← All chart types
correlation family
bubble
Three-variable scatter — x, y, and bubble area.
Adds a third dimension to a scatter via bubble size (and sometimes a fourth via colour). Strong for positioning maps where one wants to show influence (size = revenue, market cap, weight).
When to use
Three-variable comparison where size adds context the eye can rank.
When NOT to use
Bubble size is the same for everyone (just use scatter), or there is no shared meaning to bubble area (avoid).
Rhetorical roles
- correlate
- position
- compare
Variants & related
Required primitives
- has_axis_titles
- has_legend (size key)
Optional primitives
- has_data_labels
Common anti-patterns
- dimensional-vagueness
- unlegended-size
Disambiguation rules
- Dots of varying SIZES — size encodes a third variable.
- If the chart is positioning (2x2 axes labelled with quadrant names), it is matrix-2x2 with bubbles.