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Microsoft BI expert Dan Bulos spoke on Dashboard Design Best Practices to the Bay Area Microsoft Business Intelligence User Group. This presentation shows techniques for displaying data in a dashboard for maximum impact. Dan also discusses various tools available in the Microsoft BI stack – Reporting Services, Excel, PerformancePoint and the new entry, Power View.
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Dashboard Design Best Practices
Speaker: Dan BulosSymmetry Corporation
July 2012
©2012 Symmetry Corporation http://www.symcorp.com
Best Practices in Dashboard Design
Dan Bulos – [email protected]
©2012 Symmetry Corporation http://www.symcorp.com
Agenda
What is a Dashboard? Dashboard Best Practices Dashboard Components Navigation
©2012 Symmetry Corporation
Metaphors Go Only So Far
http://www.symcorp.com
At a Glance
Monitors a Continuous
Process
Gauge Oriented
©2012 Symmetry Corporation http://www.symcorp.com
Reporting Spectrum
D i s c o v e r y
P r o d u c t i o n
Parameter Driven
Advanced Visualization
Highly Formatted
Tables, Crosstabs, Charts, Graphs
Managed Analysis Dashboards
Ease of Development
& Usage Paramount
Customization & Distribution Alternatives
Depth & Quickness
of Analytics
Guided Analytics
Programmer Developed
Line Developed
Staff Developed
Interactive Navigation
©2012 Symmetry Corporation http://www.symcorp.com
Dashboard Definition
Visual Display of the
most important information needed to achieve one or more
objectives which fits entirely on a
single computer screen so it can be
monitored at a glance
Information Dashboard Design By Stephen Few
©2012 Symmetry Corporation
What Makes a Good Dashboard
http://www.symcorp.com
Some are Better
Than Others
©2012 Symmetry Corporation
Dashboard - Best Practices
http://www.symcorp.com
Single Page
Graphically Oriented
Key Data/Metrics In Context
Zero Learning Curve
Highlight Exceptions
Access to Supporting
Details
Dense Information
Not Cluttered
©2012 Symmetry Corporation
General Design Considerations
http://www.symcorp.com
Displays Patterns Abstract Data Minimal Grids
“Graphical”
No Scrolling Nothing Hidden Linked Content
“Single Page”
Domain Aware Leverages Knowledge
“Guided Analytics”
Better Dashboard
Design All Relevant Info One Place to Look Not Data Driven
“Disparate Data”
©2012 Symmetry Corporation
Key Data/Metrics in Context Key Data/Metrics ▪ High level performance metrics ▪ Generally tied to goals and bonuses ▪ Focus on actionable data ▪ Disparate sources
Context ▪ The 3Ts = Target, Trend, Typical ▪ Similar/Related Data/Metrics ▪ Basis for interpretation http://www.symcorp.com
©2012 Symmetry Corporation
Dense, not Cluttered
Dense Information ▪ All relevant data/metrics ▪ Different perspectives Not Cluttered – “At a Glance” ▪ It is not how much, but how well ▪ Easy to view, not an eye chart Data-Ink Ratio ( ) ▪ Non-essential ink should be removed ▪ Supporting ink (axis lines) = low visual impact
http://www.symcorp.com
The Visual Display of Quantitative Information Edward R. Tufte
©2012 Symmetry Corporation
Zero Learning Curve
Dashboard viewing is not a person’s job ▪ Oriented at casual users, line mgt, & execs ▪ Little/No accumulated experience
● Each viewing is the first time
Dashboards are not analytical tools ▪ But they provide guided analytics
Targeted to a Person/Role/Problem Set
http://www.symcorp.com
©2012 Symmetry Corporation
Exception Oriented
Outliers should POP out
Highlight Both ▪ Problems ▪ Opportunities
What is an Exception? ▪ > 1 Std Dev, 2…. Five9s ▪ When action needs be taken
http://www.symcorp.com
Visual Cues
Color Size
Shape Boldness Position Icons
©2012 Symmetry Corporation
Supporting Detail
http://www.symcorp.com
Dashboards are not an end unto themselves
Guided Analytics
Hierarchical Drill-Down
Contextual Content Updates
Associated Layers
Root Cause Analysis
Detail Reports Ad Hoc Analysis
Links to New Pages
Update Dashboard Webparts
©2012 Symmetry Corporation
Dashboard Components
http://www.symcorp.com
Grids Charts
Diagrams
Maps
Scorecards
Tree Map
Gauges
Decomp Tree
And So Much More……
©2012 Symmetry Corporation
A dashboard is not a painting Usefulness is Paramount
First a Word on Color
Use Color Sparingly – Generally Soft Colors ▪ Highlighting – Bold Colors Different Colors = Different Meaning ▪ Try shades of grey Use a Single Hue ▪ Increase the intensity for low to high values Remember - 7% of men are color blind
http://www.symcorp.com
©2012 Symmetry Corporation
Grids
When to use: ▪ Values are familiar ▪ Need to lookup a value ▪ Small differences are important ▪ Mixed units of measure
Design Considerations ▪ Try to keep square-ish ▪ Comparisons are done by column ▪ Limit length with Top/Bottom
http://www.symcorp.com
©2012 Symmetry Corporation
Grid Embellishments
Highlights ▪ Items of interest Data Bars ▪ Helpful to read magnitude Color Scales/Icons ▪ Can overwhelm the data Arrows ▪ Used for change over time
http://www.symcorp.com
Icons are best used to:
Replace data to save space
Show variance or score
©2012 Symmetry Corporation
Scorecards
Are a special type of grid ▪ Created for KPIs and Objectives Can be methodology oriented ▪ Balanced Scorecard, 6 Sigma, … Used as a navigation aid ▪ A list with data
http://www.symcorp.com
Scorecards are less about data
and more about process
©2012 Symmetry Corporation
Basic Charts Lines Charts – Time Series oriented ▪ Highlights trend, patterns or variability ▪ Highlights relationships between series ▪ Trend lines & projections can be added Bar Chart – Comparison Oriented ▪ Categorical comparisons within a dimension ▪ Nominal comparisons across data (sales to cost) Pie Charts – Part to Whole ▪ Only works with small sets ▪ Hard to visually quantify ▪ A lot of space for not much data
http://www.symcorp.com
©2012 Symmetry Corporation
Interlude: Form vs. Function
http://www.symcorp.com
Too Dense?
