Engineering Communications

Last month, three CR4 bloggers took an early-morning train ride to New York City. Chris Leonard, Sharkles and Moose boarded the 5 AM train in Rensselaer for a two-hour ride along the Hudson River to New York's Penn Station. From there, the trio walked several blocks to the Graduate Center of the City University of New York (CUNY), the site of "Social Communications: The Case Studies, Conferences and Roundtables."

Who Cares About Social Communications?

Social communications (or "social media" as it is commonly known) is hot, hip, and disruptive. Traditionally, businesses implemented branding, product development, public relations, and customer service strategies with a top-down approach. Many still do. The Marketing Department crafts and controls the message, orchestrates and regulates customer feedback, and keeps its hand on the wheel at all times. Not so with social communications.

Thanks to Web sites such as Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn and YouTube (and, yes, even CR4), your company's customers could be having a conversation about you and without you. Sometimes, their whispering can grow to a din. That's what Southwest Airlines was concerned about when a Twitterer named Beaker tweeted about how a recent flight to Philadelphia "sucked the big one".

Beaker Tweets and an Airline Listens

The first-time SWA flier complained about how his plane was late and his luggage got lost. Although Beaker didn't address his tweet (that's what you call your posts on Twitter) to Southwest, the airline monitors such social communications. The next morning, the passenger who once called US Airways "US Scareways" discovered a very public message addressed personally to him.

@Beaker Sorry to hear about your flight—weather was terrible in the NE. Hope you give us a second chance to prove that Southwest=Awesomeness.

I'm So Gonna Blog About This

So what did Beaker do with this apology? He blogged about it. More importantly, he gave the airline a second chance, thanking SWA for its "attention" while telling his own audience "we'll see how you (SWA) do on my return flight today".

Later, the Twitterer wrote about how "the flight back was great" and how his "Southwest Twitter experience wasn't just a single fire and forget incident". Upon his return to New Hampshire, Beaker found this tweet from Southwest Airlines.

@Beaker You're totally in our cyber A boarding group. Hope your flight was nothing but "awesomeness" today.

Tales Like This in Times Like These

Tales like this in times like these were a big part of the reason why three CR4 bloggers boarded that early-morning train to New York City last month. In future entries in the Engineering Communications blog, we'll share more of what we learned – and why it matters to you and your business.

Simplicity is the guiding principle for effective dashboard communication. By their very nature, dashboards need to communicate a business reality in the clearest possible way. Only the information that users require should be included. Typically, this data applies directly to the employee's job function. Dashboard data should also say exactly what needs to be said, using a vocabulary that the audience understands and a level of precision that is appropriate.

The Four Properties

There are four properties of a well-designed dashboard.

1. Expert organization. Careful attention must be paid to the layout and organization of every element. Other parts of this blog entry will provide details about dashboard organization

2. Condensed summaries and exceptions. Condensed summaries such as sums and averages should be used to explain large sets of data. Exceptions and abnormal conditions must be noted and identified.

3. Specific and customized. Dashboards must allow the audience to see the information that it most requires. Consequently, dashboards differ by audience.

4. Displays with small media. Small media can convey information efficiently.

The Information-Pixel Ratio

One way to achieve design simplicity is to aim for a low information-pixel ratio. This concept is related to Edward Tufte's data-ink ratio as described in the statistician's award-winning book, "The Visual Display of Quantitative Information". Dashboard designers should strive to use a small amount of pixels to display the whole dashboard. Of these pixels, a high percentage should be devoted to the non-redundant display of data.

De-emphasize, Regularize and Enhance

Another way to achieve simplicity and clarity in dashboard design is to increase the speed at which information is perceived. This is done by de-emphasizing and regularizing the non-data pixels that remain. By de-emphasizing these non-data pixels, the most important information will capture the user's attention – making it noticeable at a glance.

Common dashboard items that are non-data pixels include:

· Large logos, headers, and navigation areas

· Eye-catching graphics, logos, and background decoration

· Different colors without semantic reason

· Unnecessary frames and different-colored backgrounds

· Shadows and color gradients

· Distracting grid lines

· Area gauges

· 3D charts

After ensuring that non-data pixels are de-emphasized, dashboard designers must enhance the remaining data pixels. To do this, all unnecessary data pixels and redundant information should be eliminated. Eliminating unnecessary precision in numbers is another step that can be taken.

