(You can win my latest Excel Dashboard Training kit free, read this post to find out how.)
Over at Jorge‘s ExcelCharts blog, he started a very good discussion on Excel Dashboards: Who needs them anyway?.
Jorge has very good experience designing, working on and teaching about dashboards. So he uses all that skill to gaze in to a crystal ball, to understand who needs excel dashboards and why.
According to him, key features of dashboard users / makers are,
- You are inquisitive & analytical. You want your business to be ahead of others and you know that answers to several lingering questions can be found in data.
- You are oppressed with insight-less BI / DW systems that take 6 months create new reports and 1 year to show meaning. You are angry because your competitor is acting nimble and using data better.
- You find solace in Excel and its simple approach to analysis and discovery. You are forced to learn macros, advanced visualization skills so that you can make powerful dashboards and models.
- You are sensible enough to know that data analysis, visualization & communication skills are what you need to stay competitive in labor market.
While Jorge‘s points are all valid, they also paste a dull picture of Excel based Business Intelligence world. To me the world looks much more awesome. May be because I haven’t got the experience.
What Comes to mind when I think of dashboard users /makers
When I think of someone using Excel / Tableau / R / Access / or some other tool to communicate a story to change the world (world = their department or team or company or school or home), this is what comes to my mind.
- You are inquisitive. You question assumptions, data models and trends. You know that data cannot lie.
- You are analytical. You see some data, and you know what conclusions can be drawn, what hypothesis can be tested and what assumptions can be broken.
- You are realistic. While Tufte and Few might scream from the top of their homes about good data visualization, you know what is possible given your reality. You know that almost everyone hates big changes. So you bring change, one chart at a time.
- You know that selling your story is as important as having it.You know that your dashboards, analysis needs to be wrapped and presented in a great way to get them across.
- You are responsible. You know that it is not your job to make that new report / chart / dashboard. You know IT is paid millions to do it. But you will still do it because you care and feel responsible.
- You are fun. You know that at the end of day sulking will not get you anywhere. So you also relax and take everything with awesome attitude.
But it should not really matter what Jorge or I think of who you are.
So here is a big question.
If you make or use dashboards, please tell us who you are.
Describe your role, responsibility, why you use dashboards, what challenges you are facing and what awesome things you have achieved.
What you get in return
- Each commenter gets 20% discount on my latest Excel Dashboards training kit.
- One lucky commenter gets the dashboard training kit free.
29 Responses to “You are invited [personal]”
Dear Sir,
This is to just Wish the kids a Happy birthday in Advance.May Almighty bless them all strength,Success
Dear Chandoo,
My best wishes to your child.I had become regular visitor of your site and finally today it made me to post a comment...
Best wishes from my end! Dont think it would be possible to personally come .. but my best wishes would always be there!! 🙂
Chandoo, thank you for the kind invitation. I wish a special birthday day for your daughters, Nishanth & Nakshatra. Will you be serving "dudh pakh"?
-bill
What a kind thought to invite us!
I pray your family will be continually blessed.
Thank you very much for the invitation, how I wish Philippines is just a Jeepney ride away from India. Best wishes for your baby girls and more blessings to come.
Hi Chandoo,
Thanks for the invitation ! You treat everyone that comes to your site as part of your family community. Me and my family wishes Nishanth & Nakshatra a very very happy birthday !!
Though physically we cant be with you to celebrate the occasion, you know our blessing are with you !
To be a father is not easy, furthermore you have to be a father to 2 kids !
Francis
Dad of 2 and 9 year old.
Hi Chandoo,
It was very kind of you to invite us all along to the 'Extravaganza'. Like others that have commented here I too, am to far (Australia) to pop over for a piece of cake 🙂 Best wishes to you and your family on such a milestone.
Emma
(soon to be mum of 1!!!)
Dear Chandoo
God bless Nishanth & Nakshatra. Wishing you and your family a very enjoyable first birthday party.
(Father of a 9 month baby... wondering how you manage 2 !!! )
God bless the little ones. Have a blast.
Hi Chandoo
Happy birthday !
Indeed children are a blessing and make our lives much more deeper.
Wow! I wonder how that would look; all those Excel users partying with your cute kids!
Enjoy the festivities and remember; they grow up really fast.
Dear Chandoo,
Thanks for your invitation!
Please accept my wishes for Nishanth & Nakshatra, and a very very happy birthday to both of them.
(Father of a 1 year old baby)
Hi Chandoo,
Thanks for the invitation. Wishing Nishanth and Nakshatra a very happy birthday and God bless all of you!
Howdy Chandoo,
Gosh, would love to attend the birthday party for your little blessings but I live in Dallas, TX. The children are beautiful. Thank you so much for the Excel information, tips, hints, special formulas, etc., you and your children are really a blessing. I look forward to your e-mails and check your web site frequently. Regards, Lynn
Chandoo Garu,
Your kids look adorable. Congratulations. My Aashirwaadam to both of them.
Regards,
Kalyan Verma
@all: Thank you every one for the wishes, blessings and prayers. We are very excited and busy with the birthday preps now. I will share a pic or two when its over... 🙂
Wish you and your entire family all the blessings. May god provide your babies with all the love and charm in the entire universe.
Like Emma I am rather far away (South Africa), but best wishes to you and your family on this special occasion.
(Mother of 7 and grandmother of 5)
Dear Chandoo,
May God Bless your little ones with Good Health... Happy birthday to them from me... Wish i could be there but work doesn't permit me to travel 🙁
And thanks again for treating all of us like your family
Rajatha
Sir.
God bless the two little angels with all the happiness in the world.....
Wishing Nishanth and Nakshatra a very happy first birthday. My youngest has just turned 18, and I wish you and your family every happiness in the exciting journey ahead.
Hi Chandoo,
I'm reading your blog for more than a year now, and i'm very pleased by this invitation.
I wish a very special Happy Birthday to the 2 little ones from Mauritius Island.
If, for any reason, you are coming on the island in the future, feel free to drop me a mail.
Have a nice party, and a nice year to come with Nishanth and Nakshatra.
Happy birthday!
Your babies are beautiful!
This year is not possible for us to attend. My family will be there for your next family party.
Enjoy the cake and dinner
May God Bless your little ones with Good Health… Happy birthday to them from me....I am also the father my little daughter named akanksha, she is 2.5 yrs old,,,,but i am unemployed 2 yrs ,,i know when u become a dad u r many hopes.
Guru
My belated wishes for your kids... I feel sorry for having missed them to wish to the right time.... May almighty shower all his blessings on your family.....
With regards
Chandoo,
Congratulations. Please give you children a big Happy Birthday (one day late) from me. Enjoy, they grow up very fast
Gene
@all.. thanks for the wishes and blessings. We had a fantastic weekend with all the relatives, friends. Kids loved the cake, enjoyed the beach and had fun playing with gifts. Here are some photos..
Chandoo & family - greetings from Ireland, hope you enjoyed the day!