How do you customize dashboards and reports for different users?

In my experience, I have interviewed different end-user personas and ask them questions about what they are looking to do, what questions they want answer, and how they want to experience the dashboard. These are critical questions to build out different user journeys for the dashboard and report so that the UX design can accomodate for the navigation paths that the different users aim for. By incorporating different user journeys, you can ensure optimal adoption.

As a business user, it is crucial to have a tailored analysis for the processes you oversee. A one-size-fits-all approach to user experience (UX) is not ideal, as not every process requires the same level of analysis. The most effective approach is to gather feedback from users and evaluate their data management practices. This will ensure that the analysis provided is informative and relevant to their specific needs.

We should also consider: Relevance of Information: Different stakeholders in an organization have distinct needs and goals. Understanding the audience helps BI teams tailor the information presented in reports and dashboards to address specific requirements. User Adoption and Engagement: When BI solutions align with the needs of the audience, users are more likely to adopt and engage with the tools. Business Context: Each department or team in an organization operates within its own unique business context. Data Governance and Security: Understanding the audience's data access needs and security requirements ensures that sensitive information is appropriately restricted, while relevant data is readily available to authorized users.

In my experience it is important to design dashboards for a broad audience. A good way to this is being able to drill down to detail. Let's take a DIFOT % metric as an example. A more senior person is likely to be interested in the high level metric where next level managers will want to see different role ups of the DIFOT %. Giving users options in terms of dimensionality is critical. Line managers will want to see the detail of the items that missed DIFOT. Maybe there are multiple managers, by geography, product line or customer segmentation that need to see this data. Being able to drill from a high level to a detailed level providing analytical prompts for users to select dimensionality is a winning strategy.

In my perspective, the gist of successfully tailoring the same data to diverse audiences lies in a proactive approach, consistently seeking feedback, and implementing dashboard enhancements based on user experience. Another pivotal factor involves offering a range of mockups during the requirements gathering phase. This practice provides a deeper understanding of the audience and their specific preferences. Developing dashboards in an agile manner, iterating through the process, enhances user familiarity with the dashboard's content and functionalities. This increased familiarity augments data utilization, aligning with the ultimate objective in today's competitive business landscape: facilitating data-driven decision-making.

Choosing the right visualization tool is equally important as Dashboarding tool might not well suit transactional reporting. Pixel perfect reports meant for printing require different set of tools. Explore your options before finalizing visualization.

Stress the importance of selecting the right format for dashboards and reports. Dashboards, with their interactivity and visual appeal, are ideal for real-time data monitoring and exploration. On the other hand, reports, being static and structured, are better suited for presenting historical or aggregated data along with explanations and actionable recommendations. By understanding the distinction between the two formats, you can effectively cater to your audience's needs and objectives. Utilize dashboards to empower users with on-the-fly insights, while reports serve as powerful tools for summarizing performance and guiding strategic decision-making. right format can significantly enhance the impact of your business intelligence efforts.

Achieving reliable data and providing role-specific performance indicators to businesses via visually appealing dashboards requires the right tools and a shared vision among technical and business stakeholders at various levels.

Dashboards vs. Reports: Pick the right tool for the job: Dashboards: Live TV feed - quick insights, real-time monitoring. Reports: Recorded documentary - deep dives, historical analysis. Consider your audience and data: User needs: Real-time updates or historical analysis? Data complexity: Best visualized or detailed? Purpose: Quick decisions or in-depth study? Combine formats for maximum impact: Interactive dashboards with linked reports. Choose the format that resonates and drives action! This short summary condenses the key points into easily digestible phrases and emphasizes the key decision-making aspects. It's ideal for a quick overview or social media post.

Los informes pueden clasificarse de muchas formas en función de los requisitos de formato: - Dinámicos: cuadros de mando o informes muy visuales que tienen que adaptarse al tama?o de varias pantallas (escritorio, portátil) - Mobile: si tu informe tiene que mostrarse en un dispositivo móvil (smartphone o tablet), tendrás que pensar en un dise?o vertical sin ciertos elementos de detalle - Formato fijo: normalmente informes predefinidos sin paginación pensados para imprimir. En este caso es muy importante respetar márgenes, tama?os de letra, etc.

In my experience, users have very little time to be trained on navigating through a dashboard or report. That is why it is important to simplify, maintain consistency and replicate as many other features as possible. If anything requires more than 10 seconds of searching, then the dashboard design has failed.

In my experience, no matter how well a report is built, it doesn't help if you don't pick up the end user. It is important, for example, to include extra info screens in reports to support the end users on their journey through the report. Training should also be offered for end users by explaining the individual functions of the report. A simple example would be a drill down in a single visual. Most end users are not familiar with such a function, so it is important to show how this feature can be used.

I will never forget the time that I learned the #1 Dashboard used at a prior company was nothing more than a 5-column table with three filters and a screenshot of how to export to Excel. At the time, I thought it was disappointing evidence of the state of Business Intelligence, but now I appreciate that it was a tool designed with end-users in mind. The dashboard had everything its end-users needed and nothing more, usage was intuitive, and perhaps the most easily understood data visualization of all was featured prominently. I strive to emulate its clarity and simplicity in all dashboards and reports I design.

