A Bump Chart is a visualisation that shows how the rankings of different categories or entities change over time or between groupings. This chart uses the x-axis to represent time and the y-axis to designate rankings (e.g. 1st, 2nd, 3rd…).

Each category or entity is represented by a connected line that “bump” up or down as their rankings change over time. The connecting lines are usually straight, but curved line interpolation may be used to highlight a general trend rather than focusing on precise readings. Colour is often used to distinguish each category.

The key advantage of a Bump Chart is its ability to visually highlight significant rank changes, patterns, and trends over a time period for multiple categories. By examining this chart, you can easily identify which entities have experienced notable shifts in their rankings and detect consistent rises, falls, or fluctuations. Straight, consistent lines often indicate stable rankings over time.

Tools to create this chart with:
D3.js
Datylon
JS / JS Charting
Nivo (React + D3)
PlotDB
Plotly
R / ggplot2 with ggbump
Tableau
Vega-Lite
ZingChart