Business intelligence dashboards accumulate, consolidate, evaluate, and visualize data in a useful manner, immensely helping the organizations in their decision-making process. The key advantages of having business intelligence dashboards range from improved efficacy, pattern identification, total precision, self-service functionality, flexibility, and interactive data visualization.
Developing a BI dashboard with great efficiency involves collecting requirements, defining key performance indicators, and building a data model. Here are some of the most critical things that must be considered when designing any such dashboard from scratch.
Top Five Rules of Thumb for Developing Efficient Business Intelligence Dashboards
A good BI dashboard should be able to simplify complicated data, present a clear perspective, express data in a meaningful way, and divulge details as required. Here are a few steps that could significantly increase the productivity of business intelligence dashboards.
Always Remember the Five-Second Rule
Business intelligence dashboards should be able to offer the necessary insights in no more than five seconds. The five-second rule refers to the recommended length of time that the concerned stakeholder should spend to find out the required information on the dashboard. If a user needs to scan for minutes to find particular information, it means something is seriously wrong with its visual layout. An elegantly designed dashboard should be capable of presenting the key business metrics immediately.
Implement the Inverted Pyramid for Developing Business Intelligence Dashboards
When designing a BI dashboard with unparalleled efficiency, it’s essential to follow a structural framework, such as the inverted pyramid. It means all the granular details should be placed in the bottom, patterns in the middle, and the top must be reserved for the most critical overviews.
This is because business intelligence dashboards are similar to news materials. The former should narrate a story, starting with substantial information at the top, succeeded by supporting data that further explain the topical insights. Finally, background and general information at the bottom are increasingly elaborated.
Keep in Mind That Less is More
A BI dashboard should never contain over five to nine visualizations. According to several studies, the human brain can interpret no more than 5+/- images at any given time. In other words, ten or more images would result in visual noise and clutter that detracts and distracts the fundamental purpose of such a dashboard. One of the most effective ways of eliminating visual clutter is implementing hierarchies and filters or simply dividing the dashboard into two or several individual dashboards.
Make a Point to Select Appropriate Data Visualization
Data visualization should satisfy a particular objective and relay the intended information in an increasingly efficient manner in comparison with the classic tabular format. When selecting the visualization, remember to consult BI dashboard consultants for analyzing what kind of data are required to be conveyed, for instance:
Relationship – connection of two variables or more
Composition – Classifying information into separate parts
Comparison – Side by side comparison of two variables or more
Distribution – Grouping of data and range of values within its defined scope
Web-Centric Accessibility is Integral
Web-based data analytics and sharing can serve a broader audience and seamlessly collaborate with other kinds of data solutions. In sharp contrast to file-based publishing, they offer remote synchronization and information updates in real-time.
With the convenience to share real-time BI dashboards across web browsers, mobile computing devices, and television monitors, a business can accomplish the level of data visibility it requires for staying abreast with trends and opportunities. From unmatched convenience, delivery of real-time data, to information storage, web-centric dashboard solutions are successfully addressing the burgeoning demand for versatility and mobility in the present-day business landscape.
At Visvero, we’re committed to ensuring the availability of cutting-edge resources for both small and mid-sized businesses. We are continually helping to bridge the gap between them and large corporations in terms of leveraging technological dividends. Call us now for more information on how our qualified team of experts can assist you in creating business intelligence dashboards with extreme agility.