Eduardo Castro Microsoft MVP ecastro@mswindowscr.org http://comunidadwindows.org http://ecastrom.blogspot.com

Using Business Intelligence (BI)

Introducing Microsoft BI

Delivering BI with Microsoft SQL Server 2008 R2

A category of methodologies and technologies for gathering, storing, analyzing and providing access to data to help enterprise users make business decisions.

Summarize business critical operations

Purchasing, finance, investments, etc…

Used at multiple organizational level

Executive, Accounting, Personal

Often embedded in larger processes

To improve organizations by providing business insights to all employees, leading to better, faster, more relevant decisions

• Microsoft has a long-term commitment to

delivering a complete and integrated BI

offering

• SQL Server has led innovation in the BI

space for more than a decade

• There is widespread delivery of intelligence

through Microsoft Office

• The platforms are enterprise-grade and

affordable

END USER TOOLS

Excel PowerPivot

Events

SharePoint Server

DELIVERY

Reports Dashboards Excel Workbooks

Analytic Views Scorecards PowerPivot

DATA PLATFORM

SQL Server Reporting Services

SQL Server Analysis Services

SQL Server DBMS

SQL Server Integration Services StreamInsight

Business User Experience

Business Collaboration Platform

Information Platform Information Platform

Analysis Services

Reporting Services

Integration Services

Master Data

Data Mining Services

Data Warehousing

Integrated Content and Collaboration

Thin Clients

Dashboards

BI Search

Content Management

Compositions

Familiar User Experience

Self-service Access and Insight

Data Exploration and Analysis

Predictive Analysis

Data Visualization

Contextual Visualization

Specialized BI Tools

BI for Everyone

Database Engine

Relational Data

Management

Replication

Full Text Search

Integration Services

ETL Processing

Data Profiling

StreamInsight

Complex Event

Processing

Analysis Services

Classic OLAP Data

Management

Data Mining

PowerPivot* Self Service

Analytics

Reporting Services

Managed Reporting

Self Service Reporting

Embedded Reporting

Master Data Services

Master Data Management

Cubes in SQL Server 2008 R2

Provides an interface familiar to most information workers

Supports basic, advanced, and embedded analysis

Integrates with SQL Server and Analysis Services as well as other data sources

Includes a new add-in for highly-performing data integration and analysis

Enables collaboration through server workbooks shared across the Web

Supplements portals and dashboards

Manages compressed storage of, and extremely fast querying and reporting from, large volumes of related tabular data

Data can be loaded from a variety of data sources

Leverages familiar Excel features

Uses Data Analysis Expressions (DAX) for sophisticated transformation of data

Supports publication of PowerPivot workbooks to SharePoint

In-memory Data Cubes in Excel

Excel addin allows creation of cube

Cube persisted in the Excel Workbook

Consumers of workbook have access to cube

Excel Services

Gemini Browser

Excel

Workbook

Server hosting of Excel calculation engine

Provides a web thin client for Excel workbooks

Excel aggregates data from multiple sources

Exposes data using REST and JavaScript

Excel 2007

Custom applications

Browser

Excel Services exposed using Web Parts

Web Parts display named items

Parameters exposed as Web Part connections

Parameter changes will update charts Allows real time feedback to users

Creating a BI Dashboard with Excel 2010

Status Indicators

Chart Web Parts

Performance Point

Services

Excel Services

BI Search Visio

Services

Simple web parts that provide visualization

Quick summary of data

Can access multiple data sources

Other Web Parts

Lists and External Lists

Excel Services

Fixed Values

Lists and External Lists

Excel Services

SQL Analysis Services

Context-driven dashboards across systems

Provides transparency and accountability

Interactive access using browser

Can be created/updated by IT professional

Professional report authoring environment

Designed for developer or IT professional

Does not ship with SharePoint 2010

SP 2010 has Reporting Services Web Parts

Used to create professional reports for BI apps

Extends the reach of search to BI elements

Adds Excel and Reporting Services to search

Presents results based on dimensions

Links directly to specific view of the report

Evolution of the Reporting Center template

Predefined lists for PPS, Excel Services

Starting point for BI portals

Visual displays of mission critical analysis

Answers fundamental business questions

Single screen display of information

“Real Time” summary of data

Interactive links to details

Provides an overall view of status indicators

Modeled after the business not the data

Manages key performance indicators (KPIs)

Often included as part of a dashboard

Balanced Scorecard Certified

Dashboard designer used to create content

ClickOnce application launched from browser

Manages content directly in SharePoint Lists for content, data sources, dashboards

Data access is managed with Data Sources

Data is accessible from multiple sources Ex. Analysis Services, Excel, Lists, SQL, etc…

Accessed with service account or current user

Stored in list as an XML file (*.ppsdc)

Business users view content in the browser

Stored as Web Part pages

Web Part connections used to relate content Ex. Item choice in a scorecard updates reports

Decomposition trees allow data exploration

New in SharePoint 2010

Available by right clicking data in browser Analyze -> Decomposition Tree

Allows filtering\expanding across dimensions

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

Some are Better

Than Others

Specific – Clear on what is being measured

Measurable – Accurate and consistent

Actionable– Influence to alter the outcome

Relevant– Significance and leverage

Timely – Appropriate intervals

Single Page Graphically

Oriented

Key Data/Metrics In Context

Zero Learning

Curve

Highlight Exceptions

Access to Supporting

Details

Dense Information

Not Cluttered

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

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 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

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

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

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

Grids Charts

Diagrams

Maps

Scorecards

Tree Map

Gauges

Decomp Tree

And So

Much More……

A dashboard is not a painting

Usefulness is Paramount

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

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

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

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

Data

Scorecards

Measures

KPIs

Score

Metrics

Tolerances

Budget

Plan

Forecast

Benchmarks

Perspectives

Initiatives

Organize

Catalog Audited

Accurate

Approved

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

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

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

Great

Data-Ink

Ratio

Effective

Mixing Of

Charts &

Values

Introduction of

Sparklines & Bullet Graphs

Small

Multiples

Trellis

Charts

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

Be careful of charts

within a map

Maps are great for

demographics

Useful in

showing regional

components

Impact grids

can be effective

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

Balanced Scorecard

Strategy Map

Root Cause/Fishbone Diagram Impact Diagram

Process Diagram

Diagrams are

underutilized

Graphical Representations

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

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

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

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://www.symcorp.com

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

• Business Intelligence (BI) Primer

• BI Tools in SharePoint 2010

• Excel Services

• Performance Point Services

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

Eduardo Castro Microsoft MVP ecastro@mswindowscr.org http://comunidadwindows.org http://ecastrom.blogspot.com