Circular chart is a broad term for visualizations arranged around a circular layout. Examples include pie charts, donut charts, radar charts, polar plots, radial bar charts, and circular time charts.

Purpose

Circular charts are often used for part-to-whole relationships, cyclical time, radial comparison, or emphasizing periodic patterns such as hours, months, seasons, and daily rhythms.

Design Notes

• Use circular form when angle or cycle has meaning.
• Avoid circular charts for ordinary ranking when bars would be clearer.
• Label carefully because circular layouts can be hard to scan.
• Be cautious with area and angle comparisons.

Summary

Circular charts can make cyclical structure visible, but they are not automatically better than rectangular charts. The circular layout should match the logic of the data.