Why You Should be Using Analysis Workspace in Adobe Analytics

If Adobe Analytics‘ Ad Hoc Analysis had a fan section, I would probably be wearing face paint and waving an oversized foam “We’re #1” finger. It’s fair to say my love and passion for Ad Hoc Analysis runs pretty deep. So when the Adobe Analytics team mentioned the release of Analysis Workspace, a new Ad Hoc Analysis table-builder-like tool, I will admit I was skeptical. However, recent upgrades to Analysis Workspace have compelled me to re-evaluate my stance on this fledgling tool.

Between Ad Hoc Analysis and Reports & Analytics your reporting bases are covered, so you are probably asking yourself, “Why bother with a new tool?” I will give you a few reasons: multiple report panes in a single view, true collaboration and amazingly flexible visualizations.

Multiple Report Panes in a Single View

When Adobe moved from Discover 1.x to Discover 2, users lost the ability to view multiple reports at once. Workspaces and tabs that emerged in later releases allowed users to organize their projects. While this organization was helpful, I admit that at times I felt a little hamstringed by this structure. Comparing data from one tab to another was cumbersome and making on-the-fly-changes to the data in different workspaces and tabs could be a bit of a headache. Enter: Analysis Workspace. Each pane has the ability to contain multiple reports and visualizations and users can apply pane-level segments (similar to workspace level segments in Ad Hoc Analysis). Panes stack in the same window (no tabs here!). The single window also allows users to download the entire project with a single click. Yes, you heard me….everything at once. Finally, all pane components are sizable, so you can configure your reports side-by-side or otherwise. All of this flexibility makes data comparison a breeze in Analysis Workspace.

True Collaboration

“Is your project shared?” This question I have asked more times than I can think over the years. Ad Hoc Analysis gives users the ability to share projects with co-workers, but non-project owners cannot make changes to the project, as any changes have to be saved under a new project. Analysis Workspace, however, allows users to collaborate across the organization. I can create a project and share it with specific users or groups. Not only can those users access my project, but they can also make changes, additions or edits to my project. Analysis Workspace allows users to interact in ways that were not possible previously.

Amazingly Flexible Visualizations

It may sound a like a hyperbole, but it’s not. Analysis Workspace contains a host of new visualization features and new graph types. Want over 10 data points graphed? You got it! Want to exclude “noise” without heavy segmentation or report filtering? No problem. Users can now be selective about the graphed items and can hide unwanted features easily. Users also have the ability to identify the data table for each graph. This feature allows users to illustrate the data in multiple ways based on a single report. The possibilities are truly endless.

There are so many amazing features to love about this product. Each release only increases the functionality and flexibility Analysis Workspace offers. Stay tuned…more great things are coming!