explain this (DATA VISUALIZATION
BRING YOUR DATA
The human brain isn’t built to interpret raw data; we need clear patterns and visual cues to
help us quickly make sense of complex information
Prefrontal Cortex

Visual Cortex

• Located in the frontal lobe

• Located in the occipital lobe

• Responsible for cognitive
functioning & problem solving

• Responsible for visual perception
& understanding

• Slow & conscious

• Instantaneous & subconscious

• Helps us make sense of non-visual
information (like raw data)

• Helps us make sense of colors,
patterns, shapes, sizes, etc.

Data visualization puts both our prefrontal and visual cortex to work, combining the
power of cognition (slow and conscious) and perception (instantaneous)
*Copyright Maven Analytics, LLC

DATA VISUALIZATION
In 10 seconds, what can you learn from the data below?

*Copyright Maven Analytics, LLC

DATA VISUALIZATION
How about now?

This is a variation of
Anscombe’s Quartet
Despite sharing similar
descriptive stats, each
series tells a very different
visual story

*Copyright Maven Analytics, LLC

3 KEY QUESTIONS
What TYPE OF DATA are you working with?
•

Geospatial? Time-series? Hierarchical? Financial?

What do you want to COMMUNICATE?
•

Comparison? Composition? Relationship? Distribution?

Who is the END USER and what do they need?
•

Analyst? Manager? Executive? General public?

*Copyright Maven Analytics, LLC

3 KEY QUESTIONS
What TYPE OF DATA are you working with?

Time-series

Financial

Geospatial

Textual

Categorical

Funnel

Hierarchical

Survey

The type of data you’re working with often determines which type of visual will best represent it; for example,
using maps to represent geospatial data, line charts for time-series data, or tree maps for hierarchical data
*Copyright Maven Analytics, LLC

3 KEY QUESTIONS
What do you want to COMMUNICATE?

Used to compare values over
time or across categories

Used to break down the
component parts of a whole

Used to show the frequency
of values within a series

Used to show correlation
between multiple variables

Common visuals:

Common visuals:

Common visuals:

Common visuals:

•
•
•
•
•
•
•

Column Chart
Bar Chart
Clustered Column/Bar
Data Table/Heat Map
Radar Chart
Line Chart (time series)
Area Chart (time series)

•
•
•
•
•
•
•

Stacked Bar/Column Chart
Pie/Donut Chart
Stacked Area (time series)
Waterfall Chart (gains/losses)
Funnel Chart (sequential stages)
Tree Map/sunburst (hierarchies)
Map/Choropleth (geospatial)

•
•
•
•
•
•
•

Histogram
Density Plot
Box & Whisker
Violin Plot
Scatter Plot
Data Table/Heat Map
Map/Choropleth (geospatial)

•
•
•
•

Scatter Plot
Bubble Chart
Data Table/Heat Map
Correlation Matrix

There are hundreds of charts to choose from, but most either serve specialized purposes (like stock charts, Gantt
charts and network diagrams) or are variations of these common types (gauges, bullet charts, chord diagrams, etc.)
*Copyright Maven Analytics, LLC

3 KEY QUESTIONS
Who is the END USER and what do they need?

Likes to see details and
understand exactly what’s
happening at a granular level

Wants summarized data with
clear, actionable insights to help
operate the business

Needs high-level, crystal clear
KPIs to track business health
and topline performance

•

Tables or combo charts

•

Common charts & graphs

•

KPI cards or simple charts

•

Granular detail to support rootcause analysis

•

Some detail, but only when it
supports a specific insight

•

Minimal detail, unless it adds
critical context to KPIs

How you visualize and present your data is a function of who will be consuming it; a fellow analyst may want to see
granular details, while managers and executives often prefer topline KPIs and clear, data-driven insights

*Copyright Maven Analytics, LLC

CONTEXT IS KEY
When you are presenting or visualizing data, remember that context is key;
context gives numbers meaning, and helps users interpret them accurately
KPI value

High & low points

Year-over-year
trending

✔ We drove 690 sales in October
✔ Sales are down 4% vs. last month, but

up 9% year-over-year
✔ We exceeded our target in Sep/Oct

after falling short in August
✔ We see an upward trend in 2020,

with a significant July peak
✔ Based on seasonality, we can expect a

strong Nov/Dec
Performance vs. last
month/year

Performance vs.
Target

Trending over time

*Copyright Maven Analytics, LLC

ANALYTICS DASHBOARDS
Dashboards are analytics tools designed to consolidate data from multiple
sources, track key metrics at a glance, and facilitate data-driven decision making

Product Data

Transactional Records

Customer Data (CRM)

Gross Revenue
Centralized, user-facing dashboard

*Copyright Maven Analytics, LLC

CASE STUDY: DATA VISUALIZATION
THE

SITUATION

You’ve just been hired as Lead Business Intelligence Analyst for Maven Toys, a
nationwide chain of toy stores.

