- A mekko chart shows category size through column width and composition through stacked segment height.
- Use one when your audience needs both signals in a single view, such as market size and product mix.
- Choose a simpler chart when exact comparisons, negative values, or many small segments matter more than a compact overview.
- Clear labels, consistent colors, and disciplined data preparation make this variable-width chart much easier to read.
- Before you commit, compare it with other types of charts and graphs that may answer your question more directly.
A mekko chart is a variable-width stacked chart that shows how big each category is and what makes it up. If your question has those two parts, the chart can pack a useful amount of context into one view.
Still, visual complexity is a cost, not a badge of honor. Start with the decision at hand, then judge whether a mekko chart communicates the answer clearly.
What a Mekko Chart Shows
A mekko chart uses columns for main categories, such as regions, customer segments, or business units. Each column’s width represents its share of a total measure, while the colored sections within it show the category’s internal composition. In Flourish’s Marimekko chart overview, classic mode is percentage-normalized with changing column widths, while Bar Mekko mode scales segments with absolute values. These are Flourish’s classic and Bar Mekko modes, and common vertical implementation patterns, rather than universal standards for every charting tool.
In one common pattern, a 100% Mekko keeps every column at the same height. The stacked segments within each column add up to 100%, so you can compare mix across categories while the widths show relative category size.
Because width and height both carry meaning, each rectangle’s area represents its contribution to the overall total. Picture a regional revenue view: column width shows each region’s share of total revenue, while stacked sections show the product mix inside that region.
That distinction matters when you read the chart. Segment height helps you compare composition within a category, while rectangle area gives a rough sense of contribution across the full market or portfolio.
For close, exact comparisons, choose an aligned bar chart or a table instead. The authors of research on graphical perception reported that, in a 2026 virtual-reality experiment with 13 participants, bar charts supported the most accurate judgments, followed by length and area encodings. That small VR study is not a universal guarantee for every desktop chart, but it supports a qualified preference for aligned bars or a table when a close call drives the decision.
How a 100% Mekko Differs from a Bar Mekko
A common 100% Mekko implementation keeps every column at a normalized height while allowing widths to vary. Use it when you want to compare the composition of differently sized categories, such as product mix across markets with unequal revenue.
A common Bar Mekko implementation allows both column width and column height to vary. That extra dimension can represent two absolute measures, but it also asks your reader to decode more visual information at once.
Which version fits your question? Choose the 100% Mekko for size plus percentage mix, and consider a Bar Mekko when both width and height represent meaningful absolute quantities.
Even then, test comprehension rather than assuming more dimensions mean more insight. For close, exact comparisons, consider an aligned bar chart with a common baseline or a table instead of either mekko variant.
When a Mekko Chart Is the Right Choice
Choose a mekko chart when your business question combines category scale with category composition. Common examples include market size plus vendor share, portfolio value plus asset mix, regional revenue plus product mix, and customer segment size plus channel preference.
The underlying data needs a clear main category, a consistent breakdown category, and a common quantitative measure. If one region uses revenue while another uses unit volume, the widths no longer support a fair comparison.
A mekko chart can also help with resource allocation. You might show each department’s share of a budget through width, then divide each department into staffing, software, and services.
Before building it, write the question in one sentence: “How large is each category, and what is its mix?” If that is genuinely the decision at hand, the format has earned its place.
Static views may still leave follow-up questions. ThoughtSpot’s guidance on interactive data visualization describes filtering, drilling down, and direct exploration. Readers can inspect a segment without forcing every detail onto the first view.
When a Simpler Chart Will Do a Better Job
As a practical rule, consider an aligned bar or column chart when readers need to compare values precisely. A shared baseline can make small differences easier to judge, especially when the ranking itself drives the decision.
For composition alone, you may find a 100% stacked bar chart easier to explain. Consider a table when readers need exact values, or use two coordinated charts to separate size from mix.
Negative values are another warning sign because the width-and-area logic becomes difficult to interpret. Too many categories or segments create similar trouble, turning the chart into a patchwork quilt with a spreadsheet hiding underneath.
