Cognos Analytics

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  • 1.  Hub and Spokes model for Maps in Cognos ?

    Posted Fri April 09, 2021 02:37 PM
    Edited by System Fri January 20, 2023 04:08 PM
    Hi all,

    After a lot of reading and searching, I could not find any real solution for my use case.
    The worst part is that most links show how to do it with tableau,..... sow normally I say then it can so be done with Cognos.
    Only until now, no luck, so maybe some of you can point me in the right direction.

    Case:
    Want to use a Hub and Spoke model that is plotted on a map.
    Another version can be Flow Map visualisation.

    Baseline:
    1: Data item: Point of Origin (I have: country, city, address)
    2: Transit item: can be 1 or multiple stops.
    3: Destination item: (country, city, address)


    Inspiration:


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    Maarten den Dunnen
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    #CognosAnalyticswithWatson


  • 2.  RE: Hub and Spokes model for Maps in Cognos ?

    Posted Mon April 12, 2021 06:59 AM
    There is no way to do this out-of-the-box, but you can program pretty much any visualisation you want.

    For this one Leaflet + this plugin seems to do what you want:

    jwasilgeo/Leaflet.Canvas-Flowmap-Layer

    Here is the demo:
    Canvas Flowmap Layer with LeafletJS

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    RB
    https://github.com/CognosExt
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  • 3.  RE: Hub and Spokes model for Maps in Cognos ?

    Posted Mon April 12, 2021 09:10 AM
    Hi Reinier,

    Thanks for your input !!

    I'm going to read all the info and try to set something up.
    I was already looking a custom JS visualisations but, most of the type that you can rebuild for Cognos and import as a custom vis is based on an SVG map image, not a real dynamic map (google, mapbox, ).

    I'm going to give it a try if it works for my use case. !!


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    Maarten den Dunnen
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  • 4.  RE: Hub and Spokes model for Maps in Cognos ?

    Posted Mon April 12, 2021 10:33 AM
    Edited by System Fri January 20, 2023 04:46 PM
    Normally when I have customers discussing what Tool is the best and why tool A or B and not C.
    I always defended Cognos, heck I'm a consultant working with Cognos for almost 15 years now. But even with all the cool new releases upcoming with 11.2. tonight I'm a bit sad..

    Tonight I looked at the dark side.....

    I downloaded Powerbi...... went to the store downloaded Flow map.
    And in a few seconds, I had my POC for my client on my dummy data set......

    Sorry IBM but,.... this really really sucks. how can I justify hours of making a maybe a custom control map visualisation. When it really drag and drop on the Tool that normally I would dislike...but now kicks-ass big time...

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xR8tplcUb1w


    (And Yes)
    I know I can import almost every kind of java based viz. BUT it takes a lot of time, depending on other makers or suppliers.
    Yes, it can be VERRY VERRY satisfying making or adding one with all the working properties and options you would like. But it also takes a lot of time to get it perfect.
    #CognosAnalyticswithWatson


  • 5.  RE: Hub and Spokes model for Maps in Cognos ?

    Posted Tue April 13, 2021 08:27 AM
    Agree Maarten.

    I am a big big Cognos fan - been a user since 1994, but IBM seem to put all their energy into AI stuff now, when what we really need (to compete with the likes of PowerBI and Tableau) are out-of-the-box visualizations that have a whole bunch of properties that we can tweak.   Sure, we can build stuff, but that takes skill, time and costs money.

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    Heather Staniland
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  • 6.  RE: Hub and Spokes model for Maps in Cognos ?

    Posted Mon April 26, 2021 03:59 PM
    Good day all,
    Apologies for the lateness of my reply to this thread, I just wanted to take a few minutes to respond to a few of the points raised here.  Indeed, CA added the feature to support custom visualizations awhile ago, but there is an upfront cost in having to build that content.  That said, there is an online marketplace of visualizations (and other content) which we call the accelerator catalog that you can download and use in your environment. Unfortunately there isn't a flow and path map sample there (yet).  We are aware of the need for a flow and path map and it is in our roadmap, in fact there are a ton of mapping enhancements that we plan to make. One example is the selection gestures extension here that we will build OOTB in future as well. 

    In terms of where we're putting our energy, for sure we want to use innovative technology like AI and machine learning to help authors get to a completed dashboard faster, but we acknowledge that none of that matters if the fundamentals aren't there so we're spreading our investment between adding necessary competitive features, enhancing existing features (crosstab and table I'm looking at you) and introducing AI/ML to make the hard stuff much easier.

    But I want to thank everyone here for their feedback and emotion, when you're emotional about something it shows that you're invested...and I am as well.  And I'm always here to chat about plans and direction
    -Matt
    Senior Product Manager, Cognos Analytics
    matthew.denham@ca.ibm.com

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    Matt Denham
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  • 7.  RE: Hub and Spokes model for Maps in Cognos ?

    Posted Fri April 30, 2021 07:54 AM

    Hi Matt,

    I'm Dutch sow and English is not my native language sow don't take my reaction as blunt as they may be from a writing perspective.
    To focus more on the subject and not getting into a multi-page reply i try to respond more topic/item bases.

    1: IBM Accelerator page:

    Yes I'm very aware of the Accelerator catalog. Taking a look for Cognos analytics and filter on visualisations we have ... 26 hits.
    I'm not going into the usability and different types but oke 26,.. That is a small number compared to your responses on we have a ton of mapping enhancements planned. I'd like to hear when are these enhancements coming?

    If we look at the visualisation Marketplace of Powerbi: Uhm i have around 333 different visualisation options. Even 3 to 4 different type of map flow solutions looking at my original post. Looking at the Tableau Extension Gallery we have around 70 to 75 official extended visualisations and then i think tableau also has a separate community place for extensions?

    Sow looking at the competition, the IBM Accelator catalog is a good concept. It is in need of some proper content to keep up.

    2: innovative technology:
    On this topic, i can go on and go on. I know Cognos has a lot of legacy sow moving forward in new innovations it can be 2 steps in front, and 1 back.
    But like you said you have to cover the fundamentals. i would really like to see more about what is planned on these fundamentals. There are a lot things in Report studio that developers ar asking for, and for many years already. You only have to look at the Cogbox from Cognos paul (PMSQUARE) look at how many developers are using that extension because finally it ads some useability we been asking for years.

    For me it's mindblowing how another company have to make its own extensions for more usability for the developer.

    3:Plans and directions
    I would really like to see more of the plans and directions, but then not on a general sales level.
    There are a lot of tech consultants on this forum, I think there is a lot of expertise here to get down to real technical stuff. Sow what can we expect on the upcoming 11.2.1 update from a developer standpoint and what is development.



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    Maarten den Dunnen
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  • 8.  RE: Hub and Spokes model for Maps in Cognos ?

    Posted Tue April 13, 2021 05:33 AM
    wow, this what I would like to see.

    https://flowmap.blue/

    Bird migration sample

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    Maarten den Dunnen
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