THE

Your assignment is to design a dashboard for Regional Sales Managers, to
help them track revenue trends by region.

ASSIGNMENT

THE

OBJECTIVES

They review the dashboard once a month, and need information on sales
trends, product performance, and lost revenue due to inventory shortages.

1.

Define the purpose

2.

Choose the right metrics

3.

Present the data effectively

4.

Eliminate clutter & noise

5.

Use layout to focus attention

6.

Tell a clear story
*Copyright Maven Analytics, LLC

DASHBOARD DESIGN PROCESS
1

Define the purpose

2

Choose the right metrics

3

Present the data effectively

4

Eliminate clutter & noise

Dashboards can be built to serve many
purposes, including executive-level reporting,
performance deep dives, exploratory analysis,
or infographic-style storytelling.
How you design your dashboard is largely a
function of the purpose it will serve, and the
audience it will be serving.
Key questions to consider:
• Who will be the end-users of your dashboard?

5

Use layout to focus attention

• What are their key business goals and objectives?
• What are the most important questions they need answers to?

6

Tell a clear story

• How frequently will the dashboard be reviewed?

*Copyright Maven Analytics, LLC

STEP 1: DEFINE THE PURPOSE
1

Who will be the end-users of your dashboard?

2

What are their key business goals and objectives?

3

What are the most important questions they need answers to?

4

How frequently will the dashboard be reviewed?

*Copyright Maven Analytics, LLC

STEP 1: DEFINE THE PURPOSE
1

Who will be the end-users of your dashboard?
•

2

What are their key business goals and objectives?
•

3

Increase revenue, minimize revenue loss due to lack of inventory

What are the most important questions they need answers to?
•

4

Regional sales managers

Revenue going up/down? Main revenue drivers? Missing any products in stock?

How frequently will the dashboard be reviewed?
•

Once a month

*Copyright Maven Analytics, LLC

DASHBOARD DESIGN PROCESS
1

Define the purpose

2

Choose the right metrics

3

Present the data effectively

4

Eliminate clutter & noise

Once you’ve defined the purpose of your
dashboard, it’s important to identify which
metrics and KPIs to include.
Focus on the metrics which directly align with
key business goals, and consider the level of
detail most appropriate for your audience.
Key questions to consider:
• Which metrics accurately measure each business goal?
• What level of detail is appropriate for each metric?

5

Use layout to focus attention
PRO TIP: You might be tempted to include

6

Tell a clear story

*everything* in your dashboard, but remember less
is more; focus on the metrics that matter!

*Copyright Maven Analytics, LLC

STEP 2: CHOOSE THE RIGHT METRICS
Business Goal:

Metrics:

Level of Detail:

Increase
revenue

Minimize revenue
loss due to lack of
inventory

*Copyright Maven Analytics, LLC

STEP 2: CHOOSE THE RIGHT METRICS
Business Goal:

Increase
revenue

Minimize revenue
loss due to lack of
inventory

Metrics:

Level of Detail:

•

Total Revenue

•

Date, Region, Category, Product

•

MoM Revenue Change

•

Product

•

MoM % Revenue Change

•

Region, Category

•

YoY % Revenue Change

•

Region

•

Stock on Hand

•

Store-Product

•

Est Monthly Revenue Loss*

•

Region

* Based on average monthly revenue for out-of-stock products

*Copyright Maven Analytics, LLC

DASHBOARD DESIGN PROCESS
1

Define the purpose

Dashboards are all about communicating
information quickly and clearly.

2

Choose the right metrics

3

Present the data effectively

Remember to use charts and visuals suited to
the type of data you’re working with, the
story you’re communicating, and the end user
consuming the information.

4

Eliminate clutter & noise

5

Use layout to focus attention

Want to allow for some exploratory analysis?
Add filters and interactivity to allow users
to explore on their own, answer new
questions, and discover fresh insights.

