Vision Binary

When choosing an analytic tool for dashboard, there are 3 key factors are my concerns. First, is it easy to build data models from different data source? Second, Is it able to give a  good visualization and easy to be operated? Third, does it come with some formulas/functions to help developers develop dashboard of advanced analysis like regression, correlation, time series, Clustering analysis?

Most of the reporting tools in market have fairly good visualization, users can have filters and controls, therefore they can decide the range and categories of the data to view; most of the analytic tools also come with many analysis functions like describe , forecasting if not regression, clustering and K-means.

But, one of the most important things, from my perspective, among all three factors I have talked about, is data blending and data modeling.  A data model is the foundation of your analysis, all the numbers is aggregated and pulled out from your data model. And sometimes, not all the data you need is locate at one place. Once you have some big project :like analysis a whole corporation’s sales data, which may be  scattered in different servers, what are you going to do? My old coworker told me, they linked the sql servers and have to build a table, extract the data they need from another server, and create a store procedure to join that copy version table. and use the store procedure as data source in Tableau. Too much work, just too much work. I feel for her,  since I have been working in this business intelligence area for 3 years, there are times I just scratch my head when I was trying to merging different data sources in tableau, SSRS, Crystal report, sap business object crystal report. Just too much pain.

But Spotfire saved me from endless ETL process.

Tt can link to different server, and load the tables, you can merge join tables from multiple data sources, very flexible. It has TERR-TOOL, with all kinds of packages on the cloud to be downloaded, all you need just install the compatible version R studio, and write your R script, create ODBC data sources, you can join tables from different sources if you want, and output the result as a table/column/variable, insert the R script as a data function, and it will automatically create the table(data model) from your script.   For example, like the screen shot down below.

notice the output, it is create a table:

Not only about the data blending, Spotfire has properties as controller, many times you only need one graph, and change the control properties, the graphs will change as well, because the calculation is based on different properties (which is different columns in table),so it’s a dynamic graph. Now you will have a better visual effect since one dashboard only have one or two charts, not like in tableau, many reports crushed together, leaving no space, to let managers see all things in one dashboard.

And more exciting is, Spotfire come with many analytic modules. just take a glance at this tool lists:

I’m pretty happy that I have a chance to get to know and use this tool, we have many other dashboard/ analytic software in my company, but after I start using this Spotfire thing? I never looked back.