The Best Tools for Data Visualization (Dashboards)
Every day, we are exposed to indicators that help us verify that everything is working as it should or that it needs certain adjustments to do so. From the tiny battery that shows us the remaining charge of our smartphones, to the car dashboard with details of speed, gasoline and performance of our vehicle.
Displaying this information graphically allows us to quickly interpret data and take timely action, like plugging your phone into power and making a quick stop at a gas station.
In the environment of marketing, data analysis and business operation there are also key indicators that are established according to business objectives, and need to be constantly monitored to assess the health of the company and its goals.
Creating a dashboard will allow us to display this information graphically, so that its interpretation and analysis is agile, detecting problems and opportunities to achieve objectives more easily, just as the fuel gauge gives us a proportion instead of saying that we have “10/80L” available.
Currently the market offers us different tools for data visualization, or dashboards, in an agile and simple way (well, as long as we know what data we want to observe). Here are some options and their features:
DATA STUDIO (GOOGLE)
Without a doubt, Data Studio is one of the most popular and easy-to-use tools. It is free and connects in real time directly with other tools such as Google Analytics, Adwords and BigQuery, without the need for additional implementation. It has payment options from other developers to connect with more platforms like Facebook ads. It does not require the installation of additional software and access is made through the browser to a site that can be viewed on both desktop and mobile and requires an Internet connection for editing.
Your dashboards are stored in Google drive, where you can manage them along with the rest of the files you have saved, from there you can choose administrators or share the report for viewing, allowing other people to see and interpret the results more easily.
For Ábaco, as a Google Partner, this is one of our preferred tools to share results from specific campaigns, KW and more with clients. And while it does require a learning curve, once you get the hang of the tool, it’s fairly intuitive to create and edit reports.
POWERBI (MICROSOFT)
Microsoft Power BI is a set of tools designed for Business Intelligence, from the editor and data modeler, to applications to view dashboards from smartphones and tablets. You need to download and install the software available for the major operating systems. The free version allows you to use the tool and connect to a wide range of platforms with the available connections. If you need to process a very large volume of data, as well as share and collaborate in editing your documents, you can request a special package according to your needs.
The tool itself is quite intuitive and powerful, since it uses an interface that we are familiar with from Microsoft systems, however, we must have the indicators, data maps and dimensions that we want well planned.
TABLEAU
Another option recognized as one of the best BI platforms for manipulating data and creating dashboards is Tableau . It also requires the installation of software available for PC and Mac OS X, with a 15-day free trial , after which you will have to choose between the available options according to the features you require. The available connections have no additional cost, so you will not need to invest more, once you have acquired the license.
It is an excellent tool balanced between ease of use and power, of course, it has a learning curve, but, if you have well planned what data you want to observe and compare, the curve is easier and the insights you obtain are more valuable. As Tableau partners, it is also one of our preferred tools to analyze data in depth and empower decisions.
QLIKVIEW
The Quilkview platform has support so that connections can be developed with APIs (Application Programming Interface), so knowledge of programming languages helps to make the most of this tool (although it may also be a requirement).
The Sense version is free and allows you to analyze and create dashboards by uploading and manipulating the information directly from your responsive site or with your software, with the limitation of sharing with up to 5 people. Direct database connection and multi-person editing is limited to the paid service which can be tried for 30 days free of charge.
COMPARISON:
In summary, these are the options that we show you and their main characteristics:
Having a dashboard with the main indicators will be of great help to be aware of your business. There are many options to generate and maintain your information, so we recommend you get to know their offer, both free and paid, which will allow you to choose the best tool to meet the needs of your business and obtain information and insights that will help you take it to the next level.
Expert consulted:
Digital Analytics Specialist
Browse: Industry Insight
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