Masking Granularity to Avoid Bias

In this post, I’ll talk about how to hide a data field that you do not want to show in a visual.

The purpose of a visual is to focus attention on the most relevant information about a dataset in the most comprehensible way. Sometimes, the best way to achieve such focus is to remove or hide irrelevant data fields from the dataset. In Arcadia Instant, you can do that by editing Attributes of the dataset.

In this post, I’ll show you how to hide a data field in the table view of the dataset SFPD Reported Incidents 2014 [Click here to download data source].

Prerequisites
You must have access to the dataset SFPD Reported Incidents 2014. If you don’t, visit the following links to learn how you can:
– import data from flat files
– create datasets from imported data
– create data connections

The following steps demonstrate how to hide a data field in a table view:

1. Find and open the dataset showing information about the SFPD Reported Incidents in 2014.
2. Click New Visual at the top right of the main screen.
A new table appears showing column heads incidntnum, category, descript, dayofweek and so on.

Let’s say you want to hide the column descript from the table view.
3. Repeat step 1.
4. In the left side navigation menu, click Attributes.
Attributes view appears, and shows the Dimensions and Measures lists.

5. Click Edit Attributes at the top of the Dimensions field.

The Dimensions and Measures lists appear highlighted in blue.

6. In the Measures list, find the field descript.
7. Click Hide (the Eye icon) next to descript.

The Eye icon changes to the following image.

8. Click Save.
Note that the field descript doesn’t appear in the Dimensions list.

9. Click New Visual at the top right of the main screen.
A new table appears, hiding the field descript.