PRO TIP: One of the most common mistakes we

6

Tell a clear story

see is prioritizing variety over effectiveness.
Always choose the right chart for the job!

*Copyright Maven Analytics, LLC

STEP 3: PRESENT THE DATA EFFECTIVELY
Metric & Level of Detail:
•

Total Revenue by Date

•

Total Revenue by Region

•

Total Revenue by Category

•

Total Revenue by Product

•

MoM Revenue Change by Product

•

MoM % Revenue Change by Region

•

MoM % Revenue Change by Category

•

YoY % Revenue Change by Region

•

Stock on Hand by Store-Product

•

Est. Monthly Revenue Loss by Region

Visual Type:

Filters:

*Copyright Maven Analytics, LLC

STEP 3: PRESENT THE DATA EFFECTIVELY
Metric & Level of Detail:

Visual Type:

Filters:

•

Total Revenue by Date

1) Line Chart

• Month (interactive)

•

Total Revenue by Region

2) KPI Card (#1)

• Region (interactive)
• Top/Bottom 5 Products

•

Total Revenue by Category

3) Bar Chart (#1)

•

Total Revenue by Product

4) Table (#1)

•

MoM Revenue Change by Product

5) Table (#1)

•

MoM % Revenue Change by Region

6) KPI Card (#2)

•

MoM % Revenue Change by Category

7) Bar Chart (#2)

•

YoY % Revenue Change by Region

8) KPI Card (#3)

•

Stock on Hand by Store-Product

9) Table (#2)

•

Est. Monthly Revenue Loss by Region

10) KPI Card (#4)

• Store-Products with 0 stock

This is typically an evolving,
iterative process, so don’t expect
to come up with an exhaustive set
of metrics and visuals off the top of
your head!

*Copyright Maven Analytics, LLC

STEP 3: PRESENT THE DATA EFFECTIVELY
MAVEN

REGIONAL SALES DASHBOARD

TOYS
2

$50,618
Total Monthly Revenue

10

September 2021

6

1.6%

Potential Monthly Revenue Loss

45.3%

$20,000 $31,545

$69,038
$50,618

$40,942 $39,052 $41,568

2020

2021

MoM Revenue % Change by Product Category
Toys

Electronics

$5,368
$4,603
$25,000

7

Store Name
Product Name
Stock
JFK Airport Gamer Headphones
0
JFK Airport Hot Wheels 5-Pack
0
Times Square
Dino Egg
0
Times Square
Playfoam
0

Top 5 Products by MoM Revenue Change
Category
Art & Crafts
Toys
Games
Art & Crafts
Art & Crafts

Product
Playfoam
Dinosaur Figures
Monopoly
Magic Sand
Barrel O' Slime

-4.9%

Art & Crafts

$20,000

$42,366

Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec

19.6%

Sports & Outdoors

$15,000

$34,844

9

$0

Y-o-Y Revenue % Change

$7,465

$10,000

Products with 0 Stock by Store

$10,000

$13,882

$5,000

$63,907

$45,431

$30,000

$19,299

Sports & Outdoors

3

$50,000

8

Toys

Games

$60,000

$58,945

$40,000

Total Revenue by Product Category

Art & Crafts

Total Revenue by Date

$70,000

M-o-M Revenue % Change

$1,640

Electronics

1
$80,000

Region: New York

7.1%

1.1%

Games -18.7%
-25.0%-20.0%-15.0%-10.0% -5.0% 0.0% 5.0% 10.0% 15.0% 20.0% 25.0%

Revenue
$3,352
$2,893
$900
$4,589
$1,357

Δ Revenue
$2,011
$989
$740
$688
$551

4

5

Revenue
$640
$9,318
$460
$882
$989

Δ Revenue
-$1,359
-$800
-$719
-$525
-$517

Bottom 5 Products by MoM Revenue Change
Category
Games
Toys
Toys
Art & Crafts
Games

Product
Rubik's Cube
Lego Bricks
Mr. Potatohead
Etch A Sketch
Glass Marbles

*Copyright Maven Analytics, LLC

DASHBOARD DESIGN PROCESS

2

Choose the right metrics

3

Present the data effectively

4

Eliminate clutter & noise

5

Use layout to focus attention

6

Tell a clear story

When it comes to dashboard design, real
estate is precious; cut anything that takes up
space but doesn’t add value.
Things like 3D formats, chart borders,
excessive colors, or background images only
distract users from the story and insights you
are trying to communicate.
Clarity always trumps aesthetics!

