Deep Dive Articles

Data Stories - A Deep Dive

Introduction

Data Stories serves as an organizational knowledge hub, providing a platform for entities to compile and share their knowledge articles, informational content, whitepapers, videos, and updates. They serve as a valuable resource for users to access and gain insights from diverse forms of information.


Hierarchy of Data Stories:

Within Data Stories, a hierarchical structure can be established. Each Data Story Zone can consist of multiple data stories, and within these stories, users can incorporate subordinate child stories. This hierarchical arrangement enhances the organization and management of different narratives, allowing for seamless navigation and exploration of varied content within the system.

Story Zones, positioned as the initial step in the story creation hierarchy, can only be created by the OE_ADMIN. This action is performed in the Administration > Security > StoryZone module. Admin users can define access permissions for each story zone created, determining the allowed roles/users with appropriate meta-read and meta-write permissions on the Story Zone created.

Subsequently, users with meta-write access can gain the ability to generate additional stories and child stories within the Story Zones created. While users with meta-read access can access the Data Stories module to read the existing data stories, they do not have the capability to edit any added stories.

Story Zone and Security

In Security, Story Zones display the users authorized to access a Data Story Zone. Every Data Story is categorized under a Story Zone. By default, System Admins are assigned the role of Story Zone administrators. Only System Admins have the privilege to establish new Story Zones and possess comprehensive permissions concerning Data Stories.

Viewing Story Zones

Users with an Author License can only view Story Zones that they are a part of. In the Administration > Security > Story Zone, the different columns are:

  1. Story Zone Name
  2. Story Zone Description
  3. Authorized Roles and Users

  • Story Zone name and Story Zone description can be sorted through the search criteria.
  • Authorized Roles and Users can be sorted through the filter criteria. 

Updating Permissions of a Story Zone

    • Story Zones automatically designate the System Admin as the Story Zone admin. The System Admin can assign any users or roles with an Author license as a story admin, granting them full operational control within a Story Zone.
    • Users or roles can be added to a Story with permissions set to either Read-Write or Read-Only. Users holding a Viewer license are limited to Read-Only permissions and lack the access rights to view Story Zone security settings.

Delete Roles/Users

    • Story Zone admins can delete users or roles from a Story Zone and the deleted users will not have access to the Data Story Zone or its Stories.

Adding Story Zones

System Admins have the capability to add new Story Zones, and these Story Zones will be visible in the Data Stories module.

Deleting Story Zones

Story Zone admins can delete Story Zones, and on deletion, both the Story Zone and its associated stories are completely removed from the tool.

Download Story Zone Security

Users with an Author license can download Story Zone security details available to them, in CSV format.


Data Stories

Search Story Zone

All Data Stories are categorized under Story Zones, accessible through the Data Stories page. Clicking on a Story Zone reveals all Data Stories within it. Story Zones can be searched using the "Search Story Zone" bar at the top.

Accessing a Story Zone

When a Story Zone is opened from the Data Stories module, the list of Data Stories in that Story Zone is displayed. Specific Stories in that Story Zone can be searched through the “Search Story” search bar. Child Stories are displayed when the dropdown icon is clicked on the Parent Story.

Adding a Story

A story can be added to a Story Zone either as a Parent Story or as a Child Story. Users with Read Write permissions in the Story Zone can create Stories in the Story Zone.

Parent Story

A Parent Story is initiated from the Story Zone page, which showcases all existing Stories. To create a new Parent Story, the user selects the Story Zone from a dropdown menu, where both the Story Zone and other Parent Stories under that zone are listed. Upon selecting the Story Zone and assigning a unique name to the Parent Story, it is then created within the chosen Story Zone. It is important to note that Story Zone names must be unique and cannot be repeated within the same Story Zone.

Child Story

Child Stories can be created from the List of Stories page within a Story Zone or directly from within an existing Story. The user must select the Parent Story to associate with and provide a unique name for the new story. Once created, the Child Story will be listed under the chosen Parent Story.

Editing a Story 

When editing a Data Story, the users are provided with rich text along with other features. Only users with Read-Write permissions can edit a Story.

