© 2007 wellesley information services. all rights reserved. building cockpits and dashboards:...

© 2007 Wellesley Information Services. All rights reserved.

Building Cockpits and Dashboards: Shortcuts, Design Best Practices, and Guidelines to Ensure You Pick the Right SAP Tool for the Job

Dr. Bjarne Berg

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What We’ll Cover …

• Background, terminology, and examples• Tool options • What makes a good cockpit?• Which tool is right for me?• Wrap-up

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Dashboard Scorecard Cockpits

Purpose Displays performance Displays progress Displays status and events

Usage Performance monitoring Performance management Performance management

Updates Real-time feeds Monthly snapshots Daily snapshots

Data Events Summaries Summaries and events

Measures Metrics KPIs Metrics & KPIs

Context Exceptions/alerts Targets and thresholds Trends

Source Linked to systems Linked to plans Linked to BI systemsSources: Wayne Eckerson, 2005; Bjarne Berg 2006

Background and Terminology

• Many companies and people confuse the concepts of dashboards, scorecards, and cockpits. They vary in terms of purpose, usage, source, data, etc.

• Most BI systems fall in to the cockpits category

These are typical parameters, and some may be slightly different (e.g., some metrics in a cockpit may only be updated monthly). However, such deviations should be exceptions.

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Typical Components of a Cockpit: SEM Example

• Higher-level navigation between views

• External data

• Graphical displays

Comparative/ benchmarking

Logical grouping of similar information

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SEM Management Cockpit

Illustrate best practices, benchmarks, or target performance

Customized navigation menus and buttons

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Represents the same data in several ways to highlight trends and to also provide transaction details

Add number listsEach frame can have internal navigation

SAP NetWeaver Visual Composer Management Cockpit

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Link more documentation

Central navigation can change multiple views

Make multiple measures available

Source: SAP AG, 2005

Navigations Linked to Multiple Views

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Tool Options

• SEM CPM • Web Application Designer (Web AD; WAD) and SAP

NetWeaver 7.0 • SAP NetWeaver Visual Composer • Publishing to the portal• Custom cockpits (BI Java SDK)• Third-party cockpits

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Strategy Management and Performance Measurement – CPM

The presentation layer in SAP Management cockpits has four layers:

•Cockpit High-level overview (consists of walls)•Wall A logical grouping of measures•Logical view The display level of the cockpit; consists of frames•Frame Lowest level of individual measure display

These presentation layer objects are already Web- enabled and integrated with the Portal. They also provide built-in drill-downs and navigation, based on how you constructed your measures.

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What is SEM – CPM?

The Corporate Performance Monitor (SEM-CPM) is part of the Strategic Enterprise Management BI tool suite. It consists of the Performance Measurement (PM) area and the Strategy management area (SM).

The Performance Management area consists of four distinct areas: 1. Management Cockpit2. Measure Builder3. Benchmarking4. Delivery of business content

The Strategy Management consists also of four areas1. Balanced Scorecard2. Strategy modeling3. Value Driver Tree4. Risk Management

ObjectiveObjective

MeasureMeasure Value Driver TreeValue Driver Tree

RiskRisk

StrategyStrategy

InitiativeInitiative

Source: J. Lombard, 2006

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SEM – CPM Walls

Walls are the highest level of the SEM-CPM Cockpit. Research has shown that more than 7 walls are hard to read and comprehend. Ideal numbers are 3, 5 or 7.

Major consideration!!

Humans have a hard time remembering, organizing, and retain information that is asymmetrical.

This is true for hearing, seeing, tasting, feeling and smelling.

Read more about the cognitive revolution and the article that started it all: Newell and Simon “The magic number 7” (1956)

Heads Up!

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SEM-CPM Navigation and Measures

• Use indicators (red, green, yellow) at a high level to indicate the overall situation of the organization

• Create the hierarchies of measures in the Measure Builder tool (transaction UMK_MB_DISP_PARA)

By clicking on each of the frames, users can access more details and other cockpits

• Try to avoid empty spaces, but don’t force unrelated measures into the cockpit — it confuses users

• Don’t use as many types of graphs as possible, and never mix more than 3 types of graphs. If you use more, users have to interpret the pictures as well as the data.

• Missing data points add irritation

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SEM-CPM Rules for Graphs and Real Estate

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SEM-CPM Rules for Graphs and Real Estate (cont.)

There is nothing wrong with using the same type of graphs on a cockpit (e.g., tachometers or line charts). Users adapt quickly and can absorb the information faster.

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When to Consider CPM — Management Cockpits

The management cockpits and Web rendering closely integrate with the predelivered measures in SAP Measure Catalog. You also can add new measures through SAP Measure Builder.