“

“

1

Define the purpose

Perfection is achieved not when there is
nothing more to add, but when there is
nothing left to take away
Antoine de Saint-Exupery

*Copyright Maven Analytics, LLC

STEP 4: ELIMINATE CLUTTER & NOISE
MAVEN

REGIONAL SALES DASHBOARD

TOYS

$50,618
Total Monthly Revenue

September 2021

1.6%

Total Revenue by Date
$80,000
$70,000

$60,000

M-o-M Revenue % Change

$50,000

$58,945

$1,640

45.3%

Potential Monthly Revenue Loss

Y-o-Y Revenue % Change

Toys

Electronics
Games

$50,618

$20,000 $31,545

$40,942 $39,052 $41,568

$34,844

$42,366

$10,000

$0
Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
2020

2021

Toys

Electronics

$5,368

19.6%
7.1%

1.1%

Games -18.7%

$4,603
$10,000

$15,000

$20,000

$25,000

Store Name
Product Name
Stock
JFK Airport Gamer Headphones
0
JFK Airport Hot Wheels 5-Pack
0
Times Square
Dino Egg
0
Times Square
Playfoam
0

Top 5 Products by MoM Revenue Change
Category
Art & Crafts
Toys
Games
Art & Crafts
Art & Crafts

Product
Playfoam
Dinosaur Figures
Monopoly
Magic Sand
Barrel O' Slime

Revenue
$3,352
$2,893
$900
$4,589
$1,357

Δ Revenue
$2,011
$989
$740
$688
$551

-4.9%

Sports & Outdoors

$7,465

$5,000

$69,038

Art & Crafts

$13,882

Sports & Outdoors

$30,000

Products with 0 Stock by Store

MoM Revenue % Change by Product Category

$19,299

Art & Crafts

$63,907

$45,431

$40,000

Total Revenue by Product Category

Region: New York

-25.0%-20.0%-15.0%-10.0% -5.0% 0.0% 5.0% 10.0% 15.0% 20.0% 25.0%

Bottom 5 Products by MoM Revenue Change
Category
Games
Toys
Toys
Art & Crafts
Games

Product
Rubik's Cube
Lego Bricks
Mr. Potatohead
Etch A Sketch
Glass Marbles

Revenue
$640
$9,318
$460
$882
$989

Δ Revenue
-$1,359
-$800
-$719
-$525
-$517

*Copyright Maven Analytics, LLC

STEP 4: ELIMINATE CLUTTER & NOISE
MAVEN
MAVEN

REGIONAL SALES
SALES DASHBOARD
DASHBOARD
REGIONAL

TOYS
TOYS

September 2021
2021
September

$50,618

1.6%

Total Monthly
Monthly Revenue
Revenue
Total

M-o-M Revenue
Revenue %
% Change
Change
M-o-M

$1,640

45.3%

Potential Monthly Revenue Loss

Toys
Toys
Toys

Sports & Outdoors
Sports
Sports &
& Outdoors
Outdoors
Electronics
Electronics
Electronics
Games
Games
Games

$50,000
$60 K
K
$60
$40,000

$63,907

$50,618

$45,431
$40,942 $39,052 $41,568

$30,000

$31,545
$20,000
$40 K
K
$40
$10,000

2020
2020
2021
2021

$50,618
$42,366
$50,618
$34,844

$0

$20 K

Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
2020Jun
Jan Feb Mar Apr May

