mobile business intelligence designmind
DESCRIPTION
Author: Angel Abundez | Today's executives and information workers want to use mobile devices to get at their business information so they can make critical decisions and thrive. Let's help them get there with SQL Server Reporting Services (SSRS) and SharePoint. Tablets and smart phones are ubiquitous, but are we making effective use of them? We'll discuss the design approach to launch mission-critical dashboards and reports on smaller screen sizes using touch-screen technology. We'll look at iPad and Windows Phone, SSRS, and SharePoint from the perspectives of BI developers and business users, with an emphasis on data visualization best practices. You'll learn about: • Current mobile apps that deliver BI on the Microsoft platform • Pros and cons of each delivery type • Resources for mobile BI development • How to design SSRS reports for mobile devices • How to design PerformancePoint dashboards for mobile devices • Administering cloud services for SQL Server and SSRSTRANSCRIPT
November 6-9, Seattle, WA
Mobile Business Intelligencewith SSRS & SharePoint
Angel AbundezLead BI Consultant
DesignMind
Angel Abundez
Business Intelligence Consultant, DesignMind• Microsoft BI - ASP.NET – Tableau• SQL Server since 2007• SSWUG BI Author• Co-Lead Microsoft Bay Area BI User Group• Blog: http://angelsbiblog.com• Twitter: @AngelStreamline
DesignMind• San Francisco - California - West Coast• Microsoft Gold Certified Partner • SQL Server, .NET, SharePoint, Business Intelligence• www.designmind.com
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AgendaOptions for Mobile BI• Web Browser• Native Apps
New Challenges• Ergonomics• User Experience
What makes good Mobile BI?
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Why is Mobile BI important?33% of BI will be consumed on Mobile Devices by the end of 2013 (Source: Gartner)
Tablet and Smartphone Sales grow over 100% each year (Source: ABI Research)
119M Projected Tablet sales in 2012 (Source: Gartner)
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Why is Mobile BI important?
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Source: JenUnderwood.com
Mobile BI Options – Delivery Platforms
SharePoint 2010• Performance Point Services • Excel Services • For iOS, use CU 2011-12
SSRS Report Manager• Limited Support for iOS devices
in SQL Server 2012 SP1
3rd Party ($)• Mobile Entreé• DevExpress• Strategy Companion
MOBILE WEB BROWSER NATIVE APPS
Mobile Reports Pro
Build your own
3rd Party ($$$)• Tableau• RoamBI• PushBI• MicroStrategy
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Mobile BI Architecture Considerations
Pros• Easier Cross-Platform
Development and Testing• Low Cost. Fast Implementation.• Support for Authentication in IE,
Firefox, and Safari• Got SQL Server? Quick mobile
turn-aroundCons• Limiting Navigation and Screen
Real Estate• Browser CSS rendering differences• No cached data unless HTML5
(Mobile Entrée‘)
MOBILE WEB BROWSER NATIVE APP
Pros• Multi-gesture Controls• Caching• Pop-Up Menus, Navigation Tricks,
Screen Real-Estate utilization• Communicate with other apps
Cons• Unfamiliar Multi-gesture Controls• High Cost/Risk. Slow
implementation• Cross-Platform app developers
needed• OS/Hardware Updates
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Mobile BI Development Considerations
Pros• Pixel Perfect Layout/Customization• Advanced Visualizations (Bullet
Graphs, Maps, Sparklines, Data Bars)
Cons• Postbacks refresh report all at
once. AKA Flicker• Browser CSS rendering differences• Different developers, Different
styles
SQL Server Reporting Services 2012 Performance Point Services
Pros• Consistent Look and Feel• Pre-built Functionality • Ad Hoc Visualizations• Callbacks refresh dashboards
Cons• Requires an OLAP cube to take
advantage of prebuilt functions• Customization requires coding of
master pages/CSS
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November 6-9, Seattle, WA
SharePoint Mobile BIDemo
Challenges in Mobile BI
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Security
Design Cross-Platform
Performance Real Estate
Challenges in Mobile BI - Security
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Security• VPN• SSL (HTTPS, SQL Server Encryption)• SOAP/REST APIs• Mobile Device Management (Zenprise, Symantec)• Remote Control over Apps & Settings
