Using advanced reporting tools to create a successful visualization

Visualization of data is integral to the effectiveness of reports and other information-driven content in the business environment. If the material is presented weakly, it will influence the impact it makes on stakeholders and decision makers, consequently affecting the path the organization proceeds down for growth. When bad information is given, poor choices will lead to losses and will make it harder to recover for successful innovations. By using the best tools, staff are better able to parse data and present it in a compelling way that will help business leaders make more cognizant choices for essential company processes.

Smartphone and tablet applications have become a big part of business operations, as many employees are using their mobile devices for daily tasks and more consumers are viewing the organization's offerings through their personal hardware. While resources can yield substantial metrics, many companies are not utilizing them effectively. Visual in-app analytics like user recordings, real-time statistics and touch heatmaps could provide a complete picture of how people use the apps and what areas should be improved, according to Online Behavior.

Although something like documentation of user activities could cause privacy concerns, if there are people abandoning the application, it will be beneficial to ask them to record their screen appearance to see the program through their eyes. This will give a better understanding of how the app is being used and what problems customers are encountering. Real-time analytics and touch heatmaps will complete the picture by showing what people are clicking on the most and which elements attract the highest amount of views.

"A mobile analytics tool processes a lot of information. While this is a key factor in its success, it is equally important how the app publisher is presented with this information," according to the source. "If you can't make sense of all this data, you'll be clueless on where to concentrate your optimization efforts and improve the user experience."

Visualizing data for actionable insight
Big data can be easily digested through visualizations as each piece represents something tangible, making it prime for displaying in charts, and other media. By using a report designer, organizations can show their information in a compelling way without making it overly complicated for the viewer. Phil Simon, author of "The Visual Organization: Data Visualization, Big Data, and the Quest for Better Decisions" told InformationWeek that while display tools used to be pictures and pie charts, advanced tools can handle an array of data sources and are not restricted to structured data. The additional interactivity makes these features a significant asset in big data processes and will allow users to organize the information in a more appealing way.

While these programs can provide effective benefits that cannot be realized from legacy solutions, many organizations are stuck in the tried-and-true mindset, being less likely to implement unknown offerings. However, as traditional services begin to cost more to maintain, it will be more beneficial all around to integrate updated tools for maximum advantages.

"Big data isn't going anywhere and visualizing data helps organizations and their employees make sense of a mass of data," Simon said. "More case studies will appear. In this sense, it's just another point on the technology adoption lifecycle."

Data is becoming an integral part of everyday business decisions, and as more information is gathered, it will be essential to ensure that it can be accurately deciphered. By using in-app analytics and report designers, organizations will be able to create a more complete picture of the statistics and present them in a compelling way.