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Business Intelligence
Visualize This
5/1/2008
Are your BI reporting end users getting weary of cutting and pasting data? Is compelling business evidence languishing in databases? It's time to rethink your data visualization tools.
IT'S ONE THING TO manage the use of data; it's another thing to use data to lead transformative change at your institution. The latter requires more than the raw numbers; it demands that you tell a story. Transformative change not only requires that the case you make for change draws upon the evidence found in the systems that run your institution, it also requires that you present that evidence in a dramatic or, at least, compelling way that will leave a lasting impression in the minds of those who must make decisions. Communicating or presenting information to drive change is one of the most important outcomes of a successful business intelligence (BI) initiative. How clearly you can demonstrate the evidence you have found often can make the difference between a case for change gone bad, or defining a wholly new strategic direction for your organization.
Get Visual
Often, however, complex information must be presented in a very short amount of time to audiences such as the president's cabinet, dean's committee, or board of trustees. To make your case effectively, you will need to present your evidence quickly and with a high degree of impact. Since most people are visual creatures, it would stand to reason that you should represent your data in a visual fashion. One way to do this is through the use of an info-graphic. You've seen these artistic, highly detailed charts and graphs before: tracking pop culture in The New York Times, analyzing a blog post in Wired magazine, or even imparting cheeky news analysis in USA Today.
Today, you don't even need an annual report designer to make this kind of statement: A new breed of visualization software is emerging to help campus businesspeople produce more compelling representations of their evidence and provide greater access to the information for intended audiences. At the same time, traditional BI software vendors are adding new features to their suites to make it easier for end users or decision-makers to tell their stories.
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