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Thursday, April 04, 2013

How P&G Presents Data to Decision Makers

In the HBR:  This effort started long ago as a method to deliver data and models to executives, and has evolved much more broadly for many employees.  And has finally resulted  in what they call the Business  Sphere.  Note also the emphasis in using data visualization to simplify pattern recognition for users.  Later versions included the ability to include simple analytic methods like regression, clustering and forecasting.    Tom Davenport writes:

" ...if you work in a large organization and want it to make better use of data visualization, I'd argue that commonality is more important than creativity. If you can establish a common visual language for data, you can radically upgrade the use of the data to drive decision-making and action.  The best case I can cite for this argument is Procter & Gamble, which has institutionalized data visualization as a primary tool of management. Working with visual analytics software vendor Tibco Spotfire, P&G has put visual displays of key information on desktops — over 50,000 P&G employees now have access to a "Decision Cockpit" ... " 

The heat map shown is an interesting choice to emphasize.  See the article link for a full readable version. In general, heat maps distort comparisons between data, so they are readily scan-able, but are not a good means for interacting with complex data.  Other graphics shown in the article are more typical dashboard visualization styles.