?? Crafting Dashboards for Clarity & Simplicity ??: 1?? Consistent Layout: Ensure seamless navigation with a uniform structure. 2?? Intuitive Design: Choose visuals that resonate for instant data comprehension. 3?? Limited Colors & Fonts: Enhance readability with a minimalist palette and fonts. 4?? Strategic Icons & Legends: Integrate icons wisely; legends offer clarity, not confusion. 5?? Inclusive Labels & Annotations: Guide through the data story with precision and clarity. 6?? Interactive Elements: Empower users with filters for a customized, insightful experience. Simplicity conquers information overload. Master these principles to transform your dashboard into an intuitive, actionable tool. ? #DataViz #DashboardDesign #UX

Emphasize the significance of designing dashboards and reports for clarity and simplicity. A clutter-free and intuitive layout is crucial to prevent confusion and distractions. Best practices entail employing accurate charts and graphs consistently. Strategic use of colors, fonts, and icons is essential to enhance visual appeal without overwhelming the user. Including relevant labels, titles, legends, and annotations provides valuable context and guidance. To promote user engagement, incorporate interactive features like filters, parameters,drill-down options.By adhering to these principles, you can optimize data comprehension, empower users to make informed decisions & elevate the overall effectiveness of your business intelligence tools.

I stress on tailor data sources and calculations to align with the specific needs and expectations of user group. Incorporate parameters, variables, or formulas for dynamic data adjustments based on user input or selection. To draw attention to critical information, utilize conditional formatting, alerts, or indicators that highlight important data points or exceptional situations. Transform your dashboards and reports into powerful storytelling tools by integrating narratives, insights, or recommendations. By following these steps, you can create BI solutions that effectively engage users, enabling them to make informed decisions and uncover valuable insights for their respective scenarios. #BusinessIntelligence #DataVisualization

I have developed products which are deployed at various client locations. Including their logo in a dedicated frame space makes the customers feel this is a home grown product. Instead of hardcoding colors and texts, make the dashboard flexible to apply a theme as per their palette so that reports dont stand out oddly. Have a few placeholder pages which can be used to hyperlink things which are commonly used across the organization, like contact info, glossary or a landing page.

Map your audiences to the right page on the dashboard. The first page should be executive-level and should provide summary level statistics only. Keep your visuals simple: cards, line charts, bar charts, and other easy to digest visuals. Lessen the cognitive load and answer questions that can be answered in 2 minutes. The next tab should target managers that require a little more detail. Consider what questions are important to them and target the visuals. The rest of the tabs can be mapped to the type of user. Depending on the user, you can probably use more complicated charts, but choose wisely. Give everyone the ability to “choose their own adventure” of detail with drill throughs and drill downs.

? Customizing Dashboards for Maximum Impact ? 1?? User-Centric Approach: Tailor data sources and calculations to meet specific user group needs. 2?? Dynamic Adaptability: Utilize parameters, variables, or formulas for real-time adjustments aligned with user preferences. 3?? Visual Highlighting: Use conditional formatting to spotlight critical data, ensuring immediate attention to key insights. 4?? Narrative Integration: Transform dashboards into storytelling tools with insights and recommendations, guiding users through actionable intelligence. By following these steps, your customized dashboards deliver impactful, user-specific insights. ???? #CustomizedBI #DataDrivenDecisions #UserEmpowerment

Some best practice: 1- Prioritize Key Metrics, The most important KPI should be considered to provide actionable insights for decision-making. 2- Incorporate Interactive Elements Utilize parameters, slicers, and filters to allow users to dynamically explore the data based on their requirements. 3- Optimize Layout and Navigation Arrange visualizations and metrics in a logical flow with overview then details. 4- Add info or guideline page to expliane how to use and what is meaning of some KPI.

Consider row level security to only show relevant data to relevant user. This is most overlooked aspect in reporting. Dashboards can be tailored to target customers and restricted however reports must have row level security.

Before finalizing, get feedback from potential users of the dashboard. Make adjustments based on their input to improve usability

User Onboarding:Understanding the tools and their functionalities will maximize their potential and improve user adoption. Mobile Responsiveness: Customize dashboards and reports to be accessible on various devices such as smartphones and tablets. Performance Optimization: Dashboards,reports should be designed for optimal performance, especially when dealing with large datasets. Integration with Workflows: Integrate dashboards and reports into users' existing workflows and applications User Feedback and Iterative Improvements: Encourage users to provide feedback on the dashboards and reports. Continuous feedback loops enable iterative improvements. Personalization Options: Offer customization features.

In my experience, I have found performance testing to be an integral part of Business Intelligence Reports before publication. On that note, the few ways which users/developers might find useful are: Data Source Optimization: Use extracts instead of live connections whenever possible. Extracts can improve performance by pre-aggregating data and reducing the load on the data source. Workbook Design Optimization: Limit the use of high cardinality fields (fields with many unique values) in visualizations, as they can slow down rendering and query times. Regular Monitoring and Maintenance: Regularly monitor workbook and server performance to identify any issues proactively.

dashboard customization for users is an effective way to enhance their experience and provide them with relevant and personalized information. By allowing users to customize their dashboards, they can choose the specific metrics, charts, and data visualizations that are most important to them and align with their unique needs and goals. This level of customization can enable users to easily access the insights and information that matter most to them, improving their efficiency and decision-making capabilities. Additionally, it can also contribute to a more user-friendly and intuitive interface, resulting in higher engagement and satisfaction levels.