Project Description
The modern business world is a highly competitive environment characterized by the presence of multiple actors struggling to gain a competitive advantage. Moreover, various factors influence organizations’ work, meaning that the decision-making process becomes more complex and demands improved analytic skills and additional tools. The human resource (HR) sphere also acquires extra importance as it is another aspect affecting companies and their success. HR daily transactions include detailed information about employees, their personal information, certificates, education level, benefits, performance, incentive programs, and training. In a world of ever-increasing data volumes, many organizations face problems regarding processing this information to make a strategic decision and achieve the current goals. Numerous leaders experience difficulties transforming HR data into meaningful, helpful, and useful information, helping to improve decision-making. It means that providing managers with data visualization tools might help to enhance processes fundamental for the business world.
For this reason, the project focus on investigating available data visualization tools and their usefulness for presenting information and fostering analytical processes. The term involves employing images, graphics, charts, and maps to represent particular information portions and make them more understandable and easy to read (Sharma, 2021). It enhances the current understanding of trends, regularities, and patterns leading to better outcomes. The Dashboard is viewed as one of the most significant and useful data visualization tools helping to track, analyze and demonstrate KPI to stakeholders, which can be useful for all actors involved in the process of decision making and strategic planning.
Under these conditions, the proposed research focuses on the area of human resources data and its processing by using visualization tools such as Dashboard. The significance of the study comes from the increased practical utility of this tool and numerous benefits associated with its use regarding strategic planning and decision making. The proposed research is motivated by the necessity to introduce effective tools to manage big data portions available for managers at the moment and ensure they are processed correctly to acquire the complete image of the current situation. The need for these tools is proven by the constantly increasing amount of information and the number of factors influencing companies. Additionally, better HR management is also linked to higher success rates, meaning that research is relevant. It will expand knowledge about available methods to organize the aligned work of companies and make them successful.
Problem Statement
However, HR managers face a growing quantity of problems linked to their daily tasks, such as monitoring performance and outcomes, ensuring employees meet their KPIs, and making the right choices and decisions vital for the future rise of companies. Additionally, they might fail to use fair reward practices, provide bonuses, promotions, training sessions, and resignations. It happens because of multiple factors, including the growth in the number of employees, increased complexity of tasks, and big data portions that should be processed to ensure positive outcomes and create the basis for future success (Sharma, 2021). Under these conditions, HR managersâ functioning becomes more challenging and sophisticated. A specialist has to process information coming from various sources and consisting of different types of data and facts, which might be challenging and demand extra effort. For instance, Sharma (2021) states that the modern HR manager should acquire additional competencies vital for this successful processing of data and its successful transformation into valuable units that should be used to create the basis for future success. At the same time, the lack of available tools might limit chances for successful analysis of available HR data and precondition the emergence of numerous mistakes.
At the same time, the existing research proves that the employment of specific methods available at the moment might help to simplify the task and attain better results. Gupta (2019) says that data visualization tools might help to improve decision-making linked to the HR sphere. Additionally, these approaches play a promising and beneficial role in the HR process and its enhancement. It means that the discovered problem of data processing might be resolved by using visualization tools such as dashboards due to their favorable influence of structuring and presenting information and its transformation into knowledge. However, Gupta (2019) assumes that the creation of a potent visualization method demands a clear understanding of the current situation, available data, and approaches to structure it. Under these conditions, the project is also focused on the problem of designing effective and useful dashboards that might assist managers in decision-making and strategic planning.
Considering the information provided above, the following two primary research questions are formulated:
- Q1: How does visualization impact decision-making regarding the HR sphere?
- Q2: What are the steps to build a helpful dashboard improving decision making and strategic planning?
In such a way, the given questions help to understand the research problem. It is vital to analyze the existing issue of data processing peculiar to the work of HR managers and emerging because of the increasing amount of data. It will also promote determining the effectiveness of visualization regarding decision-making and steps needed to create a potent dashboard.
Objectives
Considering the research questions formulated above and the nature of the problem under investigation, the following objectives are introduced:
- To determine problems HR managers face because of data processing
- To investigate the importance of visualization tools
- To outline the positive effects of data visualization tools on decision making, planning, and action taking
- To deliver a dashboard with all needed information about employees and graphs.
- To improve HR employee performance (taking decisions and actions) based on reliable information
- To enhance reaching organizational goals by monitoring and evaluating employeesâ productivity.
The given research objectives will help to enhance the current understanding of the problem and acquire several benefits. First, the better vision of problems HR managers face in their work will lead to an improved idea of how to resolve them. Second, proving the positive correlation between data visualization and decision making, it is possible to create the basis for the successful integration of these tools into the work of companies and organizations. Finally, by creating a dashboard with information, it is possible to improve HR managers and employee performance and help organizations, employing this dashboard to increase their effectiveness and attain various goals.
Methodology
The project presupposes using a mixed qualitative-quantitative approach to collect and process data. During the analysis phase, the qualitative methods to analyze available data from various sources and techniques to create dashboards will be used (Cresswell & Clark, 2017). It will help to determine important factors linked to the problem and use them in the following research. Second, during the analysis phase, qualitative methods will also be employed to collect data from surveys, observations, and interviews. The design phase implies creating a dashboard to provide HR workers with a visualization tool. At the same time, the evaluation phase will be characterized by using the quantitative approach to test the offered dashboards to determine their effectiveness and select the best one.
In general, the following research steps are planned:
Analysis and Design: Different dashboards will be analyzed to figure the most suitable presentation for serving HR purposes and have a stander criterion for dashboard building.
