Spider Chart
A spider chart is another name for a radar chart. It places measures on spokes around a center and connects each item's values. The resulting shape gives a compact view of that item's profile.
How to compare the profiles
Read one spoke at a time. Team A scores 4 for speed and Team B scores 3. On reliability, Team B scores 5 and Team A scores 3. The example uses a common 0–5 scale for all four measures.
The outline can help readers see a pattern, but its area is not a reliable overall score. It depends on the order of the spokes as well as the values.
Prepare scores before plotting
Explain where each score comes from and what its endpoints mean. Keep the direction consistent if you want outward movement to indicate a better result.
Do not silently mix percentages, currency, and counts. If you convert them to a shared score, state the conversion and keep the original values available.
Keep the comparison small
Use only a few profiles and keep labels outside the plotting area. Distinguish lines with labels or line styles as well as color.
Choose a bar chart when readers need to rank values precisely. A parallel coordinates chart can compare records across several separately labeled scales.
Connect. Explore. Keep watching.
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