Jul2021
Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec

Toys
Toys
Toys

-4.9%
-4.9%
-4.9%

Art & Crafts
Art
Art &
& Crafts
Crafts

$13,882
$13,882
$13,882

Sports & Outdoors
Sports
Sports &
& Outdoors
Outdoors

$7,465
$7,465
$7,465

Electronics
Electronics
Electronics

$5,368
$5,368
$5,368
$4,603
$4,603
$4,603
$5,000
$10,000

$60,000

$58,945

$69,038

MoM Revenue % Change by Product Category

$19,299
$19,299
$19,299

Art & Crafts
Art
Art &
& Crafts
Crafts

$80 K
$80,000
$80
K
$70,000

Y-o-Y Revenue % Change

Total Revenue by Product Category

Total Revenue
Revenue by
by Date
Date
Total

19.6%
19.6%
19.6%
7.1%
7.1%
7.1%

1.1%
1.1%
1.1%

Games -18.7%
Games
-18.7%
Games
-18.7%
$15,000

$20,000

$25,000

-25.0%-20.0%-15.0%-10.0% -5.0% 0.0% 5.0% 10.0% 15.0% 20.0% 25.0%

Region: New York
Region: New York

Products
with
0 Stock
Stock
by Store
Store
Products with
0 Stock
by Store
Products
with
0
by
Products with
0 Stock
by Store
Store
Name
Product
Name
Stock
StoreName
Name Product
Product
Name
Stock
Store
Name
JFK
Airport
Gamer
Headphones
0
JFKAirport
Airport Gamer
Gamer Headphones
Headphones
0 0
JFK
JFK
Airport
Hot
Wheels
5-Pack
0
JFKAirport
Airport Hot
HotWheels
Wheels5-Pack
5-Pack
0 0
JFK
Times Square
Square Dino
Dino Egg
Egg
0
Dino Egg
0 0
Times
Times Square
Square Playfoam
Playfoam
0
Playfoam
0 0
Times

Top 5 Products by MoM Revenue Change
Category
Category
Art
& Crafts
Art &
Crafts
Toys Toys
GamesGames
Art
& Crafts
Art &
Crafts
Art
& Crafts
Art &
Crafts

Product
Product
Playfoam
Playfoam
DinosaurFigures
Figures
Dinosaur
Monopoly
Monopoly
Magic
Magic
SandSand
Barrel
Slime
Barrel
O'O'
Slime

Revenue
Revenue ΔΔRevenue
Revenue
$3,352
$2,011
$3,352
$2,011
$2,893
$989
$2,893
$989
$900
$740
$900
$740
$4,589
$688
$4,589
$688
$1,357
$551
$1,357
$551

Bottom
5 Products
by MoM Revenue Change
Top
Top 5
5 Products
Products by
by MoM
MoM Revenue
Revenue Change
Change
Category
Category
Category
Games
GamesGames
Toys
Toys Toys
Toys Toys
Toys
Art
& Crafts
Art &
Crafts
Art & Crafts
GamesGames
Games

Product
Product
Product
Rubik's
Cube
Rubik's
Cube
Rubik's
Cube
Bricks
Lego
Bricks
LegoLego
Bricks
Mr. Potatohead
Mr.
Mr. Potatohead
Potatohead
Etch
A Sketch
Etch
A Sketch
Etch A Sketch
Glass
Marbles
Glass
Marbles
Glass Marbles

Revenue
Revenue
Revenue
Revenue ΔΔ
ΔRevenue
Revenue
$640
-$1,359
$640
-$1,359
$640
-$1,359
$9,318
-$800
$9,318
-$800
$9,318
-$800
$460
-$719
$460
-$719
$460
-$719
$882
-$525
$882
-$525
$882
-$525
$989
-$517
$989
-$517
$989
-$517
*Copyright Maven Analytics, LLC

DASHBOARD DESIGN PROCESS
1

Define the purpose

2

Choose the right metrics

3

A good layout features the most important
insights and trends upfront, and guides the
viewer through a logical story; don’t expect
users to connect the dots on their own!

Tips to focus attention:

Present the data effectively

4

Eliminate clutter & noise

5

Use layout to focus attention

6

Tell a clear story

• Use pre-attentive attributes like size, color, and position to
highlight key data points or specific patterns
• Use Gestalt principles like proximity, enclosure and
connection to group related visual elements
• Consider common reading patterns (like Z or F patterns)
when designing your dashboard layout

*Copyright Maven Analytics, LLC

STEP 4: ELIMINATE CLUTTER & NOISE
MAVEN
MAVEN

REGIONAL SALES
SALES DASHBOARD
DASHBOARD
REGIONAL

TOYS
TOYS

September 2021
2021
September

$50,618

1.6%

Total Monthly
Monthly Revenue
Revenue
Total

M-o-M Revenue
Revenue %
% Change
Change
M-o-M

$1,640

45.3%

Potential Monthly Revenue Loss

Toys
Toys
Toys

Sports & Outdoors
Sports
Sports &
& Outdoors
Outdoors
Electronics
Electronics
Electronics
Games
Games
Games

