KimberlyJang.CarolynRush

Project 3: Visualization of Generational Diversity at BC Hydro

Introduction

The use of data analysis within an organization to provide the foundation for strategic and operational decisions is a practice that is becoming increasingly imperative. Due to advances in database infrastructure and data mining technology, the population of extensive databases with increasingly enriched forms of data has become commonplace in organizations. We argue that the visualization of this enriched data can help improve the internal and external strategic decisions an organization makes.

Focus & Definitions

This program addresses the use of data analytics in an internal, organizational capacity, focusing on the effectiveness of using data that is transformed into a more visual form.

• Our focus will be looking at BC Hydro, Canada’s third largest electric utility and data specific to generational diversity within the organization.
• Generational diversity is a phrase used to describe the diversity of a workforce in regards to age, attitudes, and values. There are currently four generations within the current workforce: Traditionalists, Baby Boomers, Generation X, and Generation Y.
• A Java program (via processing) will be created to properly illustrate our argument, and to better explain the advantages of data visualization within BC Hydro.
• NOTE: The purpose of this endeavor is to make a SIMPLE tool that any individual interested in HR metrics can use .

Form & Functionality

The main function of this program is to use specified demographics and statistics to create a visual and useful tool for strategic HR decisions within the firm.
The demographic information used as variables in the Java program include:
1. Age: The defining characteristic of generations is the age range that an employee falls under
2. Tenure: How long an employee has been employed by BC Hydro
3. Business Group: Defining which business group an employee works in.

Each of these variables will be displayed in various forms to highlight key trends or issues that BC Hydro may be unaware of. By increasing the functionality of the data in various visual ways, we hope to illustrate different uses of data within the organization.

Functions include:
(a) the ability to individual select and display different age, tenure, and business groups,
(b) the modification of the visual canvas that the data is displayed on to increase the visual efficiency,including scale and colour, and
(c) different visual formats that the data can be displayed.

Libraries

The controlP5 gui elements will be used to provide an interface in which the user can control components of the data visualization.

Plan

1. Gather necessary data from BC Hydro to plot. Code into nominal form to accommodate codified visualization (NOTE: Currently, we have about 100 data points... the ideal outcome will include more data points and potentially demographic identifiers)

2. Build basic scatterplot framework. Optimize code structure to implement gui elements and functionality

3. Once basic visualization tools are in place (so that the data can be seen in many different forms), understand and document key trends and conclusions that can be drawn from the visualized data

Backup Plan

1. If data from BC Hydro is unable to be codified (or is subject to privacy agreements), use workplace demographics from literary sources

2. If the data is unable to be displayed in useful visual forms, consider adding another variable (dimension) to add further enrichment to the data source

3. Depending on the complexity of the code, we will reduce the number of demographic identifiers displayed and/or the number of data points.