1. Bridging the Analysis Gap: Multidimensional Analysis
Ken Kozar/Tom Miaskiewicz
Leeds School of Business
University of Colorado/Boulder

2. Bridging the Analysis Gap
How do we go from data to information?
Data > Information > Knowledge > Power
Information is data that has meaning / is useful
Fruit wholesaler example (pg. 29+)
Distributes fruit in 4 markets
Sells 4 types of fruit
Sales in multiple quarters

3. Dimensions Distinct categories
Customers, geographic regions, etc.
Time, product, and market are the dimensions in the fruit wholesaler example

4. Measures Quantitative expression Measures are analyzed by dimensions
Sales, profitability, etc.
Measures are analyzed by dimensions
Sales by region by salesperson
Sales by region by product

5. Dimensions/Measures Table P-1 (Lisa Example) Store 1 2 3 4 5 YTD
Lovesick Lake
103
135
115
128
119
Wingtip 76 84
104 89
111 93
Tailspin 66 80 88 91
Contoso 35 74 95
Tkachuk 82 79

6. Multidimensional Analysis
Looking at data with single dimensions obscures interesting/useful patterns
Need to view data simultaneously categorized across many dimensions
Often more than 3 dimensions!
Time
Amount
Qtr 1
$16,000
Qtr 2
Total
$32,000
Market
Amount
Atlanta
$8,000
Chicago
Denver
Detroit
Total
$32,000
Product
Amount
Apples
$8,000
Cherries
Grapes
Melons
Total
$32,000

7. Multidimensional Analysis
Atlanta
Chicago
Denver
Detroit
TOTAL
QTR 1
Apples
$ -
$2,500
$1,500
$4,000
Cherries
$2,000
Grapes
$1,000
$3,000
Melons
TOTAL Q1
$5,000
$4,500
$3,500
$16,000
Atlanta
Chicago
Denver
Detroit
TOTAL
QTR 2
Apples
$4,000
$ -
Cherries
$1,000
$3,000
Grapes
$1,500
$2,500
Melons
$2,000
TOTAL Q1
$5,000
$3,500
$4,500
$16,000

8. The Cube Multidimensional data can be visualized as a cube
Each cell contains a specific value

9. Slicing and Dicing Two techniques used in multidimensional analysis
Slice
Member of a specific dimension
Cherries in the product dimension
Q1 in the time dimension
Dice
Intersection of a slice by another dimension
Sales of cherries by region
Sales in Q1 by product

10. Slicing and Dicing
Sales of cherries by region by time?
$8,000

11. Slicing and Dicing
Sales in Q1 by product by region?
$16,000

12. Hierarchy Data is organized in hierarchies
Different levels of organization within a single dimension
Time
2001 Q1
January
February
March Q2

13. Roll Up / Drill Down
A hierarchy enables two additional techniques in our multidimensional analysis
We can roll up the data
Bottom-up (specific to general)
We can drill down into the data
Top-down (general to specific)

14. Roll Up / Drill Down Drill down into the time dimension Time 2001 Q1
January
February
March Q2

15. Roll Up / Drill Down Roll up the time dimension Time 2001 Q1 January
February
March Q2

16. Ad-Hoc Analysis
Slicing, dicing, rolling up, etc. enable ad- hoc analysis
Unlike reporting, has no constraints
Any question can be answered quickly
What is our profitability by product and by customer?
What are our sales in January in the Northeast region by sales person?