Before Any Dashboards Or Stories Can Be Communicated It Is N

Before Any Dashboards Or Stories Can Be Communicated It Is Necessary

Before any dashboards or stories can be communicated, it is necessary to first explore the data to find the noteworthy data points. To do this, the who (the audience or stakeholders), what (what the audience needs to know), and how (the method or means and data to be communicated) must be clearly identified.

You work for a large office supply chain store, and the CEO of the company has asked you to create a stakeholder’s report of the company’s overall health. Along with the report, he asked you to create interactive dashboards for on-demand, real-time insight into the data.

There are four primary groups—customers, orders, products, and locations—for which you will create data visualizations, interactive dashboards, and story points.

To begin, download and connect to the Super Office Mart dataset (Excel file). Once you have connected to the data source and set up the proper join, create 3 worksheets: Sales by Product/Region, Sales by Product Subcategory, Negative Profit Comparison Chart. Using filters and color formatting, identify the troublemakers for each region.

In a 10–15-slide PowerPoint presentation, report your findings based on these exploratory charts. Highlight notable data points based on applied filters. Submit your Tableau (.twb) or Excel workbook along with your PowerPoint presentation.

Paper For Above instruction

Understanding and analyzing data are fundamental steps in creating effective dashboards and stories that accurately communicate insights to stakeholders. Before diving into visualizations, it is imperative to explore the data thoroughly to identify noteworthy trends, outliers, and patterns that can influence business decisions. This exploratory process ensures that the subsequent visualizations are relevant, accurate, and tailored to the audience's needs.

The initial phase involves clarifying the who, what, and how of data communication. Identifying the audience—such as executives, managers, or operational staff—determines the level of detail required and the complexity of visualizations. Understanding what stakeholders need to know guides the focus of analysis; for example, executives may prefer high-level summaries, whereas operations teams might require detailed transaction data. Clarifying how to communicate—whether through interactive dashboards, reports, or presentations—shapes the design and functionality of the data storytelling tools.

In the context of the given scenario, working with the Super Office Mart dataset, the first step is data connection and preparation. Importing and integrating data from various tables—such as customers, orders, products, and locations—through appropriate joins ensures data consistency. Setting up the dataset correctly forms the foundation for meaningful analysis. Once structured, creating key worksheets like Sales by Product/Region, Sales by Product Subcategory, and Negative Profit Comparison Chart enables targeted insights.

Exploratory analysis includes applying filters, sorting, and formatting techniques. For example, filters can isolate specific regions or product categories, while color formatting highlights regions with negative profits or high returns. Identifying troublemakers or underperforming areas involves analyzing these visualizations for patterns such as declining sales, high discounts, or negative profit margins. These insights help pinpoint specific products, regions, or customer segments that require attention.

Developing interactive dashboards enhances the user's ability to explore data on demand. Features like drill-downs, filter controls, and hover-over details facilitate dynamic data exploration, enabling stakeholders to identify issues easily. For example, filters for regions and product categories allow users to isolate problematic areas, making problem-solving more targeted and efficient.

The final step involves compiling findings into a presentation. A 10-15 slide PowerPoint should succinctly communicate key insights, featuring the exploratory charts that highlight noteworthy data points. Using clear annotations, color coding, and summaries can improve understanding and guide decision-making. The combination of well-structured analysis, interactive dashboards, and clear storytelling ensures the effective communication of the company's overall health.

Moreover, documenting the data exploration process is crucial. It provides transparency about how insights were derived and ensures reproducibility. Including the Tableau (.twb) or Excel workbook as supplementary material allows stakeholders to interact with the raw data and verify findings independently.

In conclusion, effective data exploration is vital to creating impactful dashboards and stories. By systematically analyzing the data with filters, formatting, and interactivity, analysts can uncover critical insights and communicate them compellingly to stakeholders. This process not only informs strategic decisions but also fosters data-driven culture within the organization.

References

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