The Keys to a Great Information Experience

Dashboard designers must emphasize the most important information. The two best places for this information are the upper-left corner and the dashboard's center. For extra emphasis, the information may be enclosed in a border. Adding stronger colors or a special symbol to data points are other methods for highlighting information.

Applying these design principles doesn't guarantee that users will get the most benefit from a dashboard. A well-designed dashboard must be coupled with a great information experience. After all, it is the dashboard that acts as the final tool for data analysis.

There are four keys to providing a great information experience with dashboards.

1. Choose metrics that the user can act on. Interesting information isn't good enough. Designers should develop dashboards that provide actionable data.

2. Draw attention to most urgent information. Trends are important, but the current state-of-affairs is critical.

3. Progressively reveal data as the user expresses interest. Dashboard users may not have time for all of the information at once. Reveal information on a "need to know" basis.

4. Different views for different audiences or perspectives. Remember that just as a well-designed dashboard is specific to an audience, so is the information experience.

Turning raw data into information stands at the heart of business analysis and reporting. Data comparisons and graphical representations can also help in dashboard design.

Editor's Note: This is Part 2 of a two-part series. Click here for Part 1.

Resources:

http://www.perceptualedge.com/about.php

http://www.gartner.com/it/about_gartner.jsp

Stephen Few is an expert in "visual business intelligence" whose clients include leading technology companies such as Cisco Systems, Scientific Atlanta, and Siemens. On his web site, the California-based consultant worries that "we are overwhelmed by information, not because there is too much, but because we don't know how to tame it".

As businesses increase their ability to "collect and warehouse" this information, "our ability to make sense and communicate it remains inert", Few explains. One solution is to create a dashboard – "a visual display of the most important information needed to achieve one or more objectives; consolidated and arranged on a single screen so the information can be monitored at a glance."

What is a Data Dashboard?

Dashboards are a way to communicate the information resulting from data analysis. That is to say, dashboards are a form of business intelligence. According to the Gartner Group, a consultancy which describes itself as "the world's leading information technology research and advisory company", business intelligence is as "an interactive process for exploring and analyzing structured, domain-specific information...to discern business trends or patterns thereby deriving insights and drawing conclusions." Specifically then, dashboards can be used to aid in the reporting of business intelligence and subsequent analysis.

Dashboard Characteristics

Dashboards have small, concise and clear display mechanisms. They help information designers to transform data into useful information, and have visual capabilities. Dashboards are also customized to the needs and requirements of users. They are used for monitoring information at a glance, and display the information needed to achieve specific objectives. Finally, dashboard

Dashboards can help users to understand what's happening and, more importantly, to alert them to problems that require their immediate attention. By definition, such a broad and high-level overview should provide instant information about the state of a process, department, or other entity. As a communication medium then, dashboard success depends on proper design. This design requires a display that speaks clearly and immediately to users, as well as to their specific needs and requirements.

Types of Dashboards

There many types of data dashboards and many different ways to classify them. Some are structured by role, applications, or layers. Others are classified by data type or update frequency. This blog entry will focus upon dashboard classification by role and application. In turn, role and application can be divided into three subsections each.

Dashboard Roles

Dashboards serve three roles: strategic, analytical and operational. Strategic dashboards are designed mainly for executive-level audiences. They have simple display mechanisms. Analytical dashboards serve to support data analysis. They feature more complicated display media than strategic dashboards. Analytical dashboards also provide a richer context, including history and comparisons. As their name suggests, operational dashboards are designed to help users monitor operations. Operational dashboards use simple display media to identify exceptions that require immediate attention.

Dashboard Applications

There are three applications for dashboards: management, analysis, and monitoring. The management application helps an organization to improve alignment, collaboration, and coordination among its strategic goals. The analysis application also lets users identify and examine exception conditions. Finally, the monitoring application allows users to understand information at a glance. Given these applications for data dashboards, their uses can range from C-level executives down to entry-level line workers.

