{"id":17088,"date":"2024-03-28T19:54:46","date_gmt":"2024-03-28T16:54:46","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/railsware.com\/blog\/?p=17088"},"modified":"2025-11-20T18:56:41","modified_gmt":"2025-11-20T15:56:41","slug":"3d-view-of-data","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/railsware.com\/blog\/3d-view-of-data\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Streamline Decision-Making with a 3D View of Data"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
For most business leaders, making decisions with data isn\u2019t a speedy process. Take a recent survey by McKinsey<\/a>, for example, where 57% of C-level executives reported not using their decision-making time effectively. Even when we make this activity a priority, many of us struggle to stay on task and reach a verdict within the deadline.<\/div>\n\n\n\n

There\u2019s more than one reason for that, and I don\u2019t claim to have the cure. However, anyone can take their decision-making game to the next level by seizing the right approaches. Even the most unglamorous of tools \u2013 the spreadsheet \u2013 holds a ton of potential. You just need to know how to organize and customize it properly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So, let me introduce the concept of 3D View of Data \u2013 a clever way to squeeze more business insights out of your spreadsheet dashboards. It won\u2019t take long to implement this approach and see the benefits, which include easier access to contextual data, improved focus, and a faster decision-making process in general.<\/p>\n\n\n

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What is a 3D View of Data?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

A 3D View of Data is an approach to consolidating business data in a large, well-organized spreadsheet. It\u2019s a convenient way to analyze related data in one place, without overcrowding the dashboard or overwhelming yourself.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In more technical terms, it involves embedding additional data within a spreadsheet row, cell, or column. Only by clicking on the element can you reveal this bonus information. In an instant, you get a compact, layered view that allows you to explore a specific data point in more detail.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

3D View of Data in action<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

For example, let\u2019s say you are looking at a product team dashboard<\/a> that contains information on all teams: engineering, design, etc. While reviewing marketing numbers, you decide to dig a bit deeper into team allocations. You want to know why the team number says 6.5, for example, and not just 6.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Instead of switching to another tab and scanning your org map, you click on the cell labeled \u2018marketing\u2019 in the spreadsheet, revealing a neat list of names, roles, and percentage of allocation to each marketing project. There it is \u2013 the 0.5 in your team number accounts for a part-timer or someone with a 50\/50 allocation between 2 projects.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Here\u2019s a similar example from a Railsware company overview dashboard (otherwise known as one of my \u2018dashboards of dashboards,\u2019 built to consolidate key data from projects, products, and functions). The right side of the image demonstrates a 3D View of one of our product teams. The data is ordered by function and extent of allocation.<\/p>\n\n\n

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I call this approach \u20183D View of Data\u2019 because it brings clarity and dimension to numbers on the screen. It\u2019s almost like looking at a cutaway drawing of a multi-story building. Imagine a structure that holds all of your business data: each floor represents a different function, and every room stores specific insights.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Instead of taking the metaphorical elevator up and down, you see related information displayed side by side. The magic of this approach lies in choosing<\/em> what you see, exactly when you want to see it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Why take a 3D View approach to data analysis?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Before I dive into the benefits of this approach, let\u2019s take a step back and examine why many business leaders struggle with data-driven decision-making.<\/p>\n\n\n\n