c11PerformanceManagementusingDataVisualizationMashupsandMobileIntelligence.qxd 11/9/12 6:40 PM Page 333 Chapter Performance Management using Data 11 Visualization, Mashups, and Mobile Intelligence Quick Look Learning Outcomes Case 1, Opening Case: Data Viz iPad App Improves ᕡ Describe how data visualization applications, data discovery America First’s Performance systems, and interactive reports support organizational functions and decision making, and how visual analytics are helping managers improve financial performance. 11.1 Data Visualization and Data Discovery ᕢ Explain data mashup technology as an alternative self- service and end-user systems development approach. 11.2 Enterprise Data Mashups ᕣ Describe how enterprise dashboards and reporting support 11.3 Business Dashboards executive, managerial, and operational levels by leveraging real-time data and people’s natural ability to think visually. 11.4 Mobile Dashboards and Intelligence ᕤ Discuss why a mobilized workforce is best supported by a mobile approach to data, and explain the competitive Key Terms advantages of mobile intelligence. Chapter 11 Link Library Evaluate and Expand Your Learning • IT and Data Management Decisions • Questions for Discussion & Review • Online Activities • Collaborative Work Case 2, Visualization Case: Are You Ready for Some Football? Case 3, Video Case: Mashup-Driven Dashboards and Reporting Data Analysis & Decision Making: Know Your Facebook Fans with Mobile Intelligence References 333 c11PerformanceManagementusingDataVisualizationMashupsandMobileIntelligence.qxd 11/9/12 6:40 PM Page 334 QUICK LOOK at Chapter 11, Performance Management using Data Visualization, Mashups, and Mobile Intelligence In the past, managers usually did not have a convenient metrics and the ability to analyze data themselves.The term way to analyze and develop a good understanding of a lot enterprise mashup is used to differentiate business-related of data, or to compile data from diverse sources to get mashups from web mashups, as you read in Chapter 8. reports out fast enough. These limitations make it hard Enterprise mashup technologies extract and combine var- to monitor and manage performance. Ways to combat ious types of data from data warehouses, marts, and other these problems are visualization (viz) technologies— sources to produce dashboards and reports. primarily, business dashboards, enterprise mashups, Visualization technologies create information man- interactive reporting tools, and visualization apps for agement efficiencies. Now end-users can do things them- mobiles. These tools pull data from business intelligence selves that previously required a team of IT developers (BI) systems, data warehouses, and other internal and and months of effort. Making connectivity and data external data stores; then display them in meaningful mashing accessible to tech-savvy people increases pro- graphics with drill-down capabilities. ductivity.With visualization tools, workers can better pre- Business dashboards get data into the hands of knowl- pare and respond to unanticipated events and make more edge workers, giving them an instant view of performance effective decisions in complex, dynamic situations. CASE 1 OPENING CASE Data Viz iPad App Improves America First’s Performance Data visualization, or data viz, is America First Credit Union is member-owned, nonprofit financial institution with 101 full- the gathering of complicated service branch locations throughout Utah and online banking services. Founded in 1939, information into readable graph- it is the 11th-largest credit union in the U.S. with $5.1 billion (2012) in assets. A problem ics. While not new, data viz tech- facing America First Credit Union (americafirst.com) was how to convey the company’s per- nologies have matured, providing formance, risk position, and opportunities to executives in a concise and trusted way and users with an easy way to display at low cost. The solution—use a data visualization app for mobile devices, which is also and digest massive amounts of called a mobile BI app. data. Figure 11.1 shows America First’s Providing Data Visualization on Tablets Cut Costs 2011 and 2010 consolidated ear- nings in a general ledger-style America First’s new reporting system delivers data on financial, risk, and loan performance layout; while Figure 11.2 presents as graphical or visual displays to senior executives on their iPads. The shift to tablets and an at-a-glance visualization of the mobile visualization system began as a necessary cost-cutting move. The strain of the three key items for display on a economic recession had contributed to the $9.3 million net loss in 2010 (Figure 11.1) forc- mobile device. By clicking any bar ing the credit union to cut costs wherever