Books about Dashboards from Amazon.com

Dashboards have become popular in recent years as uniquely powerful tools for communicating important information at a glance. Although dashboards are potentially powerful, this potential is rarely realized. The greatest display technology in the world won't solve this if you fail to use effective visual design. And if a dashboard fails to tell you precisely what you need to know in an instant, you'll never use it, even if it's filled with cute gauges, meters, and traffic lights. Don't let your investment in dashboard technology go to waste.

This book will teach you the visual design skills you need to create dashboards that communicate clearly, rapidly, and compellingly. "Information Dashboard Design" will explain how to:

Avoid the thirteen mistakes common to dashboard design

Provide viewers with the information they need quickly and clearly

Apply what we now know about visual perception to the visual presentation of information

Minimize distractions, cliches, and unnecessary embellishments that create confusion

Organize business information to support meaning and usability

Create an aesthetically pleasing viewing experience

Maintain consistency of design to provide accurate interpretation

Optimize the power of dashboard technology by pairing it with visual effectiveness

Stephen Few has over 20 years of experience as an IT innovator, consultant, and educator. As Principal of the consultancy Perceptual Edge, Stephen focuses on data visualization for analyzing and communicating quantitative business information. He provides consulting and training services, speaks frequently at conferences, and teaches in the MBA program at the University ofCalifornia in Berkeley. He is also the author of "Show Me the Numbers: Designing Tables and Graphs to Enlighten," Visit his website at www.perceptualedge.com..
Price: $19.57 [Notify me when price goes down.]

Tips, techniques, and trends on how to use dashboard technology to optimize business performance

Business performance management is a hot new management discipline that delivers tremendous value when supported by information technology. Through case studies and industry research, this book shows how leading companies are using performance dashboards to execute strategy, optimize business processes, and improve performance.

Wayne W. Eckerson (Hingham, MA) is the Director of Research for The Data Warehousing Institute (TDWI), the leading association of business intelligence and data warehousing professionals worldwide that provide high-quality, in-depth education, training, and research. He is a columnist for SearchCIO.com, DM Review, Application Development Trends, the Business Intelligence Journal, and TDWI Case Studies & Solution..
Price: $27.12 [Notify me when price goes down.]

Created in Excel, balanced scorecards enable you to monitor operations and tactics, while operational dashboards is a set of indicators regarding the state of a business metric or process—both features are in high demand for many large organizations. This book serves as the first guide to focus on combining the benefits of balanced scorecards, operational dashboards, performance managements, and data visualization and then implement them in Microsoft Excel..
Price: $26.81 [Notify me when price goes down.]

What’s the use of putting out reports that no one reads? Properly created dashboards are graphical representations that put data in a context for your audience, and they look really cool! How cool? You’ll find out when you see the dazzling examples in Excel 2007 Dashboards & Reports For Dummies. And, before long, everyone’s eyes will be riveted to your dashboards and reports too!

This revolutionary guide shows you how to turn Excel into your own personal Business Intelligence tool. You’ll learn the fundamentals of using Excel 2007 to go beyond simple tables to creating dashboard-studded reports that wow management. Get ready to catch dashboard fever as you find out how to use basic analysis techniques, build advanced dashboard components, implement advanced reporting techniques, and import external date into your Excel reports. Discover how to:

• Unleash the power of Excel as a business intelligence tool
• Create dashboards that communicate and get noticed
• Think about your data in a new way
• Present data more effectively and increase the value of your reports
• Create dynamic labels that support visualization
• Represent time and seasonal trending
• Group and bucket data
• Display and measure values versus goals
• Implement macro-charged reporting

Using Excel 2007 as a BI tool is the most cost-efficient way for organizations of any size create powerful and insightful reports and distribute throughout the enterprise. And Excel 2007 Dashboards and Reports for Dummies is the fastest you for you to catch dashboard fever!.
Price: $9.03 [Notify me when price goes down.]

Bigger in size, longer in length, broader in scope, and even more useful than our original Mac OS X Hacks, the new Big Book of Apple Hacks offers a grab bag of tips, tricks and hacks to get the most out of Mac OS X Leopard, as well as the new line of iPods, iPhone, and Apple TV.

