Skill: Time-Series Plotting
Time-series rendered in the right shape for the audience — readable at a glance, not at a 30-row table.
Overview
Render time-series data in the shape that fits the audience. Claude picks a sparkline when the trend matters more than the values, a compact table when the values matter, and a labeled chart for multi-series comparisons — and always uses month or quarter axes (not unix timestamps) so a non-technical reader can read the chart at a glance.
Use cases
Intent trend in a sparkline, not a 12-row table
When a brief shows 'intent score over the last 6 months', the output is a one-line sparkline annotated with the metric and window. The reader sees the trend in a second instead of parsing dates and values manually.
Multi-series comparisons that actually compare
Two-vendor or two-account trends render as a labeled chart with units on every axis — not a wall of numbers asking the reader to do the comparison in their head.
View full skill
Time-Series Plotting
When to use
- Authoring a workflow output that includes time-series data (intent over time, install density over time, headcount over time).
- Reviewing a generated chart that's the wrong shape for its audience.
Shape decision rule
| Data shape | Best representation |
|---|---|
| 3-12 points, single series, trend matters | Sparkline (▁▂▃▅▇) |
| 3-12 points, single series, exact values matter | Compact table (date / value) |
| 12+ points, single series | Markdown line chart (image or rendered) |
| Multiple series | Multi-line chart (rendered) |
| Comparing 2-3 specific dates | Inline prose ("intent rose from 12 to 87 between Jan and May") |
Sparkline conventions
When the shape of the trend matters more than the exact values:
Intent score, 6 months: ▁▂▄▅▇█
Use the Unicode block characters ▁▂▃▄▅▆▇█. Always prefix with the metric name + the time window so the reader has context. Don't use sparklines without labels.
Table conventions
When the exact values matter (e.g., for an audit or a follow-up question):
| Date | Intent score |
|---|---|
| Jan 2026 | 12 |
| Feb 2026 | 28 |
| Mar 2026 | 45 |
| Apr 2026 | 62 |
| May 2026 | 87 |
Prefer ISO month format ("Jan 2026"); avoid "1/26" style which ambiguates day vs. month.
Axis labeling for non-technical readers
A "non-technical reader" includes most CROs and AEs. Conventions:
- Time axis: months or quarters, never seconds or unix timestamps.
- Value axis: include units. "Intent score" alone is fine because the unit is implied (0-100); "Spend" needs "(USD millions)".
- Annotations: when a known event drove a spike (acquisition, leadership change, product launch), annotate inline — "Apr 2026 spike: new CIO took over".
Common pitfalls
- Rendering a 30-row table when a sparkline would do. The table buries the trend.
- Rendering a sparkline when the reader needs to act on a specific value. "Did intent hit 70?" can't be answered from
▁▂▄▅▇█. - Unitless axes. "Spend went from 12 to 87" — twelve what?
Reference
tabular-summary-discipline— table vs. bulletsexecutive-prose-conventions— overall style