possible. In November 2010, America First began on the chart, the CFO can drill to replace laptops with Apple iPads starting with the chief financial officer (CFO), controller, down to increasingly detailed and network manager. data. With visualization tools, dis- plays of the data or KPIs most vital to each manager’s needs can How Costs Were Cut be designed easily. Tablet computers cost less than $700 each, which is at least 50 percent less than the cost of notebooks that America First had deployed. And a tablet’s $25 monthly service fee is 40 percent less than broadband service plans for laptops. How Speed Was Improved The reporting process was done by e-mailing PDFs of spreadsheets to managers. Spreadsheets were dense, general ledger-style text and line items. It was taking executives too long to make sense of the financial data presented to them this way. This process also caused delays and confusion because of multiple versions of the reports. Managers wasted time trying to verify that they had the latest version of the financials. 334 c11PerformanceManagementusingDataVisualizationMashupsandMobileIntelligence.qxd 11/9/12 6:40 PM Page 335 CASE 1 Opening Case 335 Figure 11.1 America First Credit Union’s earnings report in table format. 2011 & 2010 earnings report $380,000,000 2011 2010 $330,000,000 $280,000,000 $230,000,000 $180,000,000 $130,000,000 $80,000,000 Figure 11.2 Concise visualiza- $30,000,000 tion of 2011 and 2010 earnings report. Clicking on the bars drills ($20,000,000) Total Total Net Earnings down to detailed data that are Earnings Expenses after NCUA shown in the table format. Impairments How Stricter Regulations Were Met During the recession, pressure to understand the data intensified when the National Credit Union Administration (NCUA) required credit unions to prove that they had sufficient inter- nal controls to monitor and manage risk. America First was facing an NCUA examination within several months. Managers needed: • A comprehensive view of their key risks • An assessment of how they are managing each risk • A sense of how the risks are changing, e.g., increasing, decreasing, or stable. c11PerformanceManagementusingDataVisualizationMashupsandMobileIntelligence.qxd 11/9/12 6:40 PM Page 336 336 Chapter 11 Performance Management using Data Visualization, Mashups, and Mobile Intelligence The Decision Process Leading to Use of Data Visualization for Mobiles CFO Rex Rollo believed that iPad’s portability and familiar touchscreen interface would lead to better risk management. Financial reports could be formatted for mobile screens and presented to principals in a standardized visual format that they would immediately under- stand. Controller Thayne Shaffer’s plan was to feed huge volumes of financial data through a smart visualization app to produce content-rich displays with brief descriptions. Three projected benefits of this plan were: 1. Revenues, risks, costs, and geographic trends would be more easily understood. 2. Management would have a better understanding of the credit union’s financial health. 3. Better and faster decisions would improve performance. Overall, the data visualization system would provide the BI to manage internal controls and risk. Managers would appreciate the user experience because visualization app takes advan- tage of touch screens’ hand gestures and accelerometer for rotating between portrait and landscape views. Tablet computers are appealing because of their zero-training interface. Several free versions of mobile BI visualization tools that work with various types of databases were reviewed and tested: LiveDashBoard, MicroStrategy, Pentaho, PushBI, QlikView, Roambi, and SAS Mobile. In July 2011, America First deployed the enterprise (server) version of Roambi (roambi.com) that serves 47 users on their iPads. Designed by San Diego mobile app maker MeLLmo, Roambi offers new ways to visually present complex data, and to interact with that data. Roambi integrates inexpensively and easily with the credit union’s data systems and engines, including Oracle’s Essbase. Visualization System Provides Additional Benefits In addition to the expected benefits, the data visualization system also helped America First to centralize financial data that originate from disparate sources throughout its IT infrastruc- ture. The system removes an IT bottleneck by shifting the analysis to business users. With the app on their iPads, senior executives and board members get access to the most recent finan- cial indicators as soon as data are compiled. Credit-related questions are answered faster because potential risks are conveyed using intuitive display features such as heat map-style visual presentations. Figure 11.3 is an example of a heat map. A heat map is excellent for iden-