Data Gathering and Pre-Processing: Data from surveys and interviews will be prepared for the research and processed for useful and meaningful visualization.
Development: In the development phase, several reports and dashboards will be presented.
Literature Review
The existing body of literature acknowledges multiple problems HR managers face today. Thus, Sharma (2021) states that today HRM considers a more important and strategic role, working with more complex issues and solving employees and organizationsâ problems. It means that the scope of challenges they face every day increases. Today, HR managers have to process enormous amounts of data to ensure the stable work of all systems and create the basis for future improvement (Sharma, 2021). It means that specialists demand potent instruments to perform their duties at a high level and avoid mistakes reducing outcomes. For this reason, the need for specific methods becomes obvious. Mahalle et al. (2021) support this idea and say that using extra approaches is an essential part of specialistsâ work today. Under these conditions, data visualization tools acquire the top priority as one of the possible ways to reduce mistakes rate and increase the productivity of managers working in this sphere (Gupta, 2019). Employing the methods available at the moment, HR managers can cope with the increased diversity of tasks and be more productive in resolving issues emerging every day and influencing specialistsâ performance.
Dashboards and data visualization tools are becoming more popular in the modern business world. Thus, Nadj et al. (2021) assume that a common specialist has to work with various data portions coming from different sources, which is impossible without using an appropriate method. Under these conditions, the discussed tools create the basis for future improvement and increased effectiveness by providing individuals with an opportunity to avoid overcomplexity and address several issues simultaneously (Margherita & Bua, 2021). From this perspective, dashboards become a possible solution to the problem of increased information portions and the necessity to process them. Hehman and Xie (2021) support this idea and states that dashboards can be viewed as a potent and flexible data visualization tool allowing HR managers to structure available information and create the most relevant solutions vital for promoting positive change and attaining desired outcomes. For this reason, the modern business world becomes more focused on integrating such approaches into the work of companies as the method to generate a competitive advantage and attain success.
The popularity and spread of visualization tools are also explained by their positive influence on decision-making, strategic planning, and action-taking processes. For instance, Ma and Millet (2021) outline the direct correlation between the use of dashboards and better decision-making. Managers relying on dashboards or similar tools usually demonstrate higher performance and results compared to specialists who disregard this method. Under these conditions, it is possible to assume that specific visualization tools promote business intelligence and create the ground for making better decisions, which is vital in the modern business world. Additionally, Gowan (2020) is sure that such methods are critical for integrating innovative methods as they can be performed by using innovative strategies and devices. In such a way, it is possible to conclude that numerous investigators view dashboards as potent tools vital for better decision-making in the HR sphere. Their employment can help to attain better results and avoid mistakes in planning.
Roadmap
Ethical Issues
The project implies working with HR specialists, meaning that it is possible to address possible ethical issues. First, the code of ethics for research with human beings should be used. Permission will be taken for all interviews with employees, as well as a confirmation to test HR performance using the dashboard before applying it to real-life conditions. All participants should provide their informed consent to avoid possible conflicts. The individuals engaged in the study will be informed that their participation is voluntary, and they can leave at any stage. At the same time, all data provided by them will remain confidential and will not be used for other purposes. Moreover, the anonymity of participants will be guaranteed to ensure they provide relevant and accurate information. Following this strategy, it is possible to avoid ethical issues and ensure no problem of this sort will corrupt data.
Expected Deliverables
It is expected that the following deliverables will be acquired. First, the project will promote a better understanding of the tasks HR managers face today and the complexities they have regarding the growing amount of data they have to process. Second, the significance of data visualization tools and dashboards for business intelligence and decision-making will be proven. The study will also contribute to an enhanced vision of how to integrate specific visualization tools into the work of companies and improve their performance. Moreover, upon completing the research, it is expected to deliver a dashboard for HR employees based on the analysis of conducted surveys, observations, and trials. The usefulness of various approaches for creating dashboards will also be outlined. The delivered dashboard is expected to improve HR employee performance and help in the decision-making process in different organizations. In such a way, the research has a practical and theoretical utility justified by its nature and expected results.
References
Cresswell, J., & Clark, V. (2017). Designing and conducting mixed methods research (3rd ed.). SAGE Publications Inc.
Gowan, J. (2020). Energy and analytics: Big data and building technology integration. Routledge.
Gupta, V. (2019). An analysis of data visualization tools. International Journal of Computer Applications, 178(10), 4-7. Web.
Hehman, E., & Xie, S. Y. (2021). Doing better data visualization. Advances in Methods and Practices in Psychological Science, 4(4). Web.
Ma, Q., & Millet, B. (2021). Design guidelines for immersive dashboards. Proceedings of the Human Factors and Ergonomics Society Annual Meeting, 65(1), 1524â1528. Web.
Mahalle, P., Shinde, G., Pise, P., & Deshmukh, J. (2021). Foundations of data science for engineering problem solving. Springer.
Margherita, E., & Bua, I. (2021). The role of human resource practices for the development of operator 4.0 in industry 4.0 organisations: A literature review and a research agenda. Businesses 1(1), 18-33. Web.
Nadj, M., Maedche, A., & Schieder, C. (2020). The effect of interactive analytical dashboard features on situation awareness and task performance. Decision Support Systems, 135, 113322. Web.
Sharma, D. (2021). Analysis of challenges facing human resources management in current scenario. International Journal of Innovative Technology and Exploring Engineering, 8(6), 159-161.
Wagner, R. (2019). The business-model âflagâ: A visualization tool for pitching financials. SSRN Electronic Journal. Web.