The Oxford Dictionary defines a Dashboard as '...a panel facing the pilot of an aircraft, containing instruments and controls'.
Now, consider the aircraft as your organization and yourself as the pilot. Wouldn't you rather begin your work day by drawing insights from a visually engaging Dashboard application rather than sifting through Word Reports and Excel Spreadsheets? Or even better, wouldn't you prefer to keep a tab on the happenings of the day on a near-Real Time basis, for every aspect that you are responsible for, without having to be informed by IT or Line managers?
If your answer is in the affirmative, then you would benefit from Map-based Dashboard Applications. With Dashboards, one can configure dynamic Web and Mobile-friendly visualizations with relative ease. These dashboards are configurable i.e. it can be designed in a way that is relevant for the stakeholders and each set of stakeholders can access a customized view of the data repository that the Dashboard has been linked to.
Map-based Dashboards can be of several types. Some can be developed for aggregating Sales data, while others can be developed for Project monitoring. In a different context, some Dashboards can be developed for consumption and use within the organization, while others can be made to inform external stakeholders and agencies such as customers, community or investors.
In this post, the Dashboards have been categorized basis the objective they help fulfill.
Clicking on the images below will lead you to the Dashboard application landing page
1. Informational Dashboards
These kind of Dashboards help you derive meaning from large and complex geospatial datasets in a visually engaging manner.
Situation: Consider yourself as an International Immigration Consultant who is looking to understand migration patterns around the globe, through a certain timeline. You've got hold of the dataset and want to glean meaningful insights from it -
Exploring Tips: Hit the pause button to change the country and subsequently to compare inbound / outbound migration for it. Click on the colored lines on the globe to see migration information for that particular route. Try changing the map to 2D mode to see a different, wider view. Also, change the year and observe the change in migration. Notice the pop-ups on the screen which shows more information about the feature you are selecting.
Liked this? See another Informational Dashboard which maps key World Bank indicators here.
2. Operational Dashboards
These kind of Dashboards are useful for monitoring Project operations (eg. Project Status, Asset Tracking, Resource Scheduling, Maintenance Progress) on a near-Real Time basis.
Situation: While this Dashboard shows the current Water Quality status of the various Water bodies within a particular territory as per the data captured by sensors on site, you can apply the underlying concept to any workflow which needs human or sensor-captured information to be collated and kept track of. With a Map-based Operations Dashboard as part of your Operational toolkit, you can remain updated on critical parameters of the project, enabling you to make informed decisions.
Exploring tips: Click on some of the Water Body sites from the widget on the left of the Dashboard to see their respective Water Quality readings. You can also open the Filter panel which is hidden on the extreme left and alter the parameters as per your liking which will instantaneously reflect on the dynamic Map-view.
Liked this? See a Disaster Information Reporting System (DIRS) used to visualize information about Telecom Towers and other Communication equipment (its current status such as Active / Outage) across the United States here.
You may need to create an ArcGIS account and login with the credentials to view this Dashboard
3. Tactical Dashboards
These kinds of Dashboards are of particular help in organizing information for planning and rapid action purposes in order to achieve a particular objective utilizing parameters such as industry benchmarks, historical data, competitor information, market trends etc.
Situation: Designed with a motive to bolster its market presence and thwart competitor presence, this Dashboard application assists Starbucks Coffee to identify suitable sites for its new retail outlets in New York City, USA.
Update: The Dashboard doesn't appear to be active as of October 2024. You may be unable to access it. Explore this alternative (Fatal and Serious Injury Dashboard).
Exploring tips: Change the Basemap to 'Light or Dark Gray Canvas' from the small icon on the top right of the Dashboard. Zoom in until you see the Starbucks logo clearly. Click on any of the Starbucks icons - one Red icon as well as one Blue icon for example, and see the information it captures. Also, click on any blank area on the Map to see the information that particular coordinate contains (the Demographic and Income levels of that region). The Map view will also update dynamically as per the Timeline you select and you will see how the Starbucks outlets compare with those of the competitors at that point in time.
Liked this? See this Dashboard used to monitoring Active Fires and Hotspots globally over the last 48 hours. Such Dashboards are commonly used by Law Enforcement personnel (including in India) to understand Crime Patterns, allocate Policing resources, and so on.
4. Strategic Dashboards
As the name suggests, these Dashboards serve a larger purpose i.e. it helps the observer to see the big picture of a situation with the option to deep-dive into the individual components that form it.
Situation: Put yourself in the shoes of the World Health Organization (WHO) during the Coronavirus Pandemic. Being a United Nations-designated body responsible for International Public Health, it has to play a pivotal role in disseminating guidelines and advisories in a timely manner, worldwide. They, among several other public service and government organizations, are closely following this dynamic Global Virus Cases Dashboard developed by Johns Hopkins University.
Exploring tips: Zoom in the application and click on a country of your choice from the widget on the left. Then proceed to toggle different views just below the Map extent - Cumulative confirmed cases, Active cases, Hospitalization rate, among others. You can explore the data at aggregated and disaggregated levels depending on the prevailing map extent. For example, you can visualize the pandemic data for India at a Country level as well as at the State level. Observe how the Dashboard view dynamically changes to accommodate new data based on your Country selection.
Liked this? Explore another Strategic dashboard for Ocean Health Index scores & trends here.
If these appeal to you and you wish to have one made for your organization, do write to us.
ABOUT US
Intelloc Mapping Services | Mapmyops.com is based in Kolkata, India and engages in providing Mapping solutions that can be integrated with Operations Planning, Design and Audit workflows. These include but are not limited to - Drone Services, Subsurface Mapping Services, Location Analytics & App Development, Supply Chain Services, Remote Sensing Services and Wastewater Treatment. The services can be rendered pan-India, some even globally, and will aid an organization to meet its stated objectives especially pertaining to Operational Excellence, Cost Reduction, Sustainability and Growth.
Broadly, our area of expertise can be split into two categories - Geographic Mapping and Operations Mapping. The Infographic below highlights our capabilities.
Our 'Mapping for Operations'-themed workflow demonstrations can be accessed from the firm's Website / YouTube Channel and an overview can be obtained from this flyer. Happy to address queries and respond to documented requirements. Custom Demonstration, Training & Trials are facilitated only on a paid-basis. Looking forward to being of service.
Regards,