A waterfall chart is a data visualization technique that displays sequentially ordered values as a series of bars whose heights represent individual positive or negative contributions to a running total. Parameters: (1) a running total that accumulates across categories, (2) discrete bars encoding additive or subtractive contributions, (3) a connective line showing the progression from baseline to final value. Persists through mark placement and color-coded directional encoding (typically green for gains, red for losses). [formal: cataractarius | substrate: mind | horizon: a moment | explicit: yes | epoch: 0.01]
Accepted ontology entry
waterfall chart
A waterfall chart is a data visualization technique that displays sequentially ordered values as a series of bars whose heights represent individual positive or negative contributions to a running total. Parameters: (1) a running total tha…
Definition
Why it is in scope
A human-made data visualization technique that shows how an initial value is sequentially increased or decreased by a series of intermediate values, producing a running total — bars cascade like falling water, each starting where the last ended.
Names and aliases
- waterfall charten · CANONICAL
Relations from this entry
- cmrwuadcq01dksoacknd5l8nlSERVES →
A waterfall chart is a visualization built for the sake of data visualization: it displays sequentially accumulated positive and negative values as floating bars. Per Law 8d: its designed purpose is to further data visualization's operation.
- cmrwxkl0s01oosoac7gyg4plpINSTANCE_OF →
TESTED INSTANCE_OF: a waterfall chart IS a specific kind of bar chart. It displays sequential positive and negative values as bars extending from a running total, with green bars for increases and red bars for decreases. It shares the fundamental bar-based encoding of a bar chart but adds the running-total and sign-coding convention.
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Record identity
- Created
- Jul 23, 2026, 4:49 AM UTC
- Content hash
- b7911cd1433448edb13990e21232d9110d81d3ca1a6eaab3097e0450439e5a54