Business Intelligence Dashboard Design Best Practices

Dashboard Design Best Practices
Speaker: Dan Bulos
Symmetry Corporation

July 2012

Best Practices in
Dashboard Design

Dan Bulos – bulos@symcorp.com

©2012 Symmetry Corporation http://www.symcorp.com

Agenda

What is a Dashboard?

Dashboard Best Practices

Dashboard Components

Navigation


Metaphors Go Only So Far
Monitors a
Continuous
Process

At a Gauge
Glance Oriented


Reporting Spectrum

Managed Dashboards Analysis
Tables, Crosstabs, Charts, Graphs
P Customization Ease of Depth & D
r & Distribution Development Quickness i
o Alternatives & Usage of Analytics
s
d Paramount
Parameter Interactive c
u Driven Navigation o
c
v
t Highly
Formatted
Advanced e
i Visualization
r
o Guided Analytics
y
n Programmer Line Staff
Developed Developed Developed


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
Key
Data/Metrics
In Context

Dense Zero
Information Learning
Not Curve
Cluttered Single
Page
Graphically
Oriented

Access to
Highlight
Supporting
Exceptions
Details


General Design Considerations

“Single Page” “Graphical”

No Scrolling Displays Patterns
Nothing Hidden Abstract Data
Linked Content Better Minimal Grids

Dashboard
All Relevant Info Design Domain Aware
One Place to Look Leverages
Not Data Driven Knowledge

“Disparate Data” “Guided Analytics”


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

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 ( )
The Visual Display of Quantitative Information
Edward R. Tufte

▪ Non-essential ink should be removed
▪ Supporting ink (axis lines) = low visual impact


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 Visual Cues

Highlight Both Color
▪ Problems Size
▪ Opportunities Shape
Boldness
What is an Exception?
Position
▪ > 1 Std Dev, 2…. Five9s
Icons
▪ When action needs be taken

Supporting Detail
Dashboards are not an Associated
end unto themselves Layers

Guided
Contextual
Analytics Update
Content Updates
Dashboard
Webparts
Links to
New Pages Hierarchical
Drill-Down
Root Cause
Analysis
Ad Hoc Analysis Detail Reports

Dashboard Components
Scorecards
Diagrams

Grids Charts

Gauges Maps

Tree Map Decomp Tree

And So
Much More……

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

A dashboard is not a painting
Usefulness is Paramount

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 Icons
are best used to:
▪ Can overwhelm the data
Arrows Replace
data to save space
▪ Used for change over time
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
If the dashboard is not
visually appealing,
people will not go to it 1 Page – 6#s

If the dashboard is not
effective and practical,
people will not use it Pretty Yes! Useful?

What is fun
the first time

Might be boring
the 100th time
Too Dense?

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

Effective
Great
Mixing Of
Data-Ink
Charts &
Ratio
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 Symmetry’s
dashboard gauges and meters Variation
Sales
Costs

Black Bar = Value
Green/Red Bar = Target
Blue Pointer = Last Year


Maps
Useful in
showing regional
components
Maps are great for
demographics

Maps are highly specialized
Impact grids
can be effective
Be careful of charts
within a map


Gauges

When using a set of
Hard to set gauge scale
gauges expected value
for the general case
should be straight up

Best for continuous process
Poor Data-Ink Ratio

Diagrams
Balanced Process Diagram
Scorecard
Strategy Map

Diagrams are
underutilized
Graphical Representations

Impact Diagram Root Cause/Fishbone Diagram

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


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


Symmetry
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

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


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

To inquire about sponsorship or speaking opportunities:
Mark Ginnebaugh, User Group Leader mark@designmind.com

Business Intelligence Dashboard Design Best Practices

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