The fact that data visualization makes dry content such as columns and rows easier to understand is beyond discussion. So more and more software companies are advertising their new dashboard. Many companies are introducing 'business intelligence, 'or even setting up their own department for data analysis and data visualization. After all, 'Visual Analytics' promise a competitive advantage, cost savings, early identification of trends and new, deeper insights into business processes.
But things don't always go according to imagination: At first, there is usually enthusiasm for the project, after all, you close a gap on one of the key topics of digitization and Economy 4.0. But disillusionment often comes soon. We present a few reasons for this:
Business intelligence and dashboards are usually not exclusively attributable to a department. It can happen that data analyses are required or promoted by IT, management, controlling or the finance department, or even by marketing or management. Ultimately, there will only be success if all these forces work together, because the respective know-how of all departments must be brought together.
Planning starts with business-relevant questions: What do I need to know, what do I want to know? For whom are which questions relevant? Only then is the data analyzed and visualized — for the sole purpose of answering the questions asked. Data is often presented on dashboards simply because it exists, without clarifying the benefits in advance.
Spectacular representations can be produced through data analyses and data visualizations, but it is usually very difficult to answer what the 'right' data and also questions are without special in-house knowledge. In addition, data analyses often reveal correlations, but the causes can typically be identified qualitatively as a result. It is only through the specialist experts in the company that data becomes 'smart'.
Dashboards also depend largely on the dynamics of the data displayed. A year-long comparison of data and figures is exciting when viewed for the first time, moderate the next day, no one will look at it anymore because it doesn't provide any new insights. There is also the question of whether I can influence the content on the dashboard? Only then are dashboards popular to use and can definitely serve as a playful component to improve your own performance, the department or the entire company.
As in software development or product design, the same applies to dashboards: tests with users regarding comprehensibility should be carried out from the start. After rolling out the dashboards, it should also be regularly evaluated which visualizations are accepted and which less so.
The fact that data visualization makes dry content such as columns and rows easier to understand is beyond discussion. So more and more software companies are advertising their new dashboard.
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