By linking the higher-level measures using Measure Trees, you can create true performance measures that are consistent throughout your cockpit and which also take care of most of the Web navigation and drill downs in the cockpit. Navigation is built in to the management cockpit and you do not have to build customized links.

Consider SAP CPM when you have limited in-house Web skills, or when measure consistency and rollups are very important.

Drawback: Users often complain that there are too many steps that they have to follow when drilling up and down within the measures (rigid navigation that is hard to customize).

Tool Options



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Cockpits with Web AD 3.x and SAP NetWeaver 7.0

• Web Application Designer can create Web-based cockpits using BW query data

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Cockpits with BW 3.x Web AD

• BW 3.X-based Web AD provides drag and drop functionalities for creating BW Web templates which may be the host of Web-based BW cockpits

• Web AD can be used for creating BW Web Cockpits integrating data from multiple BW queries.

Each item can be served by a query, or by external Web pages or Web applications

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Cockpits with BW 3.x Web AD (cont.)

• Standard Web items are available for creating BW Web templates with minimal coding Charts Tables Drop-down boxes Navigation block Check box

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Cockpits with SAP NetWeaver 7.0 Web AD

• New items include improved tab strip container in SAP NetWeaver 7.0 for designing BI Web applications

• Reduces the amount of custom coding required with the help of Command wizards, Auto complete, and support for HTML tags

SAP NetWeaver 7.0 Web AD New Features

• Web Items: Tab Pages, Button, Script Item (SAP NetWeaver 7.0 Support Package Stack 7)

• Drag and drop using Analysis item• New chart types (heat map, Gantt, milestone trend

analysis)• Export BI Web applications in PDF format• Command Wizard for generating Web

API commands• Integration with SAP NetWeaver 7.0

BEx Report Designer for formatted reports

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BI Web API Commands

• You can use BI Web API commands for carrying out certain actions in BI Web Applications Export to Excel, PDF, etc. OLAP functions: Apply Filter values, remove drill downs

• Command Wizards guide you through the steps for creating a BI Web API command

• Commands appear together for easy access Data Provider Web Items Web Templates

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Web cockpits developed by Web AD in SAP NetWeaver 7.0 can be interactive, include many data sources, and be very flexible

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Command Wizard and JavaScript

• Use Command Wizard for generating JavaScript code for the Script Item to use in custom cockpit applications

This is a great feature for building custom features into your cockpits based on standard JavaScript

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More New Cockpit Options

• Personalize BI query variables • Bookmark the navigational state of the BI Web application• Perform multidimensional analysis of BI query data• Allow users to create exceptions and conditions for BI query data

These features make it easier to customize the dataset that queries return to the Web cockpit

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Web AD Cockpits in SAP Enterprise Portal 6.0

Directly publish BI Web cockpits to Portal Content Catalog using the Publish option from Web AD

Portal and BI system connection should be set up per SAP Note 917950

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Broadcast Cockpit Views Using Web AD

• In SAP NetWeaver 7.0, use Information Broadcaster to broadcast BI Web applications (e.g., cockpit views) to Enterprise Portal KM folders and via email in various formats (PDF, MHTML, HTML)

• Information Broadcaster/Reporting Agent (SAP BW 3.x) can precalculate BI Web applications to enhance performance

Tool Options



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SAP NetWeaver Visual Composer — Background

• SAP NetWeaver Visual Composer is a Web-based modeling tool• You can use SAP NetWeaver Visual Composer to develop SAP

Enterprise Portal content without coding• You can create an integrated view of OLTP and OLAP data sources

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SAP NetWeaver Visual Composer Cockpit Example

• No coding required to create great-looking Web-based cockpits• Take advantage of prebuilt analytic business packages

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Details About SAP NetWeaver Visual Composer Cockpits

• Delivered as part of SAP NetWeaver 7.0 (SPS8 and higher) Portal• Different options available for rendering SAP NetWeaver Visual

Composer output Flash

Flash provides high-end visualization of SAP NetWeaver Visual Composer models

Web Dynpro (HTML)

Since a cockpit may have many different DataSources (queries), it can take quite some time to execute them if the memory cache is not used consistently

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SAP NetWeaver Visual Composer Data Methods

• Can integrate data from multiple data sources, including SAP and non-SAP systems, into one model

• Different options available for data access include: BI Extension Kit Remote Function Call (RFC) Web services

• BI Extension Kit allows access to the following DataSources SAP NetWeaver 2004 BI

(SAP BW 3.5 Support Package 14) SAP NetWeaver 7.0 JDBC XMLA

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SAP NetWeaver Visual Composer DataProviders

• You can use BI queries and views as DataProviders for SAP NetWeaver Visual Composer models

• You also can use BI query functionalities for exceptions and variables along with SAP NetWeaver Visual Composer models

• SAP NetWeaver Visual Composer allows access to BI history, favorites, and roles

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Web AD and SAP NetWeaver Visual Composer

• SAP NetWeaver Visual Composer integrates with Web AD-based applications using Portal Eventing Framework

• For example, BW Web API can pass a filter value from a BEx Web application to SAP NetWeaver Visual Composer And vice versa

Tool Options



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Web Cockpit in the Portal

Integrate queries and Web applications into the portal through publishing, broadcasting, or Web calls

The portal can either receive designed pages passively or actively create communities, Web pages, collaboration rooms, or cockpits

Broadcasting

Publishing

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Web Cockpit in the Portal (cont.)

