graphs in Excel

[minus0]

Hello,

I posted this question last night but it has disappeared for some reason so re-posting it.

I got some data, spread over a few months and for five products that I want to display in a line graph and I am trying to see if I can use one graph to represent all of this data. Included below is my data

January'08
Tests created Tests Executed Bugs raised
Product1 10 10 5
Product2 20 15 2
Product3 25 5 0
Product4 5 5 0
Product5 40 40 15

February'08
Tests created Tests Executed Bugs raised
Product1 30 10 5
Product2 20 10 2
Product3 25 20 5
Product4 10 5 0
Product5 22 20 1

March'08
Tests created Tests Executed Bugs raised
Product1 40 40 5
Product2 30 15 10
Product3 25 25 0
Product4 30 30 15
Product5 40 40 15

is it possible to graph this data with Products on x-axis and months of y-axis - if thats not possible, please suggest whats the best way of plotting this.

thanks in advance
John

 

[SkipVought]

hi,

Change your source format and use REAL DATES...
[tt]
TestDate Tests created Tests Executed Bugs raised
Jan-08 Product1 10 10 
Jan-08 Product2 20 15 
Jan-08 Product3 25 5  
Jan-08 Product4 5 5   
Jan-08 Product5 40 40 
...
[/tt]

Skip,
[sup]Don't let the Diatribe...
talk you to death![/sup][sub]
Just traded in my old subtlety...
for a NUANCE![/sub]

 

[minus0]

Thanks Skip, Unless I am missing to get what you are suggesting the graph isnt looking "pretty". I threw in the data for January with the numbers (tests created etc) on the y-axis and "month, product" ("January, Product1", "January, Product2",... ). As I mentioned, this data is cumulative and right now I have 3 months worth data so imagine the situation when I have a more data.

Any other suggestions?

Thanks
-0

 

[Gavona]

is it possible to graph this data with Products on x-axis and months of y-axis

does not really make any sense. You need to consider what YOU are trying to illustrate with this graph.
Are you trying to look at trends over time?
Or to compare the 'bugginess' of different products?
Or to compare the percentage of tests that revealed bugs?

You may want to start with a separate line for each product. Month on the x axis and quantity on the y axis.
You could have a separate line for each product for tests executed and another for Bugs Raised. Still rather to many lines. A bar/column chart might be better in my view but you asked for a line chart.



Gavin

 

[minus0]

@Gavin - I guess I wasnt very clear with what I want with these graphs. Its not just the trend over time but throughput in terms of a deliverable as well - whether the quality for each of the products is increasing over time (this is the reason for having bugs on the graphs) and how many test cases are being written/executed per month. All of this would be per product and would be going on a separate line if I am to go with a line graph. I dont have to compare one product with another and as long as the data looks good, I am ok with a bar chart or a line graph or anything else.

 

[Gavona]

Personally sounds like you need one line/bar for tests executed and one for quality (% with bugs). That makes two lines/bars for each product. Not sure how many products you have but even with just the 5 illustrated that makes 10 lines/bars each of which has a different value for each month.

My take is that will be almost impossible to keep looking "pretty" on a single chart. In addition you say that dont have to compare one product with another. So I would go for a separate chart for each product, especially if you are using the chart to help interpret what is happening rather than doing that another way and using the chart just to look pretty in a presentation.
If you are more interested in presentation you could think about the quality being represented by the width of the bar (not sure how Excel could handle that).

So if I were you I would start by adding a quality column to your data (Bugs raised / Tests created formatted as a percentage).
Then I would create a pivot chart report and start exploring the possibilities. Data, Pivot.....


Gavin

 

[minus0]

Thanks a bunch Gavin. Will give this a shot and see how it goes.

-0