Category: Data Insights

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Analytics Business Intelligence Data Best Practice Data Insights Technology

With mobility less is more

When making a fast food order do we then expect to receive a 3 course gourmet meal?  Of course not, even if this may occasionally be a fleeting wish! So why do we get exasperated with the lack of detailed features on our mobile devices?

In the pursuit of instant access, product managers and developers are now required to keep remote workers quickly up to speed and agile. User experience for analytics on mobile and tablet devices is therefore a top priority. Their challenge is to somehow replicate the same relevant information that’s usually found on desktops.

Best practice for a ‘high level’ dashboard view requires a balance of context and relevance. The ability to slice and dice data, and clearly display charts on tablets is tricky, but even less amenable to mobile phones. As with all mobile apps, there is less screen ‘real estate’ available with only specific functions on offer. When users are on the move, mobile dashboards can only provide a ‘current status’ overview. Charts are minimal and the lack of ‘hover’ function allows for limited interactions.

In our recent blog post about data storytelling we explain how Yellowfin Stories instantly creates more relevant, interesting and better understood analytics. Another advantage to this tool is how it easily lends itself to mobile devices. Notice how social media apps successfully present stories in an easily digestible way, while still preserving the wider context. Yellowin Stories can mimic this with data mobility. Developers just need to consider size restrictions and be mindful of which data to display and how it can be navigated.

Better yet, why not have your BI platform automate data discovery by trawling your business data for statistically significant changes, notifying users of those relevant to their role. This type of ‘news flash’ data can be presented without the need for specific dashboard or ‘card’ design, meaning that trend changes, period comparisons, spikes, dips and more can be accessed from mobile devices.

Find out how RhinoIT can help you unlock meaningful insights from your data.

With mobility less is more RhinoIT
Yellowfin Mobile App

Next, we discuss Preparation.

In the meantime, please leave us a comment or question

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Categories
Analytics Data Best Practice Data Insights Data Visualisation

Once upon a time series

‘Tell me a fact and I’ll learn. Tell me a truth and I’ll believe. But tell me a story and it will live in my heart forever.’ 
– Native American Proverb.

Since childhood stories have shaped our view of the world. Expanding our imagination and introducing us to new ideas to deal with real life situations. By triggering our emotions they provide meaning and purpose, linking us all to universal truths that transcend generations. People are motivated to engage with and share a good story, if it authentically connects to the core of an experience.

When presenting data why not create intrigue and, dare we say, excitement by adopting a ‘storytelling’ approach to your dashboards. In this way you can slowly build up critical information, helping users to understand the wider business purpose and overall picture.

We don’t suggest penning a novel, bear in mind that the message needs to be clear, simple and focussed. However, a little artistic flair can go a long way in capturing the attention of your audience by depicting the whole narrative of key performance indicators.

That’s why we advocate the use of Yellowfin Stories.

By combining real-time accessible data with insight, context and explanation, this Business Intelligence tool makes analytics instantly more relevant, interesting and better understood. Whether you are giving a presentation or people are reading a data story, it really is the best way to share and collaborate on a single source of accurate, credible and secure information.

Plus anyone with a meaningful message can easily compose and share a Yellowfin Story. The simple interface springs data into life with images, video and embedded reports from other dashboard vendors.

Once upon a time series RhinoIT
Created in Yellowfin Stories

Next, we discuss Mobility.

In the meantime, we would love to hear from you. Please leave us a comment or question

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Analytics Big Data Business Intelligence Data Best Practice Data Insights Data Science Data Visualisation Digital Transformation Technology

Can’t see the view for the fields?

Can you ever imagine a time without spreadsheets? They don’t appear to be going away anytime soon, and for good reason. Most businesses hold historical data within them, and let’s face it, they are a snap to create. However, in today’s fast-paced world of data consumption via dazzling pretty pics our trusted friend ‘the spreadsheet’ may start to leave us a little flat!

“So how do we evolve past spreadsheets, leverage their content, and start to gain real insight into our data?”

At RhinoIT, we were recently asked this question by one of our customers.

Yes, spreadsheets are convenient and easy. Almost everyone has a spreadsheet system installed on their computer ready to use. Unfortunately, this blessing can also be a curse. If every member of your team has access to the same spreadsheet, it’s likely to result in more than one version of your data existing. Unless you have a ‘Mary Poppins’ stance to document housekeeping, this poses an issue with continuity.

One version may have today’s data, while another version holds all the aesthetically pleasing column and cell updates made yesterday. How do you decide which version to use? Something as simple as a misplaced decimal point, deletion of cell, column or row can have an adverse impact on the integrity of your spreadsheet. Changing a positive value to a negative value or adding a new worksheet can also wreak havoc with your best-laid plans.

“If spreadsheets are here to stay, then how do we work around these issues for the foreseeable future?”
The answer is: Integration.

In the case of our customer, we weren’t suggesting a complex solution, quite the opposite. By merely ingesting the data directly from their spreadsheets into a Business Intelligence tool they were able to satisfy their end user requirements.

The result was an effective dashboard with all the requested data views and visualisations. Data could still be collected within spreadsheet fields but with the added benefit of security, governance and one true source of historic reports.

Have you recently struggled getting to grips with business data? What has your experience been with gaining more insight? We would love to hear from you. Please leave us a comment or question


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