SAP Analytics Cloud's Optimized Design Experience (ODE): New Features and Improvements

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SAP Analytics Cloud's Optimized Design Experience (ODE): New Features and Improvements

 In the ever-evolving landscape of data analytics, design plays a pivotal role in shaping user interactions and driving business outcomes. SAP Analytics Cloud (SAC) recognizes this importance and has introduced the Optimized Design Experience (ODE). Whether you are a data analyst, business user, or a dashboard designer, ODE empowers you to create compelling and efficient dashboards. Let’s explore the key enhancements and usability improvements within ODE.

Why ODE Matters?

1. User-Centric Dashboards: ODE prioritizes user needs, ensuring that your dashboards are intuitive, visually appealing, and aligned with your audience’s expectations.

2. Performance Boost: ODE optimizes dashboard performance, especially in scenarios where responsiveness and speed are critical, eliminating sluggish load times!

3. Streamlined Workflow: Designers benefit from a smoother experience, allowing them to focus on insights rather than technical hurdles.

Key Improvements in ODE

1.  Design Time Undo / Redo:

• Designers can now undo and redo actions during dashboard creation, allowing for quick reversal of accidental deletions or changes.

2.  Redesigned Chart Builder Panel and Add-Ons:

• The Chart Builder Panel is now more discoverable.
• Consolidated chart types are available in a single menu.
• Expanded dropdowns for dimension and measure selection.
• Introduced a section for chart add-ons.

       

3.  Available Objects List:

• Displays all objects associated with your data model.
• Designers can:
• View the complete member list.
• Add objects via drag-and-drop or the ‘more’ action icon.
• Easily identify dimension types using icons.

4. Existing Usability Improvements from Optimized View Mode:

• ODE inherits enhancements from Optimized View Mode (OVM):
• Ghost Loading Indicators: Provide visual feedback during data loading.
• Tooltip Improvements: Enhance clarity for users.
• Access and Configuration of Visualization Information: Streamlined access to details.
• Collapsed Input Controls: Optimize screen real estate.
• Discoverability Hierarchy Improvements: Enhance interaction and navigation.

Enabling Optimized Design Experience

1. For Existing Stories:

• Open an existing story in SAP Analytics Cloud.
• Switch to Edit Mode.
• From the file menu, select Edit Story > Convert to Optimized Design Experience.

 2. For New Stories:

• From the SAP Analytics Cloud Home screen, select Stories.
• Choose either a Responsive or Canvas page.
• In the Select Design Mode Type dialog, pick Optimized Design Experience and click Create.

Remember, ODE isn’t just a feature; it’s a mindset. By embracing ODE, you will create dashboards that resonate with users, drive insights, and elevate your data storytelling.

Features and functionalities within ODE

Features	Description
File	Functions such as sharing stories, saving stories, and adjusting story settings can be accessed within the 'File' menu.
Save	The 'Save' option allows users to save the current state of the dashboard and choose a different location if needed. The users can also save their dashboards as a template for reuse.
Share	The 'Share' option allows users to share their dashboards with other users or teams. Additionally, users can choose 'Publish to Catalog' for easy access of the stories.
Edit Story	Using 'Edit Story' option, users can access and modify the story details, configure query settings, and adjust view time settings.
Edit	In the 'Edit' tab, you will find several settings related to story tasks, such as the ability to undo and redo actions, refresh content, as well as perform copy and paste operations.
Data Refresh	In the ‘Data Refresh’ tab, users can manually trigger data refreshing, establish automatic data refresh intervals, and optimize loading preferences.
Copy & Duplicate	In the ‘Copy & Duplicate’ tab, you can copy widgets, transfer them to different pages, and precisely replicate specific widgets before pasting them.
Insert	In the ‘Insert’ section, users can seamlessly add or insert widgets and input control to the workspace.
Charts & Tables	Under the ‘Charts’ tab, users can choose the chart type they want to create as per their requirements. By clicking the ‘Table’ tab, users can generate a table within the story.
Input Control	Using the ‘Input Control’ tab, users can create page filters that affect the required widgets on individual pages.
Add	In the ‘Add ’option, there are multiple objects that can be incorporated within the dashboard.
Filters/ Controls	Within ‘Filters/Controls’, there are various filter controllers at your disposal, such as checkboxes, sliders, and filter lines.
Text Inputs	Within the ‘Text Inputs’ section, users can include an input field as well as a text area.
Containers	Within the ‘Containers’ category, there are options such as Flow Layout Panel, Page Book, and Panel.
Planning Actions	In the ‘Planning Actions’ segment, users can find planning choices such as Data Action, Action Trigger, and BPC Planning Sequence Trigger.
Others	Under the ‘Others’ category, users can find objects like Geo Map, R-Visualization, Shapes, Images, and even a Value Driver Tree.
Custom Widgets	In the ‘Custom Widgets’, users can find specific custom widgets that, although not native to SAP, can be created as per the user’s requirement using scripting and can be added to the dashboard.
Tools	Within the ‘Tools’ section, users have the ability to perform tasks such as adding a model, linking variables, and accessing additional settings
Add New Data	In the ‘Add Data’ section, users can view the models currently in use within the story.
Edit Prompts	Within the ‘Edit Prompts’ area, users can establish links for variables.
More Tools	In the ‘More Tools’ section, users can engage in tasks such as Chart Scaling, Conditional Formatting, Linked Widget Diagrams, and Performance Optimization.
Format	Within the ‘Format’ section, users can access options for adjusting Layout, Theme, and Cascading Style Sheets (CSS).
Layouts	Through the ‘Layout’ feature, users can introduce different layouts into the story.
Theme	Within the ‘Theme’ section, users can find all the themes created on that particular tenant, and they can employ them to style the story accordingly.
Edit CSS	If users need to incorporate custom CSS styles into the story, they can do so by clicking on ‘Edit CSS’.
View	Within the ‘View’ tool, there are multiple panels available, each serving specific purposes.
Left Side Panel	In the ‘Left Side Panel’, there are three distinct sections: Filters: This section contains the filters that have been added to the story. Outer Line: This area provides a hierarchical overview of the objects added to each page, allowing users to visualize the structure. Assets: Similar to the ‘Insert’ function, this section holds various assets that users can incorporate into the story.
Right Side Panel	The ‘Right Side Panel’ is similar to the designer panel, featuring both the builder panel and styling panels within it
Info Panel	The ‘Info Panel’ object contains two sections: ‘Errors’ and ‘Reference List'.
Filter Panel	In ‘Filter Panel’, users can incorporate story filters into the project.
Advance Mode	Enabling the ‘Advance Mode’ option allows users to introduce Analytical Application features to the optimized story.
More Views	Within the ‘More Views’, section users can find the ‘Comment Mode’ and ‘Device Preview Bar’ options, both of which assist in making the story responsive and adaptable to various devices.