A chart with no title is just coloured shapes. Today you turn the bar chart and pie chart already in {{code:06_ka2_charts}} into something a supervisor, club treasurer or customer could read in five seconds: clear titles, axis labels, data labels, a sensible legend, and colours that still make sense if someone prints in black and white.
Think of a chart you have seen on Instagram, a news site or a school notice. Could you tell what it was about without reading a caption underneath? If not, what was missing: a title, labels, or colours that all looked the same in grey?
Missing your charts? That is normal catch-up, not a failure. Tell your teacher. Open your project budget workbook, select the cost (or main data) table, insert one bar chart and one pie chart, then save or rename the file as {{code:06_ka2_charts}} inside {{code:Project_Portfolio}} / {{code:06_charts}}. A three-minute rebuild is fine; you are not behind forever.
Formatting is what turns raw chart graphics into evidence someone else can trust. Your teacher will walk the rubric and a before/after example; use the table as a support sheet while you work.
| Concept | Why it matters | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Chart title — a short plain-language label that says what the chart shows and for whom | Without a title, the reader has to guess the story; with a title, your Something Real numbers speak in one glance | "Kit fundraiser costs by item (€)" beats "Chart 1" on a GAA club budget sheet |
| Axis labels — text naming what the horizontal and vertical axes measure (bar and column charts only) | Numbers alone do not tell a reader whether the scale is euro, units sold, or hours | Horizontal: Item name. Vertical: Cost (€) or Hours or Units — match your real data. A placement supervisor can read the scale without asking you |
| Data labels — the actual values (or percentages) shown on bars or pie slices | Useful when the exact figure matters more than comparing bar heights by eye | A pie slice labelled "Materials 42%" answers "where does most of the money go?" without a calculator |
| Legend — the key that links colours or patterns to categories | Needed when colour carries meaning; clutter if there is only one series and the axis already names it | On a single-series bar chart of item costs, hide the legend. On a pie of categories, keep it or use slice labels instead |
| Print-safe colours — fills that stay distinct when printed or photocopied in greyscale | Many school and workplace printers still output black and white; two pale blues become the same grey | Dark navy, mid teal, charcoal and light grey still separate when printed on the school printer |
Before you call a chart finished, run this five-point check:
Units match your data. The worked labels use Cost (€) because many Something Real budgets are money. If your chart measures hours, units sold, votes or something else, swap the wording so the title and axis (or pie story) match your numbers.
Before → after (money example). Before: title "Chart 1", no unit on the axis, legend repeating a single series, all bars the same pale blue. After: title names the project and unit, vertical axis matches the data, data labels on, legend hidden on a single series, one strong solid colour. A placement supervisor can read the story without asking a single question.
Open {{code:06_ka2_charts}} and format your bar chart to the core presentation standard, then run a short pie chart path so both chart types are demonstrated before Independent Practice.
Core bar checkpoint: meaningful title, axis labels that match your real unit (Cost (€), Hours, Units, and so on), data labels, and one high-contrast series colour. Hiding the legend and per-bar recolour are stretch if time is tight; finish them in Independent Practice if needed.
Once the bar passes the core rubric points, you are halfway. The pie uses the same ideas with different shapes. Your teacher will keep the pace so the class reaches the pie beats together.
| Issue | Solution |
|---|---|
| I cannot find title or label options | Click the chart once so it is selected. In Excel Online look for the Chart tools on the ribbon. In Google Sheets open the three-dot menu and choose Edit chart, then the Customise tab. |
| Axis titles will not appear on my pie chart | That is normal. Pies do not use x/y axes. Use a clear chart title plus slice labels or a legend instead. |
| I need percentage labels on the pie, not raw values | Excel Online: select the pie → Chart tools → Data Labels → open label options → show Percentage (category name optional). Google Sheets: Edit chart → Customise → Pie chart → Slice label → Percentage (or label and percentage). |
| My colours look fine on screen but muddy when printed | Pick colours with different lightness (dark navy, teal, charcoal, light grey) rather than two similar bright colours. Use that same set on pie slices. Test by imagining the chart in grey. |
| When I change one bar or slice colour, everything changes | Click-twice colouring feels awkward the first time. First click selects the whole series; second slow click selects one bar or slice. If the whole series jumps colour, you only selected once — try again slowly. |
| Data labels overlap or cover each other | Use Outside End on bars, or show percentages only on a pie with few slices. If labels still clash, keep the biggest values labelled and rely on the axis or legend for the rest. |
Stay in {{code:06_ka2_charts}} inside {{code:Project_Portfolio}} / {{code:06_charts}}.
1. Polish the bar chart only where the rubric still fails (legend hide, leftover clutter, or per-bar colour if you skipped the stretch).
2. Finish the pie chart to the same standard. Use this checklist if you need the clicks again:
3. Run the five-point clean-chart rubric on both charts. Keep the filename {{code:06_ka2_charts}} in {{code:06_charts}} so the file stays ready for later interpretation and Key Assignment export.
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