The standard 3-D bar graph, used in countless computer programs, scientific journals and newspapers, are inaccurate and misleading. Alvaro Muñoz, a professor of epidemiology at the School of Public Health, has developed the new diamond graph, which corrects these errors and represents all the variables equally in an easy to read form.
The 3-D bar graph has three main flaws discussed here. The variables are not equally represented in the diagram, the true values of the bars are difficult to distinguish, and overlapping data cannot be presented.
This new graph is essentially a view of the bar graph from above rather than the side. Using exampnding polygons within a grid allows for a more accurate display of values, while fixing the errors and problems of the 3-D bar graph.