Introduction
The following report analyses the case of data visualization for Hotels.com and contributing factors that can improve the usability of the information. The case of Hotels.com is observed closely as relevant attributes and entities are defined. The report highlights the importance of specific attributes such as hotel locations, frequently used features, and peak booking times and how they relate to changes to firm operations. The ability to use relevant and high-quality information in modern business intelligence tools and visual data presentations allows firms to save time, increase engagement, and improve decision-making procedures.
Analysis
The presentation of information through visuals or data visualization can provide firms with a number of benefits. The five primary advantages that can be achieved include the higher attention retention that comes from seeing data visually, a rise in social engagement, a greater quantity of information presented, visual data is more easily remembered and often overcomes barriers in comprehension, such as language or understanding of certain unique industry factors. Visuals, due to certain features such as varied shapes and colors, are more likely to grab the attention of those that are targeted, such as customers, stakeholders, or other investors in a business (IBM Cloud Education, 2021). It is for that reason that data acquired from a visual source is also more easily remembered and becomes meaningful.
Because visual data is able to present certain information or informed conclusions in an obvious or cohesive way, it is likely to stimulate social engagement or conversion. Similarly, it is more accessible to individuals that may otherwise be unable to interpret the information through numerical or written formats. A higher quantity of information may also be presented through visual components, whereas the same amount of data may take more space, effort, or time to present through a written format.
Higher engagement, memorability, and exposure have a number of effects on a firm’s operations. Because visual presentation eases the communication of significant information, functions in various settings of the firm may observe improvements. This is because a better understanding of meaningful data is likely to allow employees, customers, and stakeholders alike to make decisions or conduct actions in a way that is more informed and less time-consuming. As a result, improvements in business operations could be influenced by the ways in which information is shared and presented throughout the company.
A business intelligence, or BI, dashboard is a tool that provides a company with the ability to record, analyze, and take action throughout firm operations by observing key performance indicators or by utilizing other metrics. Most BI dashboards provide visualized data through charts, maps, graphs, or other formats (Microsoft, n.d.). Stakeholders and leaders within a firm are able to utilize the created data visualizations in order to understand the state of the company and easily share and discuss related information. A BI dashboard allows for a number of advantages to a firm including time-saving as a result of automated data collection, easy communication and exchanges between stakeholders and company employees, and increased understanding of firm performance.
It is also possible to improve the release or launching of new products through appropriate utilization of data visualization. The use of fitting analytics tools is inherently necessary as it is able to organize, group, and monitor data. Information that is more adaptable to the release of certain products can be best achieved through the attributes that are prominent in the visual aspects of data presentation. Initial steps can work to track current market strategies. This allows a firm to observe changes and trends in their strategies over certain periods of time while discerning weaknesses or strengths in current methods (Kochlar et al., 2020). The visual element allows those that view the data to spot contrast and differences at a faster pace. Similarly, market influences become accessible to data interpreters. Because factors that change the nature of the market can be numerous or difficult to identify, the visual aspect can allow for increased insight. When the product launch has already occurred, it is also important to monitor the sales process. It may be compared with the release of previous products and the visual presentation of the ongoing launch and the previous one can be better understood. Essentially, visual elements in data presentation allow for more clarity and cohesion between different measurements. A product launch can be a very vulnerable phase for a firm and having coherent and easily comparable data components can ease the transition and allow for changes at appropriate times.
Solution
As the case study presents, the integration of visual data and related tools has many benefits. However, the issue of identifying relevant or high-quality information remains vital to the success of implementing data in company operations. Hotels.com identifies five primary attributes of useful information which are accuracy, completeness, uniqueness, timeliness, and consistency. Accuracy refers to information that is correct and not from a questionable or unreliable source. Completeness defines the information that is not missing any components or additional data (Joshi, 2021). Uniqueness requires information to have no duplicates in the current system used for data analysis. Timeliness assures that the information is relevant, up-to-date, and able to satisfy customer needs. Consistency determines that the information is compatible with other data and does not directly contradict existing information. The presence of all these attributes assures that a firm upholds usable data. In the case that information is of low quality, the visual presentation of data may be inconsistent or inefficient and therefore, potentially harmful to company operations (Brush, n.d.). As such, the solution requires data filtration to judge all incoming information by the fermented components to ensure data is accurate, complete, relevant, consistent, and unique.
In order to further implement a solution of appropriately utilized visual data, it is important to observe the entities and attributes that appear in the Hotels.com database. The entities of Hotels.com include the hotel companies that operate on the web site’s network, their holding companies, and the company personnel of Hotels.com. Other attributes of these hotels can include locations, number of rooms, and additional features and services of the hotels. Holding companies feature attributes including subsidiary hotel chains and additional projects or firms. The personnel of Hotels.com is an essential attribute as their characteristics of the location, work hours, and other factors. Other attributes and entities may be present, especially as Hotels.com makes expansions into further hotel chains or into other business ventures outside of hotel networks. The identification of these entities and attributes is essential in the categorization of data, as an accurate grouping allows for clarity when data is presented.
Justification
- Data visualization presents a complete list and easily monitorable features regarding entities and attributes. The emptied solutions for data filtration and identifying company entities and attributes can be achieved through relevant business intelligence tools. This process can be driven by features that aim to identify patterns of market trends and modify current business processes.
- Data visualization allows accounting for external and internal factors. Hotels.com is currently utilizing BI to spot trends both internal and external to the firm. This can include the detection of elements that are popular through the website’s data. For instance, certain hotel chains, locations, or seasons may prove to be more popular with customers. Finding indicative data that can find popular peaks of hotel reservations and the use of other services can allow the firm to implement changes that make these segments more profitable.
- The ability to discern between certain components such as locations that are more highly reviewed can allow the site to publicize them to more clients (Park, 2018). BI tools are able to locate these segments of increased engagement from customers and provide the data to company leaders. Changes that are relevant can then be made to make these locations, features, or time frames more profitable.
Conclusion
Currently, existing tools allow firms to make better use of their data analytics. This primarily includes the benefits of utilizing visual data which improve clarity, engagement, and ability to make informed decisions among company leaders, stakeholders, and employees. Similarly, in the specific case of Hotels.com, it was identified that five features are necessary to identify high-quality information as it is integral to the presentation of accurate and insightful information. Similarly, the entities of Hotels.com include hotels, holding companies, and personnel. The locations and peak seasons have been determined to be especially relevant as their presence in data analytics allows firm leaders to make informed changes to company operations to increase profitability.
References
Brush, K. (n.d.). Data visualization. TechTarget. Web.
IBM Cloud Education. (2021). Data visualization. IBM. Web.
Joshi, A. (2021). Five Primary Characteristics of High-Quality Data. Grespr. Web.
Kochlar, D., Meenakshi, S. P., & Dubey, S. (2020). Applications of Visualization Techniques.Data visualization, 1(1), 93-114. Web.
Microsoft. (n.d.). Data visualization. Microsoft. Web.
Park, K. S. (2018). Hotel business intelligence: Why hotels need BI. Shiji Insights. Web.