Data Reporting
Data Reporting Epiphany
It’s unmistakable when it happens. That “Aha” moment when a business partner sees for the first time a data reporting tool we have created for them. It is so satisfying to help others gain clarity and confidence in their decision-making process. When those moments occur, we know we’ve helped you boost the return on your data investment.
Those moments are the culmination of a process that starts by interviewing you to understand the challenge. The process for us is part science and art. The science/technical parts are pretty evident. This does involve computers after all. The artistic aspect is:
- listening to and interpreting the needs of end-users,
- sensitivity to what information is “noise” versus what has value,
- thoughtful presentation of content in a way the minds-eye can digest.
Mediums for Data Reporting
20 years ago, data reporting was printed copy you held in your hand. Can you still hear those dot-matrix printer heads? Today, reporting can take a number of different forms. Here are some typical mediums we create.
Static Reports
These are tabular style reports that may offer drill-down or drill-through capabilities. We use SQL Server Reporting Services (SSRS), Power BI, R or Microsoft Access to create them. These can be deployed in multiple different environments including Power BI desktop, web-browser, or on the user’s workstation screen.
KPI & Dashboards
These reports are typically more visually complex. They often incorporate dials/gauges and other widgets to quickly convey specific performance metrics. They give at-a-glance summaries of key performance indicators.
Print Ready Reporting
These are typeset quality projects that are print-ready. That means they are “paginated” with headers and footers. These can be product catalogs or other large publications. We create them from a combination of database reporting tools, Microsoft Word or other desktop publishing tools. For a great example of this, see this member directory on our Scenarios page.
Provided at right are scenarios and tools that further explain the reporting tasks.
First Steps
One of our highest purposes is arming decision makers with better quality information. It’s crystal clear when we’ve done it right. Can we start a dialogue with your team that results in an “Aha” moment?