ibcs - success with design studio | sitnl 2016
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IBCS© - SUCCESS with Design Studio Applying the SUCCESS formula of the International Business Communication Standards - IBCS® with Design Studio/Graphomate
Organisation: JUGO Authors : Ronald van Lent Date : 26st November 2016 Version : 1.2 sitNL
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1 Introduction
Technology is changing! Not only is the amount of data exploding rapidly (Big Data). Also the means are available to collect this data and to report on. In this fast turmoil environment the task of a decision maker is becoming more important, but also more difficult. On one hand the amount of information available is growing, but the throughput time to make decisions is becoming shorter as the data retention period is becoming shorter. Data visualisation concepts are there for being adopted in order to speed up perception of information. Despite applying perceptual designs, most reports and presentations lack any message. Also the visual designs are not coherent over reports, making it still hard to comprehend them. In result this does not contribute to a faster perception of the information.
The question arises: What can be done to improve reports, to make them more meaningful and visually understandable? There are multiple data visualisation concepts available, which focus solely on perceptual design. IBCS – International Business Communication Standard on the other hand does not only provides perceptual rules, but also takes semantics and conceptual rules into account for delivering management information. There are multiple advantage: Improved quality, reduced reaction and implementation time, reduced costs. And not only that. The cncept is backed up with certified software and consultants.
Figure 1: Fast perception of information – more meaningful and visually understandable?
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2 IBCS – International Business Communication Standards
The IBCS – International Business Communication Standards provides a concept which is based on 3 pillars
Figure 2: The three pillars of IBCS - adopted from © 2016 HICHERT+FAISST
1. Semantic rules, i.e. by using a uniform semantic notation
2. Conceptual rules, i.e. by using an appropriate storyline
3. Perceptual rules, i.e. by using an appropriate visual design
Each rule contains 1 or more rule sets. Together these rules sets comprise SUCCESS: Say, Unify, Condense, Check, Express, Structure, Simplify The semantic rules and also the combination of these three pillars makes IBCS unique within the data visualization concepts and provides a framework for organizations to adopt it. The semantic rules have impact on both conceptual and perceptual rules and lead to coherent reports/dashboards.
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3 SEMANTIC Rules
Semantic rules help to clearly relay content by using a uniform notation (IBCS Notation). They comprise the SUCCESS rule set UNIFY based on the work of Prof. Dr. Rolf Hichert and other IBCS Association contributors. As they are manifested by convention, rather than scientific or practical experience, semantic rules must first be more widely accepted to become a standard. Semantic notation standards are not uncommon, they are part of our daily life sometimes without being conscious about it. For example within architecture. But also in other business areas and private live like, engineering, traffic signs, music notations, …
For business analysis in the form of reports and dashboards there is no worldwide notation standard to be applied.
Figure 3: Google search on Sales Dashboard – no unified notation standards
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The question to be asked is there a competitive value/gain in developping a company specific standard or even better in all the shiny (and moving) beards and mirrors?…or lies the (competitve) value in the speed of the time needed and quality of the perception by a manager to interpret the information provided by the report?
UNIFY: Apply notation standards
Things that means the same should look the same. This rule applies to all content, be it terminology, measurements, analyses, highlighting, etc. Also this has a positive effect on the conceptual en perceptual rules. For example simplify (avoiding clutter) and condense (increase information density) can be improved further. Here is an example for the unified notation of scenarios:
Figure 4: Unified notation of scenarios - © 2016 HICHERT+FAISST
4 Perceptual Design Perceptual rules help to clearly relay content by using an appropriate visual design. There rules are based on the work of several authors such as William Playfair, Willard Cope Brinton, Gene Zelazny, Edward Tufte and Stephen Few. The wide acceptance of these rules stems from their scientific, experimental, and practical experience basis.
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4.1 The power of the brain The human body knows different senses. And of which the eye is the far most powerful sense. It is capable of receiving high amount of data and is located shortest to the brains with a broadband optic nerve. We are strong in pattern recognition & speed of interpretation. Unification supports pattern recognition.
4.2 PERCEPTUAL Rules The perceptual rules comprise the SUCCESS rule sets: EXPRESS, SIMPLIFY, CONDENSE, and CHECK.
EXPRESS: Choose proper visualization Select those diagrams and tables, which convey the desired message along with the underlying facts as quickly as possible. The number of graph types available is large, but the following limited amount of chart types are commonly used. Note that columns (vertical bars) are being used for time series whereas horizontals bars for structures. Due to the limited amount of graph types and notation standards, it is possible to have this concept supported by software.