$50,000
$60 K
K
$60
$40,000

$63,907

$50,618

$45,431
$40,942 $39,052 $41,568

$30,000

$31,545
$20,000
$40 K
K
$40
$10,000

2020
2020
2021
2021

$50,618
$42,366
$50,618
$34,844

$0

$20 K

Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
2020Jun
Jan Feb Mar Apr May

Jul2021
Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec

Toys
Toys
Toys

-4.9%
-4.9%
-4.9%

Art & Crafts
Art
Art &
& Crafts
Crafts

$13,882
$13,882
$13,882

Sports & Outdoors
Sports
Sports &
& Outdoors
Outdoors

$7,465
$7,465
$7,465

Electronics
Electronics
Electronics

$5,368
$5,368
$5,368
$4,603
$4,603
$4,603
$5,000
$10,000

$60,000

$58,945

$69,038

MoM Revenue % Change by Product Category

$19,299
$19,299
$19,299

Art & Crafts
Art
Art &
& Crafts
Crafts

$80 K
$80,000
$80
K
$70,000

Y-o-Y Revenue % Change

Total Revenue by Product Category

Total Revenue
Revenue by
by Date
Date
Total

19.6%
19.6%
19.6%
7.1%
7.1%
7.1%

1.1%
1.1%
1.1%

Games -18.7%
Games
-18.7%
Games
-18.7%
$15,000

$20,000

$25,000

-25.0%-20.0%-15.0%-10.0% -5.0% 0.0% 5.0% 10.0% 15.0% 20.0% 25.0%

Region: New York
Region: New York

Products
with
0 Stock
Stock
by Store
Store
Products with
0 Stock
by Store
Products
with
0
by
Products with
0 Stock
by Store
Store
Name
Product
Name
Stock
StoreName
Name Product
Product
Name
Stock
Store
Name
JFK
Airport
Gamer
Headphones
0
JFKAirport
Airport Gamer
Gamer Headphones
Headphones
0 0
JFK
JFK
Airport
Hot
Wheels
5-Pack
0
JFKAirport
Airport Hot
HotWheels
Wheels5-Pack
5-Pack
0 0
JFK
Times Square
Square Dino
Dino Egg
Egg
0
Dino Egg
0 0
Times
Times Square
Square Playfoam
Playfoam
0
Playfoam
0 0
Times

Top 5 Products by MoM Revenue Change
Category
Category
Art
& Crafts
Art &
Crafts
Toys Toys
GamesGames
Art
& Crafts
Art &
Crafts
Art
& Crafts
Art &
Crafts

Product
Product
Playfoam
Playfoam
DinosaurFigures
Figures
Dinosaur
Monopoly
Monopoly
Magic
Magic
SandSand
Barrel
Slime
Barrel
O'O'
Slime

Revenue
Revenue ΔΔRevenue
Revenue
$3,352
$2,011
$3,352
$2,011
$2,893
$989
$2,893
$989
$900
$740
$900
$740
$4,589
$688
$4,589
$688
$1,357
$551
$1,357
$551

Bottom
5 Products
by MoM Revenue Change
Top
Top 5
5 Products
Products by
by MoM
MoM Revenue
Revenue Change
Change
Category
Category
Category
Games
GamesGames
Toys
Toys Toys
Toys Toys
Toys
Art
& Crafts
Art &
Crafts
Art & Crafts
GamesGames
Games

Product
Product
Product
Rubik's
Cube
Rubik's
Cube
Rubik's
Cube
Bricks
Lego
Bricks
LegoLego
Bricks
Mr. Potatohead
Mr.
Mr. Potatohead
Potatohead
Etch
A Sketch
Etch
A Sketch
Etch A Sketch
Glass
Marbles
Glass
Marbles
Glass Marbles

Revenue
Revenue
Revenue
Revenue ΔΔ
ΔRevenue
Revenue
$640
-$1,359
$640
-$1,359
$640
-$1,359
$9,318
-$800
$9,318
-$800
$9,318
-$800
$460
-$719
$460
-$719
$460
-$719
$882
-$525
$882
-$525
$882
-$525
$989
-$517
$989
-$517
$989
-$517
*Copyright Maven Analytics, LLC