Challenges in Mobile BI - Security
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Symantec SSL Assistant• Install IIS Role in Windows Server 2008• Generate CSR with Assistant and submit to Symantec upon Payment.• Install SSL Certificate with Assistant
Challenges in Mobile BI - Performance
• SSRS Report Caching and Snapshots
• Minimize SharePoint Customization reducing roundtrips
• Data Warehousing (Columnstoreand Compression)
• Data Model and Self-Service BI (PowerPivot)
• SSAS UDM• SQL Server 2012 BI Semantic
Model (OLAP or Tabular)
Software Hardware
• SSD• Cloud-based servers• Dedicated Server Roles: Web-
Front End, Indexing, Database server, SSAS, SSIS, SSRS
• Cellular coverage and Carrier (LTE, HDSPA, CDMA) (AT&T, Verizon, Sprint)
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Challenges in Mobile BI - Design
User Experience• Highlight what’s important• Filter where, when, whom appropriate• Drill-Down/Drill-Through• *Pop-up Menus (Native Apps)
Ergonomics• “Keep to a rhythm of 44 pixels”• Keep thumbs happy on smartphones• Portrait/Landscape Modes• Don’t forget Keyboard in Landscape mode• “Be a Scroll Skeptic”
Features that can help• Callbacks instead of Postbacks• Lists instead of Tables• Gradients instead of Solid
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Report Item ActionsPerformancePoint FiltersScorecard Data Connections
Left thumb comfort zone
Source: Tapworthy: Designing Great iPhone Apps
Challenges in Mobile BI - Design
Drill-Down• SSRS Charts > Category Groups• SSRS Tablix > Row Groups or Column Groups.• PPS Filters and Data Connections
Drill-Through • Opens up a whole new report showing transactional detail.
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November 6-9, Seattle, WA
Drill-Down/Drill-ThroughDemo on Performance Point and SSRS
“Multi-touch gestures are often forgotten…”
“Fingers are remarkable things. We can test the weather, test the direction of the wind, plug a leak, but not precision tapping on a mobile device.”
“Keep to a rhythm of 44 pixel tap targets.”
“Keep the interface (technology) essentially invisible.”
“Nobody wants to spend brain power figuring out how your app works.”
Challenges in Mobile BI - Design
Challenges in Mobile BI - Design
Source: Tapworthy: Designing Great iPhone Apps
Challenges in Mobile BI - Design
Bullet Graph ComparativeBar Chart
Sparkline and Indicator
Trellis Chart
Mobi Reports Pro & Mobi SSRS View SQL Reporting Services
Reports Supports SSRS 2005, 2008,
2008 R2, 2012, Azure SSRS in Native and SharePoint modes
Parameters support Drill-Down and Drill-Through
reports Navigate between multiple
reports quickly with Bookmarks and History
Print and Email Reports
November 6-9, Seattle, WA
SSRS Mobile BIInteractivity Demo
Conclusion
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• Microsoft has options for Mobile BI
• Cost vs. Functionality vs. User Experience will tell you which platform
• Practice good Security principles
• Fundamental BI and Mobile App design (KISS)
• Making it easy for users is hard, but the rewards for adoption are great
Learn More
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Sources• SharePoint December 2011 Cumulative Update
http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/hh697482.aspx#part1
• SQL Server 2012 SP1 http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/jj659023.aspx
• Prerequisites for Forcing Protocal Encryption with SSL Certificateshttp://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms189067(v=sql.100).aspx
• Jen Stirrup, SQL Server MVP UKJenstirrup.com
• Jen Underwood, Technical Evangelist, MicrosoftJenUnderwood.com
• Stacia Misner’s SQL Azure Reporting Services webinarhttp://www.syncfusion.com/resources/webinar/sql-azure
• Mobiweave.com
• 5 Best Mobile BI Tips by Tableauhttp://tableausoftware.com/mobile-business-intelligence
PASS Resources
Free SQL Server and BI training Free 1-day Training Events Regional Event
Local and Virtual User Groups Free Online Technical Training
Learning Center
This is Community
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November 6-9, Seattle, WA
Thank youfor attending this session and the 2012 PASS Summit in Seattle
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