Examples · Status matrix

Status matrix examples

Some tables refuse to become bars: the cells hold statuses, not numbers. A status matrix keeps the grid and makes it legible — every status is a shape (a check, a cross, a half-disc, a question mark), every caveat a dot in the cell's corner, and hovering any cell reads the fine print back.

When to use it

  • Feature comparisons where cells hold yes / no / partly, not numbers
  • Buying decisions with fine print — a corner dot marks every cell that carries a note
  • Any table an agent hands you that has a status column: the same grid, made scannable

Not the right shape?

Amounts and measurements — a matrix flattens numbers into categories. Keep quantities on a lollipop or bar chart, and mixed tables can pair one of each.

Real-world examples

Honest unknowns

Unknown is a status of its own, not a guess: the question mark says the vendor never published the number, and N/A says the question does not apply.

View the spec 
{
  "type": "matrix",
  "theme": "ink",
  "title": "AI study tools: the free tier",
  "source": "Product pages, September 2026",
  "options": {
    "legend": {
      "yes": "Included free",
      "no": "Paid only",
      "partial": "Partly",
      "unknown": "Not published",
      "na": "Not applicable"
    }
  },
  "data": {
    "labels": [
      "Quizlet",
      "Knowt",
      "Anki",
      "Gizmo"
    ],
    "columns": [
      "Free AI plan",
      "Limit published",
      "Works offline"
    ],
    "series": [],
    "cells": [
      [
        "yes",
        "yes",
        "no"
      ],
      [
        "yes",
        {
          "status": "partial",
          "note": "The cap differs by feature"
        },
        "no"
      ],
      [
        "na",
        "na",
        "yes"
      ],
      [
        "yes",
        {
          "status": "unknown",
          "note": "Not published"
        },
        "unknown"
      ]
    ]
  }
}

Row notes for whole products

options.notes attaches a warning to a row label: every cell in that row grows a corner dot, and the tooltip repeats the warning wherever you hover.

View the spec 
{
  "type": "matrix",
  "theme": "editorial",
  "title": "Vendor security checklist",
  "source": "Vendor questionnaires, September 2026",
  "options": {
    "notes": [
      {
        "label": "Corax",
        "text": "Answers came by email and are not yet verified in the product",
        "kind": "warn"
      }
    ]
  },
  "data": {
    "labels": [
      "Acme",
      "Bolt",
      "Corax"
    ],
    "columns": [
      "Docs",
      "SSO",
      "Audit log"
    ],
    "series": [],
    "cells": [
      [
        "yes",
        "yes",
        "yes"
      ],
      [
        "yes",
        {
          "status": "partial",
          "note": "SSO on the enterprise tier only"
        },
        "no"
      ],
      [
        "partial",
        "no",
        "no"
      ]
    ]
  }
}
Read the spec for this type Chart maker from scratch

Questions people ask

What is a status matrix?

A grid that compares things feature by feature using a fixed vocabulary — yes, no, partly, unknown, not applicable. Each status is drawn as a shape as well as a color, so the chart stays readable for color-blind readers and in print.

Why shapes instead of just green and red cells?

Color alone excludes color-blind readers and dies in grayscale. The check, cross, half-disc and question mark carry the meaning by form; the tint is only reinforcement — that is the accessibility contract every Meiku chart follows.