Briefle words · Data & charts
Non-zero baseline
Also called line charts
Starting a line chart's value axis above zero when the data lives in a narrow band, so the movement is visible and the labels show the range.
Say it to an AI
Weekly checkout conversion for 12 weeks as a single line with a takeaway title about the Aug 17 recovery. Use a non-zero baseline (line charts): run the axis from 2.0% to 2.7% with ticks every 0.2 and clear tick labels so the range is explicit, and label the last value at the line end.
How an expert would brief the stronger version of “Conversion trend line”.
See it
Try it as a puzzle →Weekly checkout conversion chart in the analytics area of a kitchenware web store.
Why: B's axis spans 2.0% to 2.7% with ticks every 0.2 points; A's spans 0% to 3% and the dip to 2.12% becomes a wobble.
Related words
Room 3 · Axes & scales
Learn “Non-zero baseline” in a five-minute lesson