The Pacific Northwest of the United States offers a dramatic backdrop of rocky beaches, hidden waterways, uninhabited islands, and endless mountain ranges wrapped in seasonal fog. For outdoor enthusiasts who hike Washington’s rugged trails during the fleeting summer weather, discovering hidden waterfalls is a premier pursuit. Living in the region provides ample opportunity for such exploration, as Washington state proudly hosts more than 2,900 waterfalls, a geographic distinction that includes the single tallest waterfall in the continental United States.
Immersed in this inspiring natural environment, a recent mountain trek to a cascading waterfall prompted a fresh look at a favorite data visualization format: the waterfall chart. These specialized charts serve as remarkably powerful tools for narrative-driven data storytelling because they clearly illustrate a sequential journey. They effectively demonstrate a starting baseline, highlight every specific positive and negative change that occurs along the way, and reveal the final ending point with absolute clarity.
While the data visualization community previously tackled waterfall charts during an earlier monthly challenge several years ago, organizers have decided it is time for a fresh perspective and renewed creativity. Analysts and communicators historically deploy waterfall charts for sales breakdowns, revenue variance, or detailed cause-of-change analyses. However, their structural utility extends far beyond traditional finance. They prove equally effective for tracking human resources headcounts, monitoring subscription growth and churn metrics, or illustrating score changes over the course of a competitive sports match.
Waterfall charts function exceptionally well during live verbal walkthroughs, offering presenters the valuable opportunity to spend dedicated time discussing critical performance bars nestled within the middle section of the visualization. Beyond live presentations, these charts provide refreshing visual breathing room and clean white space in written communications and executive reports. Because there are countless potential applications across diverse industries, exploring these varied use cases forms the core objective of the latest community challenge.
The Challenge
Participants are invited to design, build, and share an original waterfall chart. Creators may utilize their own proprietary data, explore publicly available datasets, or simply practice their design skills using a classic Storytelling with Data example. As standard practice for professional reporting, participants must strictly anonymize any sensitive data that cannot be shared publicly before publishing their work.
For those who may be relatively new to this specific chart type, foundational resources detailing how to construct a waterfall chart and outlining essential design considerations are readily available through the community platform. Whether a participant chooses a serious corporate application or a lighthearted, fun topic for their visual narrative, the ultimate goal is to tell whatever story inspires them most.
Community members wishing to participate must submit their waterfall chart stories directly through the designated challenge portal by August 31 at 5:00 PM Pacific Time. Participants who are looking for targeted critique or specific constructive feedback on their design choices are encouraged to include those precise details alongside their published commentary.
Related Resources
To support creators throughout the design process, a collection of reference materials has been assembled to help practitioners build effective waterfall charts and understand the underlying mechanics of sequential data storytelling.
