Juletip #15 -The Magic Behind the Visual Analytics Dashboard: Precision Containers & Layered Objects

[PiaRønnevik]

Step into the holiday spirit with this dashboard showcasing fun facts about Christmas in Norway! It blends seasonal charm with data-driven storytelling - proof that analytics can be merry and bright.

Here’s what the data sleigh delivered:

• Christmas trends in Norway shifted significantly from 2010 to 2024.
• Imported Christmas trees dropped by 51%, while festive decorations soared by 146%.
• Imported Christmas decorations have shown a steady rise over time, while Imported Christmas tree lighting show a moderate but consistent rise.

But enough about the numbers - let’s unwrap how this dashboard came to life!

1. Dataset

The data was obtained from Statistics Norway, and can be found here: Fakta om jul – SSB. After downloading the tables as Excel files, they were combined into a single dataset and then uploaded to Visual Analytics for analysis.

2. Colors

To capture an authentic Christmas atmosphere, this Juletip uses a holiday-inspired palette that balances warmth with clean and structured design. Each color serves a purpose:

• Forest green (#729575): A muted, natural tone perfect for bars, lines or subtle accents.
• Light green (#92B396): A softer complementary shade, ideal for highlights or secondary components.
• Festive red (#C61610): A bold, vibrant color that draws attention to key metrics or emerging trends.
• Warm cream (#F6F3E0): A gentle background tone that enhances readability and balances the overall palette.

To customize colors using hex codes in Visual Analytics, start by selecting the object you want to modify, then open Options in the right pane and find the relevant color setting (like Background, Fill, or Font Color). Click the color picker and switch to Hex input, then enter your desired hex code (for example 729575) and confirm by pressing OK. The object will update instantly, and finally save the report to preserve your changes.

3. Page setup

To structure the dashboard layout, a Precision container was chosen as it provides precise positioning and layering of objects. The Precision container could be found in the Objects pane on the left:

Once added, its appearance was refined using Options in the right pane. The Warm cream color was selected as the Background style of the container. This enhances readability, draws attention to the data and adds a subtle holiday-inspired touch. 

4. Image

To create an instant Christmas vibe, a picture was incorporated using the Image Object in the left pane: 

The image was placed thoughtfully on the left side of the container, ensuring it enhances the surrounding charts and tables without disrupting the overall visual balance of the layout.

5. Header text

A Text object was added to the top of the dashboard from the left pane. After double-clicking to edit, the title “Fun Facts About Christmas in Norway” was entered and styled in Forest green (size 30, bold). The Background style was set to the Warm cream color using the Options panel on the right.

6. Bar charts 

Four calculated items were created to represent:

• Imported Christmas trees (2010 and 2024)
• Imported Christmas decorations (2010 and 2024)

These were built using the Calculated Item feature in the Data section in the left pane:

The logic behind these calculations is illustrated below (demonstrating how one value was constructed):

Additionally, calculated items were used to generate a category variable as shown below:

Using these calculated items, two Bar chart objects were added from the left pane and positioned beneath the header text to visually compare Imported Christmas Trees and Decorations for the years 2010 and 2024. The new category item was assigned as the Category under Roles in the right pane, and in the first Bar chart the two years of Imported Christmas Trees was assigned as Measure. The second Bar chart used the same setup for Decorations.

Several adjustments were applied to both Bar charts by using Options in the right pane:

• Changed the direction of the bars to vertical.
• Removed axis labels for a cleaner look.
• Styled the bars with the two green colors defined above. 
• Added clear bold titles (font size 16) with descriptive headings:
  • Imported Christmas Trees in 2010 and 2024.
  • Imported Christmas Decorations in 2010 and 2024.

7. Key values - The magic touch

To highlight the percentage change in imports from 2010 to 2024, two Aggregated Measures were calculated. The example below illustrates the logic behind one of these calculations:

The magic touch comes from displaying these percentage changes in two Key Value objects positioned above each bar chart. Placing them within a Precision container is essential, as it allows the Key Values to be positioned independently of the charts.The following adjustments were applied to the Key values via the Options in the right pane:

• The Measure Label was removed.

• The Measure Value was styled with the Festive red color for maximum visibility.

To ensure these values appear in front of the Bar charts, the Outline in the left pane was used: each Key value object was selected, right-clicked and Send to Front was applied.

8. List table

Below the first Bar chart, a List Table was added from the Objects in the left pane, to provide a detailed view of Christmas-related data. The table includes the following Columns: Year, Exported Christmas Trees, Imported Christmas Tree Lighting, Imported Christmas Decorations and Imported Christmas Trees. This allows viewers to quickly access specific import and export values for each year, serving as a practical complement to the high-level insights presented in the other visualizations.

To improve readability and maintain visual consistency across the dashboard, the following styling updates were applied via the Options in the right pane:

• Header background color: Forest green.
• Cell background color: Light green.
• Text color: White for both headers and cells.

9. Time series Plot

To illustrate trends over time, a Time Series Plot from Objects was placed next to the List table. This chart displays yearly data for Imported Christmas tree lighting and Imported Christmas decorations, making it easy for viewers to track changes and spot patterns across the years.

Several refinements were applied via Options in the right pane:

• The custom title was updated to be precise: “Imported Christmas Tree Lighting and Imported Christmas Decorations, by Year.”
• The title was double-clicked, and styled in bold with a font size of 16 to ensure consistency and prominence across the dashboard.
• The Line/Marker Style was set to Forest and Light Green. 

That wraps up this year’s Juletip! I hope you picked up some useful ideas for your Visual Analytics reports. Wishing you a joyful Christmas filled with warmth, laughter and time well spent with friends and family!