SIMPLIFY: Avoid clutter Having chosen the proper visualization to EXPRESS the content, SIMPLIFY it by avoiding clutter. A simple rule to apply is the data ink ration – enhance data ink and reduce non-data ink (like all components and characteristics, which are too complicated, redundant, distracting or merely decorative).
Figure 6: data ink ratio
CONDENSE: Increase information density Use the empty space gained by SIMPLIFYing to CONDENSE the information presented, i.e. increase information density.
Figure 5: commonly used chart types - © 2016 IBCS Association. Licensed under Creative Commons BY-SA 4.0 International
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Include all information necessary to understand the content on one page. Doing so requires good utilization of space and small yet easily recognizable objects and elements.
CHECK: Ensure visual integrity
Present information in the most truthful and the most easily understood way possible, avoiding improper scaling, manipulated representations, and misleading visuals. If as result of CONDENSE multiple charts are presented onto a single page, CHECK every single chart and their interaction for visual integrity. For example the same scaling. Within Graphomate this is supported easily. Just be selecting graph and assigning them to the same group, the scaling is done automatically
5 Conceptual rules Perceptual designs improves the effective reading of data. However the difference between statistics and reports, is that reports convey a message. In result this contributes to even a faster perception of the information! Conceptual rules help to clearly relay content by using an appropriate storyline. They comprise the SUCCESS rule sets SAY and STRUCTURE based on the work of authors such as Barbara Minto. BO Cloud offers collaboration. It is not highlighted by SAP in their presentations. But BO Cloud will support the conceptual rules as it will become possible to convey a message.
SAY: Convey a message SAY what you have to say. Every report and presentation should convey a message. To do so requires an introduction to the theme as well as credible evidence supporting the message.
STRUCTURE: Organize content Once you know the message you want to SAY, consider how to STRUCTURE the content. Give the content a logical structure. Design corresponding elements homogeneously and exhaustively without any overlap.
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The tables and charts add-on made by Graphomate are IBCS certified by BARC. Also there are IBCS certified dd-ons for Analysis for Office (MS Excel), Lumira, Qlik, Cognos, Arcplan, Tableau, …. Currently SAP is in progress to have BO Cloud IBCS certified. This is planned for Q2 2017. Also there are developemnts taking place for Lumira 2.0 and BO Webi. Applying the IBCS Notation standards will lead to a kind of visual language for charts and tables. Here is an example of an IBCS compliant report:
IBCS will help decision makers, not only within their organisation, but within their industry, to be able to read and understand information rapidly by focussing on the message and unify the notation.
We are mCHF 39 above 2012 and mCHF 29 above Plan;
this was mainly due to successful Business in Spain (mCHF +20 above Plan)
Chocolate Inc.Net Sales Europe in mCHF
2013: PY, PL, AC and ΔPL(↓), ΔPL%, ΔPY%
IBCS Template 06: Bar w aterfall and pins Copyright 2013 HICHERT®IBCS
+18%
+14%
+4%
+7%
+17%
+15%
+19%
+61%
-6%
-17%
-10%
-18%
+6%
+20
+6
+5
+4
+4
+2
+2
+7
-2
-1
-4
-14
53
39
40
93
60
14
15
33
4
38
63
44
458
467
496
►Spain
Greece
Sweden
Germany
Russia
Italy
Great Britain
Denmark
Slovenia
Netherlands
France
Rest of Europe
Europe PY
Europe PL
Europe AC
ΔPL%
ΔPL
+29
ΔPL +39
+3%
+5%
+3%
+3%
+14%
+5%
+10%
+77%
-7%
-5%
-2%
+8%
►
ΔPY%
Spain: mCHF 20 above plan is due to
the delivery of Gamma one year earlier
than planned
France: mCHF 14 below plan is caused
by the production problems in plant C
1
2
63 2
1
ΔPY +39
+61%
Template 11
Template 13
Figure 7: Example IBCS compliant report - © 2016 HICHERT+FAISST
