A pattern language for the interaction with web-based business intelligence applications

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9. Developing content components (or similar) dimensions displayed across their axes. As in practice reports are often designed by different application supervisors, assigning dimensions to axes may be done inconsistently. Some reports may even require assignments based on their orientation (e.g. when the time dimension is a lot longer and is thus displayed vertically). Therefore: Solution

Compile a list of possible report dimensions and define their default axes, paying attention to their semantics. For example, time is usually considered to be a linear, horizontal progression, while top and flop lists are oriented vertically. Compile priorities for these dimensions so that whenever two dimensions are to be on the same axis (as defined above), the one of higher priority can be identified. This pattern is terminal—there is no subordinate context.

9.2.2. Balance information volume You have created several Content components (107) providing means for Customizing displayed information (120). Problem

A business intelligence application becomes cluttered when information is distributed unevenly. The complex interconnections of the components of a business intelligence application make it hard to find a sustainable balance, which distributes contents evenly across the application. Without a balance, however the application will become cluttered and disordered, which lowers its usability and ultimately the perception of the information contained therein. The stated imbalance may e.g. concern the number of items in the Navigation (93), as well as the amount of information displayed on a single page. While at first sight no connection of both is apparent, they actually do have an influence on each other: the more information is contained within a single Content component (107) (or analogous module (87)), the smaller the number of elements in the Navigation (93). A similar dependence occurs concerning the number of customizations. In most cases a high number of customization possibilities leads to fewer information displays of lesser volume. To provide an example, a Numerical content component (111) may show manufacturing as well as sales numbers of an enterprise’s products without customization. If you use Selecting an entity from a list (130) to include a filter for single products, the display will become a lot smaller. You may further decrease its volume by splitting it up into separate spreadsheets displaying sales and manufacturing numbers and placing them in two different Navigation (93) areas—sales and production. In practice, this becomes even more complex as feasible solutions are dependent on the semantics

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