Business Intelligence Dashboard Design Best Practices

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]

mailto:[email protected]


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

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/3d/Bell_X-1B_cockpit_2_USAF.jpg


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


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


What Makes a Good Dashboard


Some are Better

Than Others


Dashboard - Best Practices


Single Page

Graphically Oriented

Key Data/Metrics In Context

Zero Learning Curve

Highlight Exceptions

Access to Supporting

Details

Dense Information

Not Cluttered


General Design Considerations


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”


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


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


The Visual Display of Quantitative Information Edward R. Tufte


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



Exception Oriented

Outliers should POP out

Highlight Both ▪ Problems ▪ Opportunities

What is an Exception? ▪ > 1 Std Dev, 2…. Five9s ▪ When action needs be taken


Visual Cues

Color Size

Shape Boldness Position Icons


Supporting Detail


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


Dashboard Components


Grids Charts

Diagrams

Maps

Scorecards

Tree Map

Gauges

Decomp Tree

And So Much More……


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.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.llnsciencepark.be/en2/images/caution.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.llnsciencepark.be/en2/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=21&Itemid=37&h=450&w=450&sz=33&tbnid=VZSsFCl2m3JKhM:&tbnh=127&tbnw=127&prev=/images?q=caution&hl=en&usg=__-cmbYsvE_QcP0KtlPJ6d3Izoo3M=&ei=FrYlSqDeDY_otQP1kLzMAQ&sa=X&oi=image_result&resnum=1&ct=image


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



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


Icons are best used to:

Replace data to save space

Show variance or score


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


Scorecards are less about data

and more about process


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



Interlude: Form vs. Function


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

http://support.sas.com/kb/26105

http://support.sas.com/kb/26133


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



Hybrids – Charts in Grids


Great Data-Ink

Ratio

Effective Mixing Of Charts & Values

Introduction of Sparklines & Bullet Graphs


Bullet Graphs


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

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Bullet_graph_labeled.png

http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Stephen_Few&action=edit&redlink=1


Maps


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

http://supportanalytics.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2009/02/europe-chart.jpg


Gauges


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


Diagrams


Balanced Scorecard

Strategy Map

Root Cause/Fishbone Diagram Impact Diagram

Process Diagram

Diagrams are underutilized

Graphical Representations


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



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



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



Navigation Framework


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

http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://dashboardspy.com/img/executive-advisor-dashboard.gif&imgrefurl=http://dashboardguy.blogspot.com/2007/05/executive-dashboard-for-wireless.html&usg=__Qmckltdvq3RJGBXcd3TfVS2jk0I=&h=404&w=690&sz=84&hl=en&start=3&um=1&tbnid=y3FG1ofa-gTxeM:&tbnh=81&tbnw=139&prev=/images?q=executive+dashboard&hl=en&rls=com.microsoft:en-us:IE-SearchBox&um=1

http://blogs.msdn.com/photos/sherder/images/1878374/original.aspx

http://blogs.msdn.com/blogfiles/fasttrackreview/WindowsLiveWriter/MCGConsultingexploreReportingServicesBus_13B9F/image_6.png

http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.dashboardinsight.com/CMS/627c6149-6dfd-432c-9b12-d6b6aa578084/Screen shot Analyzer Dasboard.png&imgrefurl=http://www.dashboardinsight.com/dashboards/screenshots/analyzer-dashboard-screen-shot.aspx&usg=__fIFqj6bs5RBQ8qC64cvHj6WC9jw=&h=820&w=1438&sz=157&hl=en&start=5&um=1&tbnid=sM5iAw4sxXEYkM:&tbnh=86&tbnw=150&prev=/images?q=executive+dashboard+examples&hl=en&rls=com.microsoft:en-us:IE-SearchBox&um=1

http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://dashboardspy.com/img/Excel-2007-Executive-Dashboard.gif&imgrefurl=http://dashboardspy.com/dashboard-screenshot-excel-2007-dashboard-sparklines.html&usg=__cFRtRXISPecGaGsVYSvtY0cnA_Y=&h=468&w=700&sz=69&hl=en&start=18&um=1&tbnid=keHbjn1eWahvmM:&tbnh=94&tbnw=140&prev=/images?q=executive+dashboard+examples&hl=en&rls=com.microsoft:en-us:IE-SearchBox&um=1


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



Navigation - What to Show



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



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



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


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.amazon.com/Show-Me-Numbers-Designing-Enlighten/dp/0970601999/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1244083316&sr=1-3

http://www.amazon.com/Information-Dashboard-Design-Effective-Communication/dp/0596100167/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1244083316&sr=1-2

http://www.amazon.com/Information-Dashboard-Design-Effective-Communication/dp/0596100167/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1244083316&sr=1-2

http://www.amazon.com/Visual-Display-Quantitative-Information-2nd/dp/0961392142/ref=sr_1_7?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1244083316&sr=1-7

http://www.perceptualedge.com/

http://dashboardspy.com/


http://www.symcorp.com/

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/images/0970601999/sr=1-3/qid=1244083316/ref=dp_image_0?ie=UTF8&n=283155&s=books&qid=1244083316&sr=1-3

http://www.amazon.com/Information-Dashboard-Design-Effective-Communication/dp/0596100167/ref=pd_bxgy_b_img_a

http://www.amazon.com/Visual-Display-Quantitative-Information-2nd/dp/0961392142/ref=pd_bxgy_b_img_a


To learn more or attend a meeting: www.bayareamicrosoftbi.org

To inquire about sponsorship or speaking opportunities:

Mark Ginnebaugh, User Group Leader [email protected]