Data in high-level summaries - such as in simple dashboards - is presented in a rigid fashion and does not provide explanations of "why" results are as they appear. The drill-downs to detailed reports and associated search tools generate simple row and column views that have become long (or longer) lists with text or numbers displayed out of context. More often than not, knowledge workers are unable to find answers to their questions through these systems alone.

The traditional means of generating reports and dashboards need to be extended to help knowledge users answer the complex questions that affect organizational performance. New solutions are required to keep pace with growing business complexity.

Introducing Interactive Visual Analysis

A new generation of business intelligence capabilities is emerging. Interactive Visual Analysis is a game change on how data is being used in business. Through intuitive and interactive visual interfaces, subject matter experts can become data analysts, applying their experience to quickly understand the meaning and importance of data in making better decisions.

These interactive visual analysis applications - often referred to as visualizations or dashboards - are helping to identify opportunities and threats faster, to optimize resource allocation, and to increase the rate of innovation to bring new capabilities to market. Knowledge workers use these interactive metaphors to identify and solve business problems that require sophisticated analysis of multidimensional data.

With Interactive Visual Analysis, organizations reduce reporting costs, make better decisions and increase the overall competitiveness of the company.

How is Interactive Visual Analysis Different?

Applications with an intuitive, visual workspace can represent business information in more meaningful ways. By presenting information as interactive pictures, visualizations can combine data from multiple reports into easily digestible formats. Users can select data elements, filters, highlighting, and display options to change data perspectives - from high-level overviews down to the lowest levels of detail. Leveraging the human ability to recognize patterns, Interactive Visual Analysis uses time-based Gantt charts, bubble charts, heat maps and newer visual metaphors to aid users in understanding information.