STEP 5: USE LAYOUT TO FOCUS ATTENTION
MAVEN

REGIONAL SALES DASHBOARD
September 2021

TOYS

Region: New York

Total Revenue & Revenue % Changes

$50,618
Total Monthly Revenue

Revenue & MoM Revenue % Change by Product Category

1.6%

Toys

M-o-M

45.3%

Art & Crafts

Y-o-Y

Sports &
Outdoors

Total Revenue by Date
$80 K

$19,299

-4.9%

$13,882

19.6%

$7,465

Electronics

$5,368

Games

$4,603

Products
with
0 Stock
Products with
0 Stock
by Store
Store Name Product Name
Stock
JFK Airport Gamer Headphones
0
JFK Airport Hot Wheels 5-Pack
0
Times Square Dino Egg
0
Times Square Playfoam
0

$1,640

7.1%

1.1%

Potential Monthly Revenue Loss

-18.7%

2020

2021
$60 K

Top & Bottom 5 Products by MoM Revenue Change
$50,618

$40 K

$20 K
Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun

Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec

Category
Art & Crafts
Toys
Games
Art & Crafts
Art & Crafts

Product
Playfoam
Dinosaur Figures
Monopoly
Magic Sand
Barrel O' Slime

Revenue
$3,352
$2,893
$900
$4,589
$1,357

Δ Revenue
$2,011
$989
$740
$688
$551

Top 5 Products by MoM Revenue Change
Category
Games
Toys
Toys
Art & Crafts
Games

Product
Rubik's Cube
Lego Bricks
Mr. Potatohead
Etch A Sketch
Glass Marbles

Revenue
$640
$9,318
$460
$882
$989

Δ Revenue
-$1,359
-$800
-$719
-$525
-$517

*Copyright Maven Analytics, LLC

DASHBOARD DESIGN PROCESS
1

Define the purpose

Human beings aren’t inspired by numbers,
charts or graphs; we’re inspired by stories.

2

Choose the right metrics

3

Present the data effectively

The most effective BI dashboards use data to
drive real-world business outcomes; they tell
clear, data-driven stories designed to expose
key insights and inspire stakeholders to act.

4

Eliminate clutter & noise

5

Use layout to focus attention

6

Tell a clear story

If your dashboard doesn’t inspire action or
facilitate change, what purpose does it serve?

PRO TIP: Don’t be afraid of a little text! Using
descriptive titles and data labels can be a great way
to create narratives within your dashboard

*Copyright Maven Analytics, LLC

STEP 5: USE LAYOUT TO FOCUS ATTENTION
MAVEN

REGIONAL SALES DASHBOARD
September 2021

TOYS

Region: New York

Total Revenue & Revenue % Changes

$50,618
Total Monthly Revenue

Revenue & MoM Revenue % Change by Product Category

1.6%

Toys

M-o-M

45.3%

Art & Crafts

Y-o-Y

Sports &
Outdoors

Total Revenue by Date
$80 K

$19,299

-4.9%

$13,882

19.6%

$7,465

Electronics

$5,368

Games

$4,603

Products
with
0 Stock
Products with
0 Stock
by Store
Store Name Product Name
Stock
JFK Airport Gamer Headphones
0
JFK Airport Hot Wheels 5-Pack
0
Times Square Dino Egg
0
Times Square Playfoam
0

$1,640

7.1%

1.1%

Potential Monthly Revenue Loss

-18.7%

2020

2021
$60 K

Top & Bottom 5 Products by MoM Revenue Change
$50,618

$40 K

$20 K
Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun

Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec

Category
Art & Crafts
Toys
Games
Art & Crafts
Art & Crafts

Product
Playfoam
Dinosaur Figures
Monopoly
Magic Sand
Barrel O' Slime

Revenue
$3,352
$2,893
$900
$4,589
$1,357

Δ Revenue
$2,011
$989
$740
$688
$551

Top 5 Products by MoM Revenue Change
Category
Games
Toys
Toys
Art & Crafts
Games

Product
Rubik's Cube
Lego Bricks
Mr. Potatohead
Etch A Sketch
Glass Marbles

Revenue
$640
$9,318
$460
$882
$989

Δ Revenue
-$1,359
-$800
-$719
-$525
-$517

*Copyright Maven Analytics, LLC

STEP 6: TELL A STORY
MAVEN

REGIONAL SALES DASHBOARD
How did the region perform in September 2021?
This is how much revenue we generated...