Other Dashboard Features

Regardless of type, all dashboards contain both quantitative and non-quantitative data. In addition, they can be updated on an hourly, daily, weekly, monthly, or even real-time basis (if required). Dashboard displays are either static or interactive through the use of drill-down filters. Finally, dashboard display mechanisms are graphical, text, or a combination of both.

Editor's Note: This is the first of a two-part series. Click here for Part 2.

Resources:

http://www.perceptualedge.com/about.php

http://www.gartner.com/it/about_gartner.jsp

They weren't buying it. Or at least they would hold off until it was absolutely necessary…doing something constructive about their habit of procrastination. "They" were a group of 32 students, mostly seniors, with a sprinkling of graduate students, at a liberal arts college in a major U.S. city.

At the beginning of this half-day workshop on dealing with procrastination, the diverse group of students –from the Caribbean, South America, Asia, the Middle East – told me that procrastination was a serious problem for them. One woman said she cried every time she approached a deadline. After pulling an all-nighter, she always got her papers done and handed in at the very last minute. Her example was not atypical. Others also struggled and said they would do anything to get rid of their procrastination, which I once heard described as, "sloth in five syllables."

We talked about the reasons we procrastinate– perfectionism, "It has to be perfect or I'm not putting my name on it"; avoiding an unpleasant task (i.e. counseling workers on poor performance); boredom that has us seeking distractions unrelated to our jobs - and identified all the negative consequences. Yet when I challenged the group to work on their "big three" priorities, they were unwilling to utilize a time log tool to schedule time –in two hour increments - during the immediate week ahead. Papers, taxes, and team projects were on many students' plates. They were "too busy," was the consistent, incredible response I received.

As facilitator of the workshop, I didn't take it personally. As I said to the students at the beginning of the workshop, I was their guide who would suggest ways to climb the "mountain." You can take the suggestion or try what you've always done (and probably get the same result). I also advised, "Now is the time. If you don't take a positive step forward now, you probably won't in the future."

What fascinated me was the tight hold procrastination can have on many people. And if this group is representative of the next wave workforce, we are in big trouble because their procrastination, which becomes our problem, just doesn't go away by itself.

How do you handle procrastination? What are some positive rewards you've realized by overcoming the "P" word? And what have been the most painful experiences you've had as a result of this "bad habit?" Your thoughts are appreciated!

"Prejudice still exists, but it's more subtle," says Michelle Tortolani in a recent Wall Street Journal Report, "Women Breaking Ground." A senior director at XM Satellite, Michelle says she has experienced discrimination during her 20-year career as an engineer. Male co-workers, for example, either ignored her opinions or did end-runs to male counterparts when Michelle's directives didn't suit them.

Michelle also is president of the Society of Women Engineers. Last fall the Society of Women Engineers released the SWE Retention Study, which found that one in four women who enters engineering leaves the profession after the age of 30, while only one in ten of their male counterparts does the same. In briefing members of Congress, the SWE noted that "Women are capable of contributing more to the nation's science and engineering research enterprise, but bias and outmoded practices governing academic success impede their progress almost every step of the way."

Bias, discrimination and similar other serious charges are mostly addressed by Human Resource and Legal professionals. But I've got to believe that there is a communications gap that is contributing to or exacerbating the issue. Could a difference in the way male and female engineers communicate contribute to such a negative environment? The easy answer, of course is, "yes." But why? How?

According to Catalyst research, despite the numerous business contributions of women leaders, men are still largely seen as the leaders by default. Catalyst is a research and advisory organization that works with businesses and professionals to "build inclusive environments and expand opportunities for women at work." In their latest report on gender stereotyping, "The Double-Bind Dilemma for Women in Leadership,"

Catalyst says, "…women are often perceived as going against the norms of leadership or those of femininity. Caught between impossible choices, those who try to conform to traditional-i.e. masculine-leadership behaviors, are damned if they do, doomed if they don't." Catalyst believes organizations need to acknowledge and address the impact of stereotypic bias, or they will"…loose out on top female talent."

Women engineers: what has been your experience? Are you experiencing bias today-in what way? Has any woman realized a breakthrough in communicating with their male counterparts?

Men engineers: What do you observe? Has it been your experience that women engineers communicate differently? If so how would you describe that difference?