How do I create a "consultant" chart?

[bythecshore]

I'm not even sure what the graph is called, so I don't know how to search
for the answer!

What I'm trying to create is a type of graph that's typically used by
business consultants. It has an X and Y axis, each labeled with some
subjective value such as Quality and Price. Then a bunch of products (or
whatever) are plotted on it, and the actual graph area is split into 4
quadrants, The lower left corner could then represent the "highest cost,
lowest quality product", the upper right would show the "lowest cost,
highest quality" ones, etc.

So I need to know what this is called. It seems like a scatter chart, but
if so I still can't figure out how to plot the data. For example, if a
product gets a "3" for quality and a "7" for price, there are actually two
pieces of data that need to be plotted. I don't know how to do this.

Does anyone know what I'm talking about and can steer me to a "how-to" page so I can figure this out?

Thanks in advance.

 

[Makrini]

You can actually use the Scatter graph

After setting up - right click on the "Y" axis - choose format axis - choose scale

then change the "crosses x at" value

Then do the same for the X Axis

(These are the instructions Excel 2000-2003 anyhow - unsure with 2007)

 

[bythecshore]

OK, but how do I plot a data point with two values? For example, let's say that a car gets a 3 rating for cost and a 7 rating for quality. So it has two values, 3,7. How do I plot that?

 

[RoryA]

That's what XY charts are - a value for X and a value for Y.

 

[Andrew Poulsom]

Look here:

http://peltiertech.com/Excel/Charts/ColoredQuadrantBackground.html

 

[bythecshore]

I hate to be dense about this, but I still can't get it quite right. Here's my data:

Quality Cost
Car1 3 8
Car2 6 7
Car3 4 3

If I highlight all the data - including Car1, Car2 & Car3, then choose an "XY Scatter" graph, it incorrectly plots all 6 data points. So then if I highlight just the numbers, it plots them correctly, but then I can't get the plotted data points to show the correct labels, i.e., there are then 3 data points and I need the labels of Car1, Car2 & Car3 to show on the graph above each point. What am I doing wrong?

 

[RoryA]

You need to add the data labels manually, or you can download Rob Bovey's XY Chart labeller add-in (it's free).

 

[Andrew Poulsom]

You can also plot 3 series:

Car1 Name:=Sheet1!$A$2 X Values:=Sheet1!$B$2 Y Values:=Sheet1!$C$2
Car2 Name:=Sheet1!$A$3 X Values:=Sheet1!$B$3 Y Values:=Sheet1!$C$3
Car3 Name:=Sheet1!$A$4 X Values:=Sheet1!$B$4 Y Values:=Sheet1!$C$4

You can also give the axes a title under Chart Options. Once done you can link the titles to a cell by selecting the textbox, going to the Formula Bar, typing =, pointing to the cell and pressing Enter.

 

[bythecshore]

You need to add the data labels manually, or you can download Rob Bovey's XY Chart labeller add-in (it's free).

Excellent! I downloaded it and it works perfectly!

Thanks to all who responded.