Audience familiarity matters too. If you are presenting one message to people who rarely see variable-width charts, follow data visualization best practices and favor the clearest familiar form.
How to Prepare Data for a Mekko Chart
Start by choosing the width metric that represents category size. Revenue, customer count, units sold, or budget can work, provided every category uses the same unit and aggregation logic.
Next, define breakdown segments that are mutually exclusive and collectively exhaustive. In plain language, each record belongs in one segment, and all segments together account for the category total.
Use a structure like this before you calculate widths and percentages. These four fields keep the calculation logic visible:
| Field | Purpose | Example Value |
|---|---|---|
| Main category | Defines each variable-width column | Region |
| Breakdown category | Defines stacked segments | Product line |
| Width measure | Sets relative column width | Revenue |
| Segment measure | Calculates composition | Revenue by product line |
Then validate that each category’s segments reconcile to its total. If the parts do not add up, the chart may look polished while quietly telling the wrong story.
Order main categories by width when ranking supports the message, or use a meaningful business sequence. Keep segment order and color assignments consistent across every column so readers do not have to relearn the legend.
Once the data is sound, visualization filters can show different cuts of data. The chart design comes later; reliable structure comes first.
Start with the Question, Then Test the Chart
Begin with the business question, then ask someone unfamiliar with the analysis to read the chart. Can they explain what width means, what the segments mean, and what decision the pattern supports?
If the answer is fuzzy, simplify the view or add context. Interactivity should support a clear first impression rather than rescue a confusing design.
When readers need more detail, ThoughtSpot users can drill down into your data from a data point for a finer-grained view, subject to the semantic model. Use that detail view to investigate a question raised by the overview rather than to pack every dimension into the original mekko.
Tooltips can provide exact values, while filters help readers focus on a region, product, or period. For a decision-heavy dashboard, a focused detail view can connect the overview to the details behind it.
Mekko Chart Design Rules That Keep the Insight Clear
A useful mekko chart should pass a quick reader test. If a colleague cannot explain the widths and segments within a few moments, the design needs another round.
Use these rules to keep the message readable. Each one reduces the effort required to interpret the chart:
Write a takeaway title: State the pattern or decision, rather than naming the chart type alone.
Explain the width: Label the width measure clearly, since many readers will first notice the stacked segments.
Limit visual clutter: Group minor segments when the combined category remains meaningful and transparent.
Keep colors consistent: Assign one color to each segment across all columns and related views.
Label selectively: Show values that support the decision, then leave secondary detail to a table or tooltip.
Add context: Include the source, timeframe, unit, and legend so the chart can stand on its own.
Guide attention: Use concise annotations to point readers toward the pattern that matters.
These practices make it easier to choose the right chart for the job, not merely decorate the data. A clean mekko chart still carries two signals, so every label and color should earn its space.
A Practical Market-Analysis Workflow
Suppose you are comparing market size and product mix across regions. Treat the example as a workflow rather than a promised outcome, since your data and decision will shape the final view.
Define the decision: Specify whether the audience is allocating resources, comparing markets, or reviewing portfolio balance.
Organize the data: Use one width measure, one consistent segment field, and a shared timeframe.
Build a first view: Order categories intentionally, apply stable colors, and label the width metric.
Test the story: Ask a colleague to explain the main pattern without coaching from you.
Add precision where needed: Pair the mekko with an aligned bar chart or table for exact comparisons.
If readers need to investigate further, let them filter and drill down rather than cramming every answer into the static view. Tooltips can carry precise values, while filters provide a focused look at a market or product line.
The result should support a conversation about the decision, not a quiz about how to read the chart. When interpretation takes longer than the discussion it supports, step back to a simpler format.
Use a Mekko Chart for a Two-Part Question
A mekko chart earns its place when category scale and within-category composition belong in the same decision. When either part is unnecessary, a bar chart, stacked chart, table, or coordinated pair will usually communicate faster.
Treat the static view as a starting point, especially when readers will ask follow-up questions. To keep sharpening your chart choices, explore data visualization resources from ThoughtSpot.
