructions on making dot plots on their web sites.
Google "Excel dot-plot" for examples.

 

[Del Cotter]

What you're describing is a "dot plot", which is to an Excel "line
chart" what the Excel "bar chart" is to an Excel "column chart".

Here's an example of the data above formatted for a dot plot and for
bubbles.

http://www.branta.demon.co.uk/excel/dotplot-spotmatrix.xls

 

[Trouvera52]

Very cool Del! I really like the Spot Matrix. All answers were helpful,
this one gives me a new look that I will use right away.

Regards,
Trouvera