Week 5 & 6 Information Dashboard Design

In this two week's lecture Ms Chong has gone though Dashboard design in detail. I think the two lectures are helpful in doing our project as it provide us with guidelines to effective Dashboard design.

Dashboards are visual display that fits on a single computer screen and display information needed to achieve specific objectives.

There are three different types of Dashboard.

Dashboards for strategic Purpose

This type of dashboard is usually for the top management where real time data is not required.

I like to recommend this article to my friends. Totally agree to the article and find it very detail and contain a lot of information and facts

Dashboard for Analytical Purpose

The type of dashboard should allow drill down and has a more sophisticated display media when compare with Dashboards for strategic Purpose.

Dashboard for operational purposes

Real time information is presented, able to alert user on abnormalies

Visualization is a very powerful way of presenting solutions and findings. Dashboard is one of the popular tool but creating an effective dashboard is not easy. people have short-term memory. Dashboard should not contain too much information as user may not remember if the information is overwhelmed. 3 to 9 chunks of visual at a time and fit everything into one screen.

Having an effective dashboard allow the user to focus on important data and alert user when necessary.

I have summarized the key points for creating an effective dashboard from the two lectures.

• Using appropriate color, emphasis colors for attention grabbing.
• Pay attention on the 6 principles of visual perception.
• Only include absolute needed information(It is a dashboard not a detail report!)
• Condense carefully so that the meaning don't decrease.
• Use visual display mechanisms that can be easily understood.
• Reduce non-data pixels and enhance data pixels

Personally I found this example in lecture week 5 very interesting. It demonstrate the importance of good dashboard design.

As you can see by using the appropriate color it make the job of user much easier. In one glance the user is able to get the needed information which is the number of Fives.

Some tips above for effective dashboard creation is going to be useful when it comes to dashboard design. But I think it is not enough, we must understand the different type of display media. I believe it is very important for us to understand when to use which display media and use them appropriately.

The diagram below demonstrate the importance of choosing the correct display media for different information.

There are two different display media in this graph, one is the table and the other is the line chart. Line chart is a better display media for this case. Patterns and trends is easily spotted. Information is very to understand if we present it in a table format, in fact it is almost unreadable and not useful at all.

Some tips from me for choosing the right display media.

• Try to avoid using thermometer as it does not display the maximum and minimum number.
• Bar and Column graphs is used for comparing and usually involve more than one measure.
• Interval Scale for bar and column chart.
• Stacked bar is good for compare the whole data and see information in a little detail.
• Scatter Plots is good for correlation.

Personally I find this case study about dashboard design very interesting. I think it is useful for our learning.

That's all I like to share for Information Dashboard Design.
Happy learning
Cheers~

Week 4 Data Warehouse and OLAP

This week, there are a lot of things for me to absorb. The lecture is very packed and almost run out of time :)

In this week, I have learned the differences between data warehouse and operational database. Ms Chong also went though the different type of data warehouse schemas and Dimension tables. Different OLAP servers is also covered in the lecture.

Difference between data warehouse and operational database

Data warehouse is made up of both internal and external data. By extracting all the necessary data from different source and perform ETL process will help you to create a data warehouse.

There are three different design of a data warehouse

• Star Schema
• Snowflake Schema
• Constellation Schema

Star Schema
Star schema architecture is the simplest data warehouse design. It is a data modeling technique used to map multidimensional decision support data into relational database.

You may check out this link for detail information about star schema. This website explain the structure of a Star Schema and different components in it. I think it will be helpful as there are examples given.

Snowflake Schema

Snowflake schema architecture is a more complex variation of a star schema design. The main difference is that dimensional tables in a snowflake schema are normalized, so they have a typical relational database design.

Snowflake schemas are generally used when a dimensional table becomes very big and when a star schema can’t represent the complexity of a data structure

I like to recommend this blog as it has provide both advantage and disadvantage of Snowflake Schema

Constellation Schema

Constellation Schema is made up of two or more Fact table and it is usually used for bottom up approach. Different Fact table are linked by dimension table.