$50,618
Total Monthly Revenue

+1.6%
M-o-M

This is the revenue split by product category this month...
Toys

+45.3%

Art & Crafts

Y-o-Y

Sports &
Outdoors

... and the trend in 2021 vs 2020

$19,299

-4.9%

$13,882

+19.6%

$7,465

Electronics

$5,368

Games

$4,603

$80 K

We
are with
losing
sales
Products
0 Stock
by here...
Store
Store Name Product Name
Stock
JFK Airport Gamer Headphones
0
JFK Airport Hot Wheels 5-Pack
0
Times Square Dino Egg
0
Times Square Playfoam
0

$1,640

+7.1%
+1.1%

Potential Monthly Revenue Loss

-18.7%

Monthly Revenue
$60 K

TOYS

Region: New York

M-o-M Revenue % Change

... where these 5 products drove the increases & decreases in revenue

Top 5 Products by MoM Revenue Change

$50,618

$40 K

$20 K
Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun

Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec

Category
Art & Crafts
Toys
Games
Art & Crafts
Art & Crafts

Product
Playfoam
Dinosaur Figures
Monopoly
Magic Sand
Barrel O' Slime

Revenue
$3,352
$2,893
$900
$4,589
$1,357

Δ Revenue
+$2,011
+$989
+$740
+$688
+$551

Category
Games
Toys
Toys
Art & Crafts
Games

Product
Rubik's Cube
Lego Bricks
Mr. Potatohead
Etch A Sketch
Glass Marbles

Revenue
$640
$9,318
$460
$882
$989

Δ Revenue
-$1,359
-$800
-$719
-$525
-$517

*Copyright Maven Analytics, LLC

KEY TAKEAWAYS
Always answer the 3 key questions when visualizing data
•

What type of data are you working with? What do you want to communicate? Who is the end user?

Keep it simple by eliminating noise and distractions
•

“Perfection is achieved not when there is nothing more to add, but when there is nothing left to take away”

Tell a story by focusing the viewer’s attention
•

Use pre-attentive attributes, gestalt principles, and thoughtful layouts to create a clear narrative

Remember that context is key
•

Context is what makes the data mean something, and helps users interpret it accurately

*Copyright Maven Analytics, LLC

*Copyright Maven Analytics, LLC

THE ANALYST TOOLKIT

TOOLS MATTER, BUT
When it comes to analytics tools, don’t be afraid to specialize; focus on building deep skills
and expertise in a few key areas, rather than trying to master it all

You have permission to NOT learn all of these tools
*Copyright Maven Analytics, LLC

THE ANALYST TOOLKIT

BI Platforms

Database Tools

Self-service tools designed to support the entire business intelligence workflow,
including data prep, modeling, analysis, visualization and administration

Data Prep/ETL
Tools
Spreadsheet
Tools

Programming
Languages

TYPICAL
USER ROLES

INDUSTRY
LEADERS*

COMMON
USE CASES

•

Power BI

•

Business Intelligence Analyst

•

Performance dashboards

•

Tableau

•

Data Analyst

•

ETL & data prep

•

Qlik

•

Data Visualization Specialist

•

Ad hoc data visualization

•

Report administration

PRO TIP: Rather than trying to everything at once, focus on going deep with one
platform first; the skills you build will be highly transferrable if you need to switch

* Other popular BI platforms include Sisense, Domo, Google (Looker), and MicroStrategy

*Copyright Maven Analytics, LLC

THE ANALYST TOOLKIT

BI Platforms

Database Tools

Used for creating, managing, and querying information stored in relational
database management systems (RDMS)

Data Prep/ETL
Tools
Spreadsheet
Tools

Programming
Languages

TYPICAL
USER ROLES

INDUSTRY
LEADERS*

COMMON
USE CASES

•

MySQL

•

Database Administrator

•

Storing large datasets

•

Microsoft SQL Server

•

Business Intelligence Analyst

•

Ad hoc database analysis

•

PostgreSQL

•

Data Scientist

•

Producing custom tables or views for
analysis and visualization

PRO TIP: There are many “flavors” of SQL database tools, but they are all built on
the same query language and universal standards (with slight variations in syntax)

* If you are looking for cloud database tools, consider tools like Amazon RDS/Redshift, Azure, MongoDB, etc.
) and make it clear explanation and make it arabic egyptain and add more sentenences to explain and make it coool exeplantion and add 20 times explaination with examples