How can you ensure that all employees have access to your data visualization tools?

Data visualization tools can help you present complex information in a clear and engaging way, but only if your employees can access and use them effectively. In this article, you will learn how to ensure that all employees have access to your data visualization tools, regardless of their location, device, or role.

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1 Assess your needs

Before you choose or implement any data visualization tool, you need to assess your needs and goals. What kind of data do you want to visualize? Who are your target audiences? How often do you need to update or share your data? What kind of features or functionalities do you need? Answering these questions will help you narrow down your options and select the best tool for your purpose.

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Erich A. DeJesus ITIL®

Solution Director – Data Technologies| Microsoft Fabric Implementer | Speaker & Business Development Pro | Staffing | Instructor
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We need to understand the nature of the data. Are we dealing with numerical data, time series data, categorical data, or a combination? To respond to their expectations and understanding, identifying the audience helps tailor a visual representation. Executives may be more likely to prefer high-level dashboards, while others might require detailed and interactive reports. Maintain the frequency of data updates and sharing. Different tools are required for real-time data compared to those that can be used regularly or temporarily. The most important considerations are accessibility and ease of updating. Is it necessary to specify the desired functions' interactivity, drilling capability, trends analysis, and collaboration tools.

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2 Choose a compatible tool

Once you have a clear idea of your needs, you can compare different data visualization tools and choose the one that is most compatible with your existing systems and platforms. For example, if you use Microsoft Office 365, you might want to use Power BI, which integrates seamlessly with Excel, SharePoint, and Teams. If you use Google Workspace, you might prefer Google Data Studio, which connects with Google Sheets, Drive, and Meet. Choosing a compatible tool will make it easier for your employees to access and use it without any technical issues or extra steps.

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Erich A. DeJesus ITIL®

Solution Director – Data Technologies| Microsoft Fabric Implementer | Speaker & Business Development Pro | Staffing | Instructor
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This is a step many organizations or reporting fail to implement as, on many occasions, there is a proliferation of reporting tools just because of user experiences and executive preferences. Implementing a tool that is intuitive for users and compatible with browsers and devices used during operations is imperative. Also, have a good plan for internal end-user training.

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3 Provide training and support

Even if you choose a compatible and user-friendly tool, you still need to provide training and support for your employees to use it effectively. You can create online tutorials, webinars, or manuals to explain how to access, navigate, and customize the tool. You can also set up a help desk or a feedback channel to answer any questions or resolve any problems that your employees might encounter. Providing training and support will boost your employees' confidence and competence in using the tool.

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4 Establish guidelines and standards

To ensure consistency and quality in your data visualization, you need to establish guidelines and standards for your employees to follow. You can create a style guide that specifies the colors, fonts, icons, and layouts that you want to use for your data visualizations. You can also create a data governance policy that defines the roles, responsibilities, and rules for accessing, editing, and sharing data. Establishing guidelines and standards will help you maintain your brand identity and data integrity.

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5 Encourage collaboration and feedback

One of the benefits of data visualization tools is that they can facilitate collaboration and feedback among your employees. You can use features such as comments, annotations, or dashboards to enable your employees to communicate and exchange ideas about your data. You can also use features such as surveys, polls, or ratings to collect feedback from your employees about your data visualizations. Encouraging collaboration and feedback will help you improve your data quality and relevance.

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6 Monitor and evaluate

Finally, you need to monitor and evaluate how your employees are using your data visualization tools and how they are impacting your internal communications. You can use metrics such as views, downloads, shares, or engagement to measure the reach and effectiveness of your data visualizations. You can also use qualitative methods such as interviews, focus groups, or testimonials to gather insights and opinions from your employees about your data visualizations. Monitoring and evaluating will help you identify and address any gaps or challenges in your data visualization strategy.

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7 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?

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How can you ensure that all employees have access to your data visualization tools?

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1 Assess your needs

2 Choose a compatible tool

3 Provide training and support

4 Establish guidelines and standards

5 Encourage collaboration and feedback

6 Monitor and evaluate

7 Here’s what else to consider

Internal Communications

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How can you ensure that all employees have access to your data visualization tools?

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

1 Assess your needs

2 Choose a compatible tool

3 Provide training and support

4 Establish guidelines and standards

5 Encourage collaboration and feedback

6 Monitor and evaluate

7 Here’s what else to consider

Internal Communications

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