• The SEM-CPM cockpits are already part of the portal, so you can access them there

• iViews can build custom portal cockpits with iViews from many data sources (Web AD, BW, SEM, SAP R/3, Web) and in many formats (graphs, pictures, figures, tables)

• iViews can also be interactive

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SAP NetWeaver 7.0 Visual Composer Portal Publishing

• SAP NetWeaver Visual Composer Design time deploys Visual Composer models directly as iViews to Portal Content Catalog

• You can then use Visual Composer iViews in portal pages, roles, etc.

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Building a Web Cockpit in the Portal

The trick in developing custom Web cockpits in the portal is to manage the real estate carefully

Most pure iView-based cockpits are cluttered and hard to read and navigate

1. Start with logical groupings of items (sales, finance, e.g.)

2. Limit colors to complementary formats (we will look at these later)

3. Share the same navigation menus and tabs as the portal

4. Avoid running text, flashes, animations, layering and scrolling text (this is an absolute no-no)

Tool Options



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BI Java SDK-Based Cockpits

• BI Java SDK can be used for custom applications based on SAP BI and non-SAP data.

• BI Java SDK provides access to relational and OLAP data sources using JDBC, XMLA, ODBO etc.

• Access to 200+ data sources using the JDBC drivers.

Source: SAP AG, 2005

Java programmers will recognize the Software Development Kit (SDK) main libraries such as the abstract windowing toolkit (AWT) and the GUI-oriented Swing object library as well

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BI Java SDK-Based Cockpits (cont.)

• SAP NetWeaver Developer Studio can develop BI Java SDK-based applications

• Can use along with SAP Java Web Dynpro

Interested developers should familiarize themselves with SAP NetWeaver Developer Studio

Tip

Tool Options



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Third-Party Cockpits

• Some best-of-breed cockpit tools incorporate SAP BI as part of a Web item provider, or more commonly through BW queries fed by BAPIs or OLE DB for OLAP (ODBO) in BW

• Some even provide separate Multidimensional Online Analytical Processing (MOLAP) solutions tightly connected to SAP BW Hint: reading RS_ tables inside BW

Microsoft

Cognos

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Third-Party Cockpits (cont.)

• Other BI and cockpit companies, such as Corda, are actively working on creating cockpit tools for SAP NetWeaver BI

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2. External access to information is more common. Vendors and customers love it!

3. You can build war rooms for collaborative decision making using cockpits

1. Shared cockpits are most useful

4. Cockpits require a true BI infrastructure. It is tempting to jump straight to the cockpit development, but it is almost impossible without a well-architected BW system to support it.

Note

War Rooms and External Access

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A Good Cockpit Is Simple

The majority of usage of cockpits is in user segments 1 and 5. You should use BI queries and OLAP for the other segments.

Note

Segment 1: Trackers - 37%Tracking - Characterized by low duration overall.

Segment 2: Reservers - 3%Low duration per page view.

Segment 3: Uncommitted - 10%Characterized by long duration.Complex decisions.

Segment 4: Info Gatherers - 4%Concentrated in information areas.

Rarely reach transaction areas.

Segment 5: Single-clickers - 32%Visit homepage only.

Segment 6: Wanderers - 15%Very few, very random pages.Few hits, but long duration per page

view. Example source: Dr. Paul Strupp, Sun Microsystems

The average manager navigates in no more than 7 dimensions and only 2 levels deep (49 views). Therefore, the majority of users of cockpits need a few, simple, but highly informative, views. The other user community is best served by OLAP queries.

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Use of Color

Colors share a powerful connection with emotions, so you want to be conservative

Colors on opposite sides are complementary and looks good together in a cockpit

Sir Isaac Newton developed the first circular diagram of colors in 1666 and identified 12 basic colors

Color definitions: Shade: base color mixed with blackTint: base color hue mixed with white Tone: base color + gray or another base color + a complementary color Source: Bob Marteal, Cornell Univ.

2005, Susan M. Raymond, WHS

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How do You Pick Your Web Cockpit Colors?

This uses a single pure color with a number of tints and shades to provide variety

Pros: Extremely unified and harmonious; effective for establishing an overall mood

Cons: Can be dull because of the lack of variation and therefore can lose the interest of the viewer

Monochromatic scheme

Any three colors which are side by side on a color wheel,

Pros: Great selection of possible combinations makes this scheme versatile. The similarity makes the schemes harmonious with great results because it is soothing and restful.

