This document discusses the importance and process of storyboarding when building reports and dashboards. Storyboarding involves creating mockups at different levels - high-level, common theme, and visual - to get stakeholder buy-in and iron out requirements. It recommends starting with high-level sketches to outline objectives and questions, then grouping reports by common themes before adding visualizations. The goal is to obtain quick wins, avoid missed details, and deliver products that meet expectations the first time.

2. Building it from the
Ground Up:
Report & Dashboard
Storyboarding

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“That was not what I was thinking at all!”
Have you ever had someone say that to
you after you took the time to gather what
you thought were solid requirements and
then built an entire dashboard or report?
Attend this session to learn a proven
method to build your reports and
dashboards from the ground up, and shed
the proper light into the requirements-
gathering tunnel. Utilizing this method,
you will be able to:
Abstract
Obtain quick wins with your clients by
showing a mockup of the end product as a
method to get key personnel on board
Iron out the key details that should not be
overlooked or missed
Adapt the different styles of storyboarding to
get the most from your planning sessions
Deliver clear, concise reports and
dashboards that meet expectations the first
time

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Bill Anderson, Senior Manager
Almost a decade of technology implementation and team
management experience
Primarily focused on Oracle Business Analytics and Data
Warehousing
Proven ability to integrate disparate heterogeneous data
sources using a number of Oracle analytical reporting platforms
Led multiple projects developing moderate to complex solutions
Course instructor for Datavail’s training courses.
Competition BBQ Pitmaster
Presenter

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Kurt Mayer, Analytics Senior Consultant
30 years analytics & reporting, business intelligence, and data
integration experience
15 years in the Oracle EPM/BI space
Has held diverse positions in a wide range of industries
including in retail, oil & gas, pharmaceutical, and manufacturing
Specializes in the design and delivery of data integration and
modeling solutions
Expertise in Hyperion EPM, Planning, and OBIEE projects
Enjoys “wind therapy” riding his Harley around SE Texas.
Presenter

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7. About Datavail

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9. What is
Storyboarding?

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Storyboarding?
Storyboarding is used in many different
business scenarios as a method of ascertaining
what a project deliverable could look like and
pinpointing the materials and inputs required for
delivery. A storyboard translates suggestions
made during the hypothesis development
process into a story - like a puzzle that helps
form a bigger picture as the smaller pieces are
placed together.

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Understanding
your Audience
The biggest key to storyboarding is
understanding your audience.
Do you
Get Why
I Am
Doing this?

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Understanding
your Audience
The biggest key to storyboarding is
understanding your audience.
What are they expecting to get out of this?
Will this make you/their life easier? And
which process will make it so
Remove the Black box and give them
something to look at before the end result
Getting the questions you need answered in
a more hands on way.

13. Building Your
Storyboards

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Building a new House

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The Big Questions
Some of the Big Questions you are
trying to answer:
What is the end result look like?
Does it fit together and how does it Flow?
Do we need to start over? Or can we
Repurpose?
Does this really get you what you need?

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Phases of Storyboarding
High-Level (Strategic Vision)
Common-Theme
Visual
*Note there are in between items as well but these
have been the 3 main focuses of most companies

17. High Level
Storyboards

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High Level - House
Where on the lot does the house go?
Which way is the house facing?
Do you want a basement?
How many rooms or Square footage?
Overall flow of the house?

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High Level Storyboarding
Start by outlining specific objectives and
questions, then divide key specific objectives
and questions into smaller parts in a logical
format.
High-level storyboarding can get the wheels
turning and the thought process moving
quickly as the structure of the report is
created

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Find out the Foundation
Report 1
Report 2
Report 3
Report 1
Report 3
Report 1 Report 1
Report 2
Report 3
Finance HR Operations Procurement

21. Common Theme
Storyboards

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Common Theme - House
What rooms normally go with each
other? (i.e. Kitchen & Dining Room)
You aren’t going to put a nursery in
the basement if your master bedroom
is on the 2nd floor.
Make it make sense

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Once the reports are defined it's time to group them together and revisit the
high-level outline that was created during the previous phase to see if it still
makes sense
Sticky Note Exercise
Common Theme Storyboarding
Finance Operations Manufacturing Procurement Logistics

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Group the Reports
Report #1
Finance
Report #2 Report #3
Report #4 Report #5 Report #6
Operations
Report #1 Report #2 Report #3
Report #4
Report #1
Finance dashboard 1
Report #2
Report #3 Report #4
Report #6
Finance dashboard 2
Report #5
Report #1 Report #3

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Build the Story
Expenses
Tile
Revenue
Tile
Rev vs PY
Tile
Exp vs PY
Tile

26. Visual Storyboards

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Visual - House
What Furniture/appliances are going in each
room?
Does it work together?
Is there a better place for it or a better design
to go with?

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Visual Storyboarding
What doesn't work?
What needs to be modified?
What additions might enhance the report?
Is there anything missing?
Are there gaps that might confuse the
viewer?
Is there a better way to arrange the report?

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Bring in the Visualizations

30. Summary

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Summary
Build the house that best suits you
Every storyboard is different
Make your life easier by
understanding your audience
Drive more value through questions
Find quick wins to keep clients happy

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NewBalance
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Bill Anderson
Senior Manager – BI/DW
bill.anderson@datavail.com
Kurt Mayer
Analytics Senior Consultant
kurt.mayer@datavail.com

34. Q&A

35. Thank you