At a

Glance
Monitors a
Continuous
Process
Gauge
Oriented
D
i
s
c
o
v
e
r
y
P
r
o
d
u
c
t
i
o
n
Parameter
Driven
Advanced
Visualization
Highly
Formatted
Tables, Crosstabs, Charts, Graphs
Managed Analysis Dashboards
Ease of
Development
& Usage
Paramount
Customization
& Distribution
Alternatives
Depth &
Quickness
of Analytics
Guided Analytics
Programmer
Developed
Line
Developed
Staff
Developed
Interactive
Navigation
Visual Display
most important information
objectives
single computer screen
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
All relevant data/metrics
Different perspectives
It is not how much, but how well
Easy to view, not an eye chart
Non-essential ink should be removed
Supporting ink (axis lines) = low visual impact
The Visual Display of Quantitative Information
Edward R. Tufte
POP
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
Icons
are best used to:
Replace
data to save space
Show
variance or score
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
Time Series oriented
Comparison Oriented
Part to Whole
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 100
th
time
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
Symmetrys
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
The Visual Display of Quantitative Information
Edward R. Tufte
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
Show Me the Numbers: Designing Tables and Graphs to Enlighten
Information Dashboard Design: The Effective Visual Communication of Data
The Visual Display of Quantitative Information, 2nd edition

http://www.perceptualedge.com/

http://dashboardspy.com/
www.symcorp.com
Questions?
www.microsoft.com/teched www.microsoft.com/learning
http://microsoft.com/technet http://microsoft.com/msdn
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