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CMA Foundation · Fundamentals of Business Laws and Business Communication · Use of Graphics and References for Business Communication

A manager presents a bar chart of quarterly profit in which the vertical axis starts at ₹95 lakh instead of zero, making a rise from ₹98 lakh to ₹101 lakh look huge. Which design principle has been violated?

The principle of honest scaling has been violated. Starting a bar chart's axis well above zero exaggerates small differences, so bar heights no longer reflect true proportions. Effective graphics should present data without distortion, so the visual impression matches the actual figures.

  1. AUse of colour contrast
  2. BHonest scaling of the axis so the visual impression matches the dataCorrect
  3. CAdding a title to the chart
  4. DLabelling the data source

Explanation

Truncating the axis at ₹95 lakh exaggerates a small change of about 3 per cent, so the bars misrepresent the proportions. Titles, colour and source notes are not the issue here. The fault is distortion of scale, which misleads the audience.

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