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Kevin Kratzer, Systems Engineer

Dashboards Tips and Techniques

March 2, 2012

Agenda

Introductions

Why Dashboards

Graphs or Tables

When to use what charts

Creating Useful Dashboards

Why and Types of Dashboards

Why Dashboards

A man with a broom is standing sideways on the wall of a brownish-orange building. There are potted trees and plants near by. Several windows can be seen – one at street level, one approximately 6 feet from the ground the other at ten feet. Each of the windows are guarded by black wrought-iron fencing. A Lamp post is seen directly behind the horizontal man.

What Type of Dashboards to Use

Know yourTarget

Audience

ActiveDashboards

FlexDashboards

CustomDashboards Analytical

Dashboards

GeographicDashboards

RealTime

Dashboards

PerformanceManagementDashboards

Tables vs Graphs

Table vs Graph

Table • Use when you need to read every value

• Use when you need to compare every value

Graph• Provides shape to your data and forms

• Shows patterns and trends

• Reveals relationships among many values

Types of Graphs and When to Use Them

Types of Graphs and when to Use Them

Bar Graph

• Use bar graphs when individual values are important

• Simple comparison of categorical subdivisions of one or more measures in no particular order

Types of Graphs and when to Use Them

Pie Chart

• Use to show the relative size of each pie segment (slice) to one another and to the whole.

• At times difficult to visually distinguish differences in slice sizes.

• Each pie chart can draw only one measure

Types of Graphs and when to Use Them

Line Chart

• Use to show and compare changes over time or sequential data

• Frequently used to show trends and performance

• Suggest a gradual flow between points

Types of Graphs and when to Use Them

Scatter Chart• X Y Plot

• Compare two sets of numbers at once, possibly revealing patterns and trends

• Numeric X-Axis

Bubble Chart• Three variables in two

dimensions

• Like scatter, with a third variable „Size‟

• Size of each bubble is used to show the data‟s relative importance

Techniques for Creating Dashboards

Techniques for Creating Dashboards

Creating Chained Filters• Secondary Filters are

based on Primary Filter

• Minimizes user views of unrelated criteria

Techniques for Creating Dashboards

Using Tab Controls• Provide More Content

• Minimize Scrolling

• Categorize Tab Content

• Create Multiple Dashboard Views within a Single Dashboard

Techniques for Creating Dashboards

Maximize Real Estate by Providing Parameter Driving Reports

• Create Parameters for any aspect of a report

• Allows Users to get a lot of information in a small amount of real estate

• Minimizes the amount of reports that need to be maintained

Techniques for Creating Dashboards

Drill Down/Drill Anywhere• Drill Down

• Use when you are only supplying one option for next level view

• Drill Anywhere• Provide multiple drill down

options

• Drill down to WebFOCUS reports, Websites, and any other system or job

Best Practices

Questions

Thank You!

Questions?