With 125 entirely new hacks presented in step-by-step fashion, this practical book is for serious Apple computer and gadget users who really want to take control of these systems. Many of the hacks take you under the hood and show you how to tweak system preferences, alter or add keyboard shortcuts, mount drives and devices, and generally do things with your operating system and gadgets that Apple doesn't expect you to do. The Big Book of Apple Hacks gives you:

• Hacks for both Mac OS X Leopard and Tiger, their related applications, and the hardware they run on or connect to
• Expanded tutorials and lots of background material, including informative sidebars
• "Quick Hacks" for tweaking system and gadget settings in minutes
• Full-blown hacks for adjusting Mac OS X applications such as Mail, Safari, iCal, Front Row, or the iLife suite
• Plenty of hacks and tips for the Mac mini, the MacBook laptops, and new Intel desktops
• Tricks for running Windows on the Mac, under emulation in Parallels or as a standalone OS with Bootcamp

The Big Book of Apple Hacks is not only perfect for Mac fans and power users, but also for recent -- and aspiring -- "switchers" new to the Apple experience. Hacks are arranged by topic for quick and easy lookup, and each one stands on its own so you can jump around and tweak whatever system or gadget strikes your fancy. Pick up this book and take control of Mac OS X and your favorite Apple gadget today!

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Price: $14.95 [Notify me when price goes down.]

No matter how much Mac experience you have, Mac OS X Leopard requires that you get reacquainted. This little guide is packed with more than 300 tips and techniques to help you do just that. You get all details you need to learn Leopard's new features, configure your system, and get the most out of your Mac. Pronto. Mac OS X Leopard Pocket Guide offers an easy-to-read format for users of all levels. If you're a Mac newcomer, there's a Survival Guide that explains how to adapt, and a chapter on Mac OS X's key features. Experienced Mac users can go right to the heart of Leopard with chapters on system preferences, applications and utilities, and configuring. In all, plenty of tables, concise descriptions, and step-by-step instructions explain: What's new in Leopard, including the Time Machine How to use Leopard's totally revamped Finder All about Spaces and how to quickly flip between them How to search for and find things with Spotlight How to use Leopard's enhanced Parental Controls Handy keyboard shortcuts to help you be more efficient Quick tips for setting up and configuring your Mac to make it your own If you're ready to tame Apple's new cat, this is the guide you want..
Price: $7.00 [Notify me when price goes down.]

No matter what industry your company competes in, you need to have a firm understanding of how to create a direct link between shareholder value and critical business processes in order to improve performance and achieve long-term value. Performance Dashboards and Analysis for Value Creation contains the information and expertise you need to do just this—and much more..
Price: $38.06 [Notify me when price goes down.]

Extract and analyze mission-critical enterprise data using Microsoft Office 2007

This authoritative volume is a practical guide to the powerful new collaborative Business Intelligence tools available in Office 2007. Using real-world examples and clear explanations, Microsoft Office 2007 Business Intelligence: Reporting, Analysis, and Measurement from the Desktop shows you how to use Excel, Excel Services, SharePoint, and PerformancePoint with a wide range of stand-alone and external data in today's networked office. You will learn how to analyze data and generate reports, scorecards, and dashboards with the Office tools you're already using to help you in your everyday work.

• Create Excel PivotTables and PivotCharts and apply Conditional Formatting
• Convert Excel spreadsheets into Excel Tables with Conditional Formatting and Charting
• Connect external data to Excel using Office Data Connections and SharePoint
• Create SharePoint dashboards that display data from multiple sources
• Add Key Performance Indicators and Excel Services reports to your dashboards
• Harness advanced SQL Server 2005 data analysis tools with the Excel Data Mining Add-In and Visio Cluster Diagrams
• Generate integrated PerformancePoint Scorecards
• Create Visio PivotDiagrams and Windows Mobile spreadsheets

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Price: $19.85 [Notify me when price goes down.]

