Question 1

What are Data Visualization Tools?

Accepted Answer

Data visualization tools are basic analytics platforms for business users to easily consume and interpret data, KPIs, and other critical metrics using dashboards. These dashboards can pull data from a number of sources, including databases and spreadsheets and other applications, such as CRM systems and digital analytics tools. Users can build a variety of visuals based on the data sets to easily track and measure important metrics. Such chart types include column charts, bar charts, pie charts, line graphs, tables, general tracking meters, maps for geographical data, and even just raw numbers. 
 Data visualization software is the most simplistic in the business intelligence category of software. They are built to display data in one central location instead of forcing employees to dig through different solutions to find important metrics. Business intelligence platforms, self-service business intelligence software, and embedded business intelligence software all contain more in-depth analytics features, such as drill-downs, and are most often used by analysts or data scientists. But for companies interested in displaying visual analytics dashboards, data visualization tools are the proper applications. 
 Setting up and implementing data visualization tools are relatively straightforward compared to implementing other business intelligence tools. It may require a bit of development knowledge to connect the product to a database or third-party application. However, if a non-developer is interested in building a visualization using a spreadsheet, implementation is basic. 
 Key Benefits of Data Visualization Tools 
 
Turn complex data into easily understandable graphics
Track and visualize live and static metrics
Monitor Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)
Visualize and compare related metrics
Provide various options to communicate complex information

Question 2

Why Use Data Visualization Tools?

Accepted Answer

The main reason for using data visualization is to track real-time data, metrics, goals, and KPIs. Businesses frequently set high goals, so tracking each metric as teams and companies progress is essential. By displaying data visualizations of each KPI, businesses can reinforce the importance of these goals and even help prioritize work based on which metrics need the most attention. General business metrics may include web traffic, revenue, and customer acquisition, among others. With data visualization products, it is easy to pull those business metrics from data sources such as digital analytics and CRMs, so that employees do not need to find them on their own. 
 Outside of this initial benefit of using data visualization software, another advantage is that data visualization tools help users easily understand critical business data. By using data visualization solutions, employees and businesses can easily interpret data. It makes the purpose of the information very evident to all users. If employees understand the business data, they can align around long-term goals and improve overall company growth. 
 Critical business data differs among every company and industry, so allowing for extensive customization is beneficial. There is no one-size-fits-all business dashboard; therefore, pulling data from a variety of sources is useful and necessary. When new employees start, it is helpful to understand said critical business data, and with the help of data visualization tools, that understanding is simplified. 
 Data visualization software also allows users to quickly and easily identify trends in business metrics. If certain metrics are not on pace to hit month-end, quarter-end, or year-end goals, companies can see that up front with data visualization tools. Businesses can adjust their strategies and methods for attaining goals based on how KPIs are tracked. Being able to react to data is an important overall strategy for greater business modernization and digital transformation.

Question 3

Who Uses Data Visualization Tools?

Accepted Answer

All employees have an opportunity to utilize data visualization tools; however, there are a number of roles that can use the solutions in different ways. For example: 
 C-level executives – C-suite employees utilize data visualization software such as KPI dashboards to keep a holistic view of all company goals and how they are progressing. Instead of checking in with every team or digging into disparate software for each KPI, a CEO can track all company metrics in one location. If a CFO wants to observe all financial metrics, data visualization is an option instead of going through accounting and CRM products to find necessary information. Additionally, C-level executives may take dashboards into board meetings to help illustrate how the company is performing as a whole. 
 Sales teams – There are many use cases for sales teams when it comes to data visualization solutions, and not just to track revenue numbers or how many deals they have closed. Business development teams often connect sales acceleration tools as a data source to track how many calls each rep is making or how many meetings they are setting up. Sales managers can track individual account representatives’ performances to see how much revenue and deals each of their employees are closing, and how much they have in the pipeline. They may also set goals and determine how they are tracking on a quarterly or yearly progression. Displaying personal metrics with data visualization tools is one method to help motivate sales employees to hit their quotas. 
 Marketing teams – For marketers, data visualization solutions are ideal for recording real-time data regarding customer and prospect interactions. Users can pull specific digital analytics metrics, such as web traffic, and easily visualize progress. Additionally, marketers can see how email campaigns or advertising campaigns are progressing, whether that be open rates or how many impressions Facebook, Twitter, and other social advertisement campaigns are receiving. Businesses benefit by quickly visualizing conversion rates and cost-per-customer acquisition, among many other key marketing metrics. 
 Customer service teams – There are a variety of different instances where data visualization software is helpful for customer support teams, whether they be in a contact center or receiving customer inquiries via a help desk, among other scenarios. Representatives at call centers can visualize the number of calls they have taken that day, how many calls are waiting to be answered, and how long the average call has been, among many other business-critical data points. For support teams that use a help desk, users benefit from data visualization by tracking how many tickets they have resolved and how many are still in their queues. Customer success teams may choose to measure KPIs such as customer retention or churn rates to ensure they are maintaining the appropriate number of customers. 
 Human resources teams – Data is aplenty for recruiters and human resources professionals, so having a single dashboard to display the information is advantageous. Recruiting coordinators can track how many applications have been submitted for specific roles or monitor how often the career page has been viewed. Other general human resources professionals use it to display employee engagement, whether that is an overall satisfaction of work life within a company or a gamification of certain tasks. Even third-party services such as Glassdoor may be a data source for businesses interested in tracking their rating at all times. 
 Development teams – If a business is responsible for running multiple applications and needs to track performance in real time, data visualization tools are an excellent way to keep tabs on all of them simultaneously. This allows development teams to react quickly to potential bugs or issues and ensure that performance is trending in the correct direction. Some data sources valuable to development teams include databases, public cloud infrastructure as a service offering, and application performance monitoring software.

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