tulipdiagram

A tulip diagram is a type of chart used in statistics and data visualization to display the distribution of a continuous variable against a categorical variable. It is often used to visualize the spread and central tendency of data within different categories. The diagram consists of a series of bars or boxes, where each bar represents a category. Within each bar, a central line or point indicates the median, and the width of the bar is proportional to the number of observations in that category. Whiskers or lines extending from the bar typically represent the range of the data or specific quantiles, such as the interquartile range.

The name "tulip diagram" is derived from the visual resemblance to a cluster of tulips when multiple bars are displayed side by side, particularly if the bar widths vary significantly. This visualization technique is useful for quickly identifying patterns, outliers, and differences in data distributions across various groups. For instance, a tulip diagram could be used to compare the distribution of test scores among different teaching methods or to show the variation in manufacturing times across different production lines. Its ability to convey multiple pieces of information—central tendency, spread, and frequency—in a single graphic makes it a valuable tool for exploratory data analysis and communication of statistical findings.