1 Page – 6#s
Pretty Yes! Useful?
If the dashboard is not visually appealing, people will not go to it
If the dashboard is not effective and practical, people will not use it
What is fun the first time
Might be boring the 100th time
©2012 Symmetry Corporation
Bar Charts
Horizontal ▪ Long labels ▪ Pattern comparisons ▪ Long-ish lists
Vertical ▪ Groups with in groups ▪ Stacked and 100% Bars ▪ Pareto Charts
Doesn’t work for large numbers of groups Bars are easily drilled into
http://www.symcorp.com
©2012 Symmetry Corporation
Hybrids – Charts in Grids
http://www.symcorp.com
Great Data-Ink
Ratio
Effective Mixing Of Charts & Values
Introduction of Sparklines & Bullet Graphs
©2012 Symmetry Corporation
Bullet Graphs
http://www.symcorp.com
A bullet graph is a variation of a bar graph developed by Stephen Few.
Seemingly inspired by the traditional thermometer charts and progress bars found in many dashboards, the bullet
graph serves as a replacement for dashboard gauges and meters
Black Bar = Value Green/Red Bar = Target Blue Pointer = Last Year
Symmetry’s Variation
Sales Costs
©2012 Symmetry Corporation
Maps
http://www.symcorp.com
Maps are highly specialized
Be careful of charts within a map
Maps are great for demographics
Useful in showing regional
components
Impact grids can be effective
©2012 Symmetry Corporation
Gauges
http://www.symcorp.com
Best for continuous process
Poor Data-Ink Ratio
Hard to set gauge scale for the general case
When using a set of gauges expected value should be straight up
©2012 Symmetry Corporation
Diagrams
http://www.symcorp.com
Balanced Scorecard
Strategy Map
Root Cause/Fishbone Diagram Impact Diagram
Process Diagram
Diagrams are underutilized
Graphical Representations
©2012 Symmetry Corporation
Graphical Excellence
Show the data Focus on the substance of the numbers Don’t distort the data Present many numbers in a small space Encourage comparisons Show data in several perspectives
The Visual Display of Quantitative Information Edward R. Tufte
http://www.symcorp.com
©2012 Symmetry Corporation
Screen Layout Number of Frames ▪ Up to 4 is good, no more than 6 Frame Proportions ▪ Size = implied importance ▪ Uniform otherwise Location ▪ Top left = primary focus ▪ Bottom right = supporting detail ▪ Off page = irrelevant Printing ▪ The dirty little secret
http://www.symcorp.com
©2012 Symmetry Corporation
Frame Options
Different frame on same page ▪ Must fit on the page ▪ Can drill from here to new page New page in same browser ▪ Easy to get back ▪ Full page available New browser tab/window ▪ Allows for comparisons ▪ Users must close windows/tabs
http://www.symcorp.com
©2012 Symmetry Corporation
Navigation Framework
http://www.symcorp.com
A tiered set of dashboards based on role or function
A set of grids, graphs, or visualizations that examine
a single metric
A set of detailed reports or ad-hoc analytics
©2012 Symmetry Corporation
Navigation
Identify the key dimensions for the metric ▪ Customer, product, department ▪ Drill into one or more of these ▪ Top 10 rankings
Identify the audience ▪ Marketing manager – Drill to product ▪ Sales Manager – Drill to customer
http://www.symcorp.com
©2012 Symmetry Corporation
Navigation - What to Show
http://www.symcorp.com
©2012 Symmetry Corporation
Microsoft Software Components
Reporting Services ▪ Formal report view ▪ Highly formatted Performance Point Server ▪ Analytical Charts and Graphs ▪ Less control over format ▪ Built in Slice and Dice Excel Services ▪ Shared user-created content ▪ Fast changing
http://www.symcorp.com
©2012 Symmetry Corporation
Summary
Choose the right tool for the job
Simple is better
Conserve your screen real estate
Use color to highlight
Put focus on the data not the decoration
http://www.symcorp.com
©2012 Symmetry Corporation http://www.symcorp.com
Founded in 1986 Experienced Consultants ▪ Each with over 15 years of BI experience Microsoft Relationship ▪ Gold Certified Partner
▪ Microsoft-nominated BI Partner Advisory Council member since 1999
▪ Licensed Technology to Microsoft ▫ SQL Server Accelerator for BI
▪ Internal Microsoft Consulting ▫ SQL Server ▫ PerformancePoint Server ▫ Internal departmental BI application development
Symmetry
©2012 Symmetry Corporation
Resources ▪ Show Me the Numbers: Designing Tables and Graphs to Enlighten
● Stephen Few ▪ Information Dashboard Design: The Effective Visual
Communication of Data ● Stephen Few
▪ The Visual Display of Quantitative Information, 2nd edition ● Edward R. Tufte
http://www.perceptualedge.com/ http://dashboardspy.com/ Symmetry Corp – www.symcorp.com
http://www.symcorp.com
To learn more or attend a meeting: www.bayareamicrosoftbi.org
To inquire about sponsorship or speaking opportunities:
Mark Ginnebaugh, User Group Leader [email protected]