Slowly changing dimensions are dimensions which change over time. There are three type of slowly changing dimensions

Type 1

• Overwrites the previous dimension information
• Does not track changes
• Usually results in in accurate analysis

Type 2

• Added four more supplementary attributes to track history of a dimension
• This allow the tracking of entire history but require large data storage

Type 3

• Only implement tow more additional attributes
• Tracking only the current and original state of a dimension member

OLAP
An OLAP (Online analytical processing) cube is a data structure that allows fast analysis of data

Relational OLAP (ROLAP)

• Real time and flexible than cube
• Query response is generally slower
• Low Storage requirement
• Greater scalability

Multidimensional OLAP (MOLAP)

• It can process faster
• Implement for cubes with frequent use and rapid query response

Hybrid OLAP (HOLAP)

• It contain all the advantage of MOLAP and ROLAP but require large volumes of storage space.

A lot of information in one lecture, happy learning~
Cheers~

Week 3 Developing Dashboards

In week 2's lecture, we have gone through Balanced Scored card. Both Balanced Score and Dashboard are a visualization tool, which will alert the user on business performance.

What are the differences between the two of them?

In week 3 Ms Chong has gone though the difference between Dashboard and Balanced Scorecard.


When comparing with Scorecard, Dashboard is more for the use of supervisors and operators where the information is very detail and the usage is more frequent (Daily) mainly for the monitoring of daily operational jobs. Dashboard is more for the usage of managers and the information shown on Dashboard is more summarized.

In this Lecture we have also learn to develop Dashboard

1. Limit dashboards to critical few KPIs
2. Get results quickly
3. Dashboards are just part of the culture

What is Six Sigma?

In a simple explanation, six sigma is to improve customer services and reduce costs.

One of the key principles of Six Sigma is DMAIC

The DMAIC project methodology has five phases:

1. Define the problem, the voice of the customer, and the project goals, specifically.
2. Measure key aspects of the current process and collect relevant data.
3. Analyze the data to investigate and verify cause-and-effect relationships. Determine what the relationships are, and attempt to ensure that all factors have been considered. Seek out root cause of the defect under investigation.
4. Improve or optimize the current process based upon data analysis using techniques such as design of experiments, poka yoke or mistake proofing, and standard work to create a new, future state process. Set up pilot runs to establish process capability.
5. Control the future state process to ensure that any deviations from target are corrected before they result in defects. Control systems are implemented such as statistical process control, production boards, and visual workplaces and the process is continuously monitored.

Dashboard are critical to many of the DMAIC stages and act as an alert for process variation

Under Six Sigma there are two project methodologies

1. DMAIC is used for projects aimed at improving an existing business process.
2. DMADV is used for projects aimed at creating new product or process designs

Detail information can be found in this article

Business Process

Business process is a series of related activities that "flow" though an organisation. Problem facing by the functional working are:

• Bottlenecks
• Repetition
• Bureaucracy
• No ownership
• Management frustration
• Too many steps
• Customer forgotten
• Opportunities for error or even corruption

We can improve a process by using a tool call the process mapping. Process mapping is a tool that is used to understand, analyse and document processes and activities in an organisation and assist in identifying opportunities for improvement.

Some advantage of process mapping

• Increases understanding of the work process
• Provides understanding of resource allocation
• Documents training procedures
• Tracks workflow
• Increases staff awareness

Cross-Functional Flowcharts - 'Swim Lanes'

I like to recommend the article as it provide a step by step guide of creating a Cross-Functional Flowcharts. It is very simple to understand and straight to the point.

I like to share this video on creating Cross-Functional Flowcharts, I think it will be a good recap on what we have learned during lap lesson.

Thats all I want to share for this week.
Cheers~

Week 2 Business Performance Management

Business Performance Management (BPM) is an umberlla term covering the business methodologies, metrics, processes and systems used to drive the overall performance of an enterprise.

So What is BPM all about?

BPM encompasses a closed-loop set of processes that link strategy to execution in order to optimize business performance, which is achieved by

1. Strategize
2. Plan
3. Monitoring
4. Act & Adjust

Linking Strategies to Execution
BPM Closed-Loop Process

Step 1 Strategizes
The first step in BPM Closed-Loop Process is Strategizes
This is to designs a process according to its business objectives and strategy. Common task will be completed

1. Conduct a current situation analysis
2. Determine the planning horizon
3. Conduct an environment scan
4. Identify critical success factor
5. Complete a gap analysis
6. Create a strategic vision
7. Develop a business
8. Identify strategic objectives and goals

Step 2 Operational Planning

Executes a process in exact accordance with designs.
An organization’s strategic objectives and key metrics should serve as top-down drivers for the allocation of an organization’s tangible and intangible assets

Step 3 Monitoring

Monitors its business activities closely in real-time.