Cons: The use of more than three colors can dilute the overall effect of this scheme.

Analogous scheme

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How do You Pick Your Web Cockpit Colors? (cont.)

Pick any three colors on a triangle. This scheme is very appealing and well balanced.

Pros: Extremely stable, each color perfectly balances with the other. It is useful for presenting information in bold, decisive patterns.

Cons: The vibrancy may be too much and detract from the message.

Triadic scheme

Any two colors that are side by side on a color wheel

Pros: This scheme has more variety than a simple complementary color scheme

Cons: It is less vibrant and eye-catching; it is difficult to harmonize the colors

Split scheme

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A Colorful Example of What Not to Do

Colors that are so similar that not everyone will be able to distinguish them (blends information)

Distracting color that breaks the color scheme and attracts attention for no apparent reason

Split scheme background colors that are unattractive

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Use of Real Estate — Symmetry, Graphs, and Colors

Consistent use of graphs is visually pleasing. Here are three types of graphs and a map.

Background colors are monochromatic scheme in blue

Bars and lines are limited to same color scheme with few additional colors

Symmetry is visually pleasing and makes the cockpit easy to read. Here we have 3 walls, 4 frames in the outer walls, and a central section.

Filling the white space by either enlarging the map, or adding a message board would improve this cockpit

Best Practice

The Need for Speed

• When cockpits bring together data from many sources during runtime, it can be slow and cumbersome This is because when your system accesses the portal cockpit,

it may have to execute supporting cockpit queries

• Solution: You can present static images (i.e., static HTML from BEx Broadcaster into a portal iView) or you can cache queries results by using Reporting Agent in SAP BW 3.5x or BEx Broadcaster in SAP NetWeaver 7.0

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The Need for Speed (cont.)

• SAP NetWeaver 7.0 allows you to fill the resident memory of your server with pre-run results (cache). This provides faster response to the users, since the query result sets are accessed from memory instead of re-executed on the database side.

SAP NetWeaver 7.0

IMPORTANT: Old Reporting Agent scenarios still run in SAP NetWeaver 7.0. However, Reporting Agent will not be developed further and is removed from SAP NetWeaver 7.0 Workbench. In SAP NetWeaver BI 7.0 you can only reach it by transaction code REPORTING_AGENT

SAP BW 3.5

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What SAP Tool Should I Use?

BW 3.x

Web AD

SAP Net-Weaver

2004s Web AD

SAP NetWeaver Visual

Composer

SAP SEM-CPM

Third-party

cockpitsJava SDK

toolsPortal iViews

Multidimensional Analysis (full) - - - -

Portal integration -

Information Broadcaster - - - - -

Formatted reporting - - - - - -

Graphical options (delivered) - -

Automatic code generation - - - - -

SAP integration

Direct support for non-BW data - - - -

Simplicity to use and learn - - - - -

There are many options and sometimes the choice is based on what you are familiar with and whether you enjoy using new tools

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Resources

• COMERIT.NET presentations, tutorials, and articles http://www.comerit.net

• SAP Online Help BW and EP Integration

http://help.sap.com/saphelp_nw04/helpdata/en/a3/7b583c2439e66fe10000000a114084/content.htm

• SDN BW How to Guides How to integrate Visual Composer Applications and BEx Web Templates

https://www.sdn.sap.com/irj/servlet/prt/portal/prtroot/docs/library/uuid/ad182ac7-0a01-0010-4fb8-8a4d217b19c1

• BW Expert (www.BWExpertOnline.com)* “Create Unparalleled Analytical Applications with SAP NetWeaver BI, Visual

Composer, and Macromedia Flex” by Moya Watson and Judy Kestecher, SAP LabsJanuary 2006 issue

* Requires access to credentials to view full article text

7 Key Points to Take Home

• There are many ways to build Web cockpits and SAP has tools for them all

• Look at in-house Web skills before you decide on the tool

• SAP Performance Management is a great tool for those with limited Web skills, but requires consistency in performance measures (roll-ups) and structured navigation

• SAP NetWeaver Visual Composer is great for complex graphing

• Web AD is the tool of choice by experienced Web programmers who want total design freedom

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7 Key Points to Take Home

• Third-party tools for Web cockpits are emerging and some are quite advanced (Cognos, e.g.)

• While all these tools gives you a great deal of flexibility, it is the use of the real estate, colors, graphs, and consistency that is going to determine if your cockpit is successful: Spend serious time designing instead of coding!

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Your Turn!

How to contact me:Dr. Bjarne Berg

[email protected]

© 2007 wellesley information services. all rights reserved. building cockpits and dashboards:...

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