Chapter 3: The Business Intelligence Environment Data Visualization
1. What is Data Visualization?
Data visualization is defined as “the use of visual representations to explore, make sense of,
and communicate data” (Few, 2007).
While the term data visualization is commonly used, what is meant by this is information
visualization.
Information is the aggregation, summarization, and contextualization of data.
Data visualization is closely related to the fields of information graphics, scientific
visualization and statistical graphics.
2. Emergence of Visualization analytics
a) Emergence of There are a growing number of data visualization techniques
Visualization Tools and tools that enable users of business analytics and business
intelligence systems to better communicate relationships,
uncover patterns in the data, and produce actionable insights.
b) Visual Analytics Visual analytics is a recently coined term which loosely means
information visualization.
It is a combination of visualization and predictive analytics:
Information visualization
o Aims to answer, “What happened?” and “What is
happening?”
Predictive analytics
o Aims to answer, “Why is it happening” and “What
is more likely to happen?
3. Information Dashboard
Dashboards provide visual displays of important information that is consolidated and
arranged on a single screen so that information can be digested at a single glance and
easily drilled in and further explored.
4. Dashboard Design
The fundamental challenge of dashboard design is to display all the required
information on a single screen, clearly and without distraction, in a manner that can be
assimilated quickly.
The most distinctive features of dashboards are its three layers of information:
a) Monitoring Graphical, abstracted data to monitor key performance metrics.
Eg: whether the company is making profit or not
b) Analysis Summarized dimensional data to analyze the root cause of
problems.
Eg: are there any problems that the company needs to address
based on results
c) Management Detailed operational data that identify what actions to take to
resolve a problem.
Eg: Company needs to figure out what sort of actions need to be
taken in order to overcome or resolve problem
5. What to Look for in a Dashboard
Use of visual components to highlight data and exceptions that require action.
If the sales suddenly drop, your dashboard should emphasize that part to ensure
that the top management take necessary action
Transparent to the user, meaning that they require minimal training and are extremely easy
to use.
1. What is Data Visualization?
Data visualization is defined as “the use of visual representations to explore, make sense of,
and communicate data” (Few, 2007).
While the term data visualization is commonly used, what is meant by this is information
visualization.
Information is the aggregation, summarization, and contextualization of data.
Data visualization is closely related to the fields of information graphics, scientific
visualization and statistical graphics.
2. Emergence of Visualization analytics
a) Emergence of There are a growing number of data visualization techniques
Visualization Tools and tools that enable users of business analytics and business
intelligence systems to better communicate relationships,
uncover patterns in the data, and produce actionable insights.
b) Visual Analytics Visual analytics is a recently coined term which loosely means
information visualization.
It is a combination of visualization and predictive analytics:
Information visualization
o Aims to answer, “What happened?” and “What is
happening?”
Predictive analytics
o Aims to answer, “Why is it happening” and “What
is more likely to happen?
3. Information Dashboard
Dashboards provide visual displays of important information that is consolidated and
arranged on a single screen so that information can be digested at a single glance and
easily drilled in and further explored.
4. Dashboard Design
The fundamental challenge of dashboard design is to display all the required
information on a single screen, clearly and without distraction, in a manner that can be
assimilated quickly.
The most distinctive features of dashboards are its three layers of information:
a) Monitoring Graphical, abstracted data to monitor key performance metrics.
Eg: whether the company is making profit or not
b) Analysis Summarized dimensional data to analyze the root cause of
problems.
Eg: are there any problems that the company needs to address
based on results
c) Management Detailed operational data that identify what actions to take to
resolve a problem.
Eg: Company needs to figure out what sort of actions need to be
taken in order to overcome or resolve problem
5. What to Look for in a Dashboard
Use of visual components to highlight data and exceptions that require action.
If the sales suddenly drop, your dashboard should emphasize that part to ensure
that the top management take necessary action
Transparent to the user, meaning that they require minimal training and are extremely easy
to use.