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6 About the author Ronald van Lent MSc. Ronald van Lent is managing partner at JUGO. JUGO provide Business Intelligence consultancy and one of the focus areas is data visualization where the concept of IBCS is being applied. After his study Econometrics at the University in Tilburg in 1996, Ronald started as information co-ordinator. In this role he was responsible for (management) reporting on European level. In the years to follow Ronald held different roles, as internal and external consultant, but always in regards of business intelligence – both data warehousing and reporting. In 2008 he joined JUGO as partner and became managing partner in 2014. Ronald followed several publications, trainings and seminars regarding data visualisation. In 2014 he became acquainted with IBCS and a certified IBCS consultant. Since then IBCS has become one of the major focus areas of JUGO. JUGO Vision +Business Intelligence is not about technology and tooling, but on making complex information quickly and comprehensively understandable. Technology and tools are not the drivers, but mere enablers to provide a proper and a maintainable solution. Areas of focus +Development and implementation of IBCS/SUCCESS-compliant solutions for reporting and analytics in companies +Visualization of information using frontend tools from various providers (primarily SAP BO and Qlik) +Build and enhance underlying (in-memory) data warehouses based on architectural guidelines, tools: SAP BW (on HANA) and native HANA. +Providing SAP BW/BO application maintenance on premises or remote (local shoring). +Young Talent program: As Partner in Education of the Fontys University of Applied Science providing internships as well as guest lectures. Contact +e: [email protected] +m:+31-(0)6-42234280 +l:https://nl.linkedin.com/in/ronaldvanlent +w: www.JUGO.nl
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With kind approval of the original authors: Rolf Hichert Dr.-Ing., Prof. a.D. After studying mechanical engineering in Stuttgart, Rolf worked for the Fraunhofer Institute for Production Technology and Automation (IPA). He was a consultant at McKinsey & Co., Inc. in Düsseldorf, and afterwards professor at the University of Applied Sciences in Constance. His next stations: Founder and director of the Transfer Center Technology and Management of the Steinbeis Foundation in Stuttgart, co-founder and managing director of MIK GmbH in Constance/- Germany, professor for controlling at the Eberswalde University of Applied Sciences, managing director of MIS Switzerland AG in Zurich. In 2004 he founded HICHERT+PARTNER. More than 5000 participants have taken part in his seminars HICHERT®SUCCESS. In 2013 he transferred major parts of his intellectual property to the newly founded non-profit International Business Communication Standards (IBCS) Association in order to publically discuss, disseminate and further develop it under a Creative Commons license. Today Rolf serves as president of the IBCS Association. Jürgen Faisst Dr. rer. pol. Jürgen has been working with Rolf Hichert in various constellations for more than 20 years. He started his career at MIK GmbH, a software company co-founded by Rolf. He established a new regional office in Düsseldorf and became a managing partner. In 1998 he joined business intelligence pioneer MIS AG, supported the company’s IPO and became COO and CTO of the board. From 2005 to 2013 Jürgen served as CEO of Thinking Networks AG, a leading supplier of corporate planning systems. Jürgen’s mission as a managing partner of HICHERT+PARTNER is to enable business analysts anywhere in the world to benefit from the International Business Communication Standards (IBCS), a set of rules for the design of business communication originally developed by Rolf Hichert.
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7 Additional resources
About IBCS The International Business Communication Standards (IBCS) encompass practical concepts and rules for the conceptual, perceptual and semantic design of reports and presentations. These are based on the HICHERT®SUCCESS approach and methodology. The IBCS Association is a not-for-profit organization that supports the promotion, maintenance and further development of these standards.. www.ibcs-a.org [email protected]
On Open.SAP.com there is a free webinar available called “Semantic Notation – The Next Big Thing in BI?
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About HICHERT+FAISST HICHERT+FAISST is the IBCS Institute and provides support services for the successful implementation of the International Business Communication Standards. These include the delivery of seminars and training courses, the certification of consultants and software packages, as well as the provision of educational material in a web-shop. www.hichert.com [email protected]
About Graphomate The topic of visualization is becoming more and more important for a fast and secure communication of information. Good information design allows a quick and effective overview on their business. Graphomate provides extension on Design Studio, Lumira and Microsoft Excel www.graphomate.com/en/ [email protected] About JUGO JUGO provide Business Intelligence consultancy and one of its focus areas is data visualization where the concept of IBCS is being applied.
www.JUGO.nl [email protected]