Step 4 Act & Adjust

Improves processes and analyzes feedback on a continuous basis.

I like to remind all that BPM Closed-Loop Process is a continuous process improvement.

In lecture 2, Ms Phyllis Chong went though in detail of the activities under Monitoring

The tool we are going to use is the balance scorecard.

The 4 Perspectives of Balanced Scorecard

Balanced Scorecard (BSC) methodology is a holistic measurement system for aligning strategies with actions based on four perspectives:

1. Financial perspective
   
2. Customer perspective
3. Internal (process) perspective
4. Learning and Growth perspective

The "financial perspective" encourages the identification of a few relevant high-level financial measures. In particular, designers were encouraged to choose measures that helped inform the answer to the question "How do we look to shareholders?"

The "customer perspective" encourages the identification of measures that answer the question "How do customers see us?"

The "internal business perspective" encourages the identification of measures that answer the question "What must we excel at?"

The "innovation and learning perspective" encourages the identification of measures that answer the question "Can we continue to improve and create value?".

You may like to read out more of Balanced scorecard on this article

Balanced Scorecard contain 5 column and 4 perspective. Before creating a Balanced Scorecard, a Corporate Strategy Map must be done.

Corporate Strategy Map



Before creating a Strategy Map and Balanced Scorecard we must fully understand the organization and the internal process.

First we need to develop a strategic foundation which consisting of

1. Mission
2. Vision
3. Values

Then assess the internal and external environment by using

PESTEL
A scan of the external macro-environment in which the firm operates can be expressed in terms of the following factors:

1. Political
2. Economic
3. Social
4. Technological

You may read this article to have a detail understanding of PESTEL

Porter's 5 forces

Five Forces Analysis helps the marketer to contrast a competitive environment. It has similarities with other tools for environmental audit, such as PEST analysis, but tends to focus on the single, stand alone, business or SBU (Strategic Business Unit) rather than a single product or range of products. For example, Dell would analyse the market for Business Computers i.e. one of its SBUs.

Go here for a more detail explanation

SWOT

SWOT analysis is a simple framework for generating strategic alternatives from a situation analysis. It is applicable to either the corporate level or the business unit level and frequently appears in marketing plans. SWOT stands for Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats.

Interested in finding out more? This link will gave you detail explanation

And finally come out with a Strategic Themes

To sum up for this week's lecture. I have learned about BPM and the development of Balanced Scorecard.

Cheers~

Week 1 INTRODUCTION TO BUSINESS INTELLIGENCE

BI is about connecting data to effective action by drawing reliable conclusion about current conditions and future events.

It is important for us to understand the need of Business Intelligence before studying it.

Managers need information in order to run an effective and profitable company. Good information lets managers know what types of changes will shift things in the company towards a more profitable end products. Today's economy is driven by information. BI helps the manager to get important information and make necessary decisions.

It is good for any BI student to read this article. It gives student an overview of the subject and I think the point is very simple and straight forward thus easy to understand.

Above Image shows the Virtuous Cycle of BI. Results become more accurate after each cycle.

BI require the support from data warehouse. Database will be created from a data warehouse. There are three types of database.

1. Star Schema
2. Snowflake Schema
3. Constellation Schema
   

Star Schema
The star schema (sometimes referenced as star join schema) is the simplest style of data warehouse schema. The star schema consists of one tables referencing any number of dimension tables.

Snowflake Schema
A snowflake schema is a logical arrangement of tables in a multidimensional database such that the entity relationship diagram resembles a snowflake in shape. Closely related to the star schema, the snowflake schema is represented by centralized fact tables which are connected to multiple dimensions.

From one dimension can be broken down to many dimension

Constellation Schema
It contain more than one fact tables.

Detail of the three database can be found in this article. Personally I like this article as the color and the example clearly explain the linkage and difference between the three database.

Lecture 1 gives me an overall view of BI and here are some of the important tools of BI: Database, OLAP cube, Scorecards and Dashboards.