As a QlikView designer, it is your task to organize data in a way that lets the users navigate comfortably through it and create structures that allow them to easily find what they are looking for. In a way, a good navigation schema is like your Internet connection. If it works well, nobody notices. If not, be prepared for a tidal wave of complaints.
Just as books are structured in chapters, QlikView applications are divided into tabs in order to organize the information. Most of the time, you can rely on the standard tab row to do this job. However, if you need some extra spice in your interface, you can manage the sheets manually via buttons and actions. Just go to Settings |Document Properties | General and select the Hide Tabrow option. This feature is usually a little harder to maintain, but it can help you create a more stylish look:
Our goal as dashboard designers is to build a robust structure that gives the users easy access to all the information they need. Most of the time, when you work on the navigation schema of a new application, it is necessary to create controls that show or hide certain objects depending on the flow of the current analysis. You can accomplish this in several ways:
- Auto-minimize: If your design involves mostly static objects and you only to need to switch between a set of graphics, the simplest solution is to use the Auto-Minimize feature (Caption tab). This option is easy to implement because you can adapt the resulting menu to the size and orientation that your dashboard demands. Just be careful with the alignment and distribution of both the minimized buttons and the expanded charts.
- Containers: The second option is to use a container object to shelter multiple charts. It is easier to maintain as it automatically adjusts the menu to the number of objects inside it. However, it is also a little less flexible due to its limited number of styles.
- Object visibility: The most flexible option is to modify each chart's visibility by adding a Show Conditional statement in the Layout tab. Although it might require some extra work, this alternative allows you to show or hide any object based on a selection, the content of a variable, or the user's credentials.
Traditionally, logos are classified as ornamental elements that only serve for branding purposes. However, you can improve your dashboard's usability if you endow the logos with some functionality.
What happens when you click on the logo of your favorite website? Most of the time, it takes you back to the home page where you can start browsing again, right? Well, in the same manner we can add some actions to the logos in our dashboard in order to return to its default state. This concept may vary from sheet to sheet, but it usually starts with a Clear All action, and after that, it may select the current date, the end of the previous month, or even a group of the most important customers.
By doing this, you will give the users an alternative to the Clear button that can save them a couple of clicks while making their QlikView experience more comfortable. Don't forget that a truly stunning dashboard is always created by paying the most attention to the tiniest details.