THE DEFINITIVE, COMPREHENSIVE, OFFICIAL GUIDE TO XCELSIUS 2008 DASHBOARDS

Using Xcelsius, you can create powerful, interactive dashboards, gather data from spreadsheets or databases, and deliver knowledge that can be instantly understood and acted upon. Now there’s a definitive, authoritative guide to making the most of Xcelsius 2008, the newest version of this breakthrough product.

 

Loren Abdulezer, editor-in-chief of Xcelsius Journal, shares insider’s knowledge that goes far beyond any other book or online help resource. Abdulezer introduces Xcelsius 2008, reviews its core concepts, and demonstrates the wide range of dashboards it can create. After you know what’s possible, you’ll go deep inside Xcelsius, gaining hands-on experience with every feature you need to master. You’ll learn how to quickly represent any data with charting components; use dials, gauges, and speedometers; incorporate multiple layers in your dashboards and visualizations; use Xcelsius to perform more useful analyses and manage more interactively; work with maps, demographics, and segmented data; create “smart data” and alerts; and much more.

 

Abdulezer offers tips and tricks you won’t find anywhere else. You’ll learn how to work with data that isn’t rock-solid--and even how to create your own custom components that go beyond Xcelsius’s built-in features. Whether you’re a business intelligence or database professional, power user, developer, or consultant, this book will help you create superior Xcelsius dashboards--and make better decisions.

 

THE ONLY XCELSIUS 2008 DASHBOARDING BOOK YOU NEED

• Use Xcelsius 2008 to get better answers, identify emerging trends and opportunities, and manage more effectively
• Learn hands-on, through step-by-step examples using real business data
• Discover tips and tricks proven in real-world environments
• Deliver dashboard content in whatever format works best: as HTML pages, PowerPoint presentations, PDF files, or Word documents
• Fully leverage the information in your Excel spreadsheets--and go beyond Excel to use XML source data, too
• Implement Xcelsius best practices drawn from the hard-won knowledge of the entire global user community

 

ON THE WEB

• Registered owners of the book can find all this and more online:
• All sample files used in the book
• Additional guides and tutorials to help you build dashboards
• Templates and example files for new dashboard interfaces

Introduction 1

Part I Xcelsius 2008 Fundamentals

1 Motivation for Using Xcelsius 2008     11

2 Showcase of Xcelsius 2008 Dashboards     33

3 Getting Familiar with Xcelsius 2008     43

4 Embedded Spreadsheets: The Secret Sauce of Xcelsius 2008     69

5 Using Charts and Graphs to Represent Data     127

6 Single Value Components: Dials, Gauges, Speedometers, and the Like     157

Part II Xcelsius 2008 Best Practices and Techniques

7 Using Multi-Layer Visibility in Your Dashboards and Visualizations     181

8 Managing Interactivity     203

9 Xcelsius and Statistics     229

10 Financial Analysis     257

11 Maps in Xcelsius     275

12 Smart Data and Alerts     297

13 Working with Less-Than-Optimal Data     315

14 Other Dashboard Techniques and Practices     337

Part III Advanced Features

15 XML and Data Connectivity     353

16 Creating Custom Components for Fun and Profit     371

Part IV Appendices

A Supported Spreadsheet Functions in Xcelsius 2008     401

B Xcelsius Product Family Comparison     415

C Xcelsius Best Practice Techniques and Hip Pocket Tips     425

Index     431

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Price: $26.39 [Notify me when price goes down.]

• As the fastest growing dashboarding solution on the market, Xcelsius is an intuitive stand-alone Windows application that enables Excel users to transform the contents of an ordinary Excel spreadsheet into an engaging, interactive Flash-based dashboard
• Offers step-by-step instruction on the wide array of functionality that Xcelsius has to offer so that readers can complete mini-dashboards of increasing complexity with each chapter
• Addresses how to prepare Excel spreadsheets for use with Xcelsius dashboards and then use basic components of Xcelsius (charts, buttons, labels)
• Shows ways to add advanced functionality to dashboards (gauges, sliders, maps) and create interactive business calculators with Xcelsius
• Discusses integrating Xcelsius reports into PowerPoint slides, Web pages, and e-mail

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Price: $6.09 [Notify me when price goes down.]