1. CREATING BETTER CASCADE CHARTS
David Goldstein
February, 2018

2. Types of Cascade Charts
Build Up/Down
Change
Stacked
Horizontal

3. iPhone SE Component Costs
This build up cascade allows you to show each component contributes to total cost and its relationship to retail price.
Previously launched models with similar or same components

4. Microsoft Income Statement
Use a build down cascade to walk your audience through the line items on an income statement. Switch bars and series to avoid data restructuring.

5. Salesforce Cash Flow
A cascade can also be used to show each item on a Statement of Cash Flows. Positive contributions are colored green and negative are red.
Option 1: coloring bars individually

6. Salesforce Cash Flow
A cascade can also be used to show each item on a Statement of Cash Flows. Positive contributions are colored green and negative are red.
Option 2: positive and negative series

7. Salesforce Cash Flow
A cascade can also be used to show each item on a Statement of Cash Flows. Positive contributions are colored green and negative are red.
Option 3: conditional formatting

8. Market Segments
You can use a build down cascade to go from the total market to an addressable market. Reverse the axis if your data is in build up order.

9. Converting Crops to Food
A horizontal cascade is useful when you have many bars and lengthy bar labels.

10. Amazon’s Record Quarter
This change cascade highlights the big drivers of revenue change for a quarter.

11. Apple’s Revenue Change
Use multiple change cascades to show how product and regions contributed to the revenue change over time. Use color to highlight the biggest drivers.
Technology
Region
Product
Stacked cascade charts

12. Private Equity Deal Analysis
A stacked cascade allows you to show more detail for one or more of the bars in the chart.

13. Winter Olympic Event Growth
This is a more complex stacked cascade. Use color to highlight and segment the events added between the two years.

14. Resources
Use these resources to learn more about how to use Mekko Graphics to improve your charts. For questions or product feedback, me at
Cascade Charts
Videos
Blogs &
Support
Visit All About Cascade Charts on our website to learn more about how to use cascade charts in your next presentation
Download our chart gallery with more than 200 charts
Take these charts and modify them for your own use
Watch a recorded version of the full training webinar for step-by-step instructions on how to make each chart type
Watch short videos on key chart types, analytical enhancements and productivity boosters
Use our Chart of the Week blog for inspiration
Visit our Build Your CQ blog for tips and tricks to improve your charting proficiency
Use Ask an Expert from the Mekko Graphics ribbon or on our website if you’re struggling to find the right chart for your data