The different functionalities that are available for the users when they are editing a story are listed below:

    • Undo and Redo actions.
    • Bold text
    • Italics text
    • Select a font style for text. The following are various font styles available for user selection:
      • Arial
      • Georgia
      • Impact
      • Tahoma
      • Times New Roman
      • Verdana
    • Select font size for the text. Users have access to a range of font sizes from 8 to 96.
    • Text color for text can be chosen. It can either be from the list of colors provided or the user can enter the HEX code and get the desired text color.
    • Different Order lists can be chosen. The options that are provided for the users are:
      • Default - Number 
      • Lower Alpha
      • Lower Greek
      • Lower Roman
      • Upper Alpha
      • Upper Roman
    • Different Unordered lists can be chosen. The options that are provided for the users are:
      • Default
      • Circle
      • Disc
      • Square
      • Underline text
      • Strikethrough text
      • Make text Subscript or Superscript
      • Decrease/increase Indent
      • Clear formatting applied to text
      • Code view
    • Insert link: The user has to enter the URL and the text that highlights the URL. Open in a new tab can be chosen if needed. The text is added to the Story in blue highlighted color. When a user clicks on the hyperlink text, the user is directed to the URL.
    • Insert Image: Images can be added to a Story by Uploading from the system or by inserting an image link.
    • Insert Video: Videos can be added to a Story by pasting the URL or by embedding a code. When a video is added, it can be directly watched in the Data Story.
    • Insert a Table: Select the number of rows and columns and a Table will be created.
      • Insert Horizontal line
      • Insert Reports
      • Toggle Fullscreen
    • After editing a story, users should save the story and the story will be saved and available for usage for other users who have at least Read permission on the Data Story

Operations on a Story

The different operations that can be performed in a Story will be discussed in the upcoming paragraphs.

Edit Name

The Story's name can be changed to a new, unique identifier. It's required that this new name is distinct and not already in use by another Story within the same Story Zone. Only users with Read-Write permissions can edit the name of the story.

Note: Users have the flexibility to use the same story name for different story zones, allowing for a scenario where a story name is part of another story zone.

Assigning Tags

Tags linked with the Story appear below the Story Name. While adding tags, there's a distinction between Assigned tags and Unassigned tags, displayed on opposite sides. Users can transfer tags from one side to the other. However, only users with Read-Write permissions can edit the tags associated with a Story.

Adding to a Project 

Data Stories can be incorporated into Projects. Within the 'Add to Project' section, the Projects currently associated with the story are displayed. Users have the option to include Item Notes before adding the Story to a Project. This action is restricted to users who have Read-Write permissions on the Story, as only they are authorized to link it to Projects.

Delete Story

Users with Read-Write permissions have the authority to delete a story. When a story is deleted, it is removed from its Story Zone. However, a Parent Story that has associated Child Stories cannot be deleted unless those Child Stories are reassigned to a different Parent Story or are also deleted from the Story Zone. When trying to delete a Parent Story that has Child Stories, an error message will be displayed and prevent the deletion of the Story.

Change Story Zone 

Users with Read-Write permissions can modify the Story Zone to which a Story belongs. They can select a new Story Zone from the available list for the Story to be moved to. When a Parent Story is transferred to a different Story Zone, all of its Child Stories are automatically moved to the new Story Zone as well. A warning message will appear before the move is finalized, alerting the user that the Child Stories will be relocated alongside the Parent Story.

Change Parent 

Users who have Read-Write permissions can change the parentage of a Child Story. The Child Story can be converted into a Root Parent (can be made as a separate Parent Story) itself or be assigned to a different Parent Story. In the dropdown menu for changing the Parent Story, only the Parent Stories from the current Story Zone are displayed; Parent Stories from other Story Zones are not shown.

Change Order 

Users whose role has been applied to the Story Zone with Read-Write permissions can adjust the sequence in which a Story is listed within the Story Zone. For Parent Stories, this means altering their position among other Parent Stories within the same Story Zone. For Child Stories, the reordering affects their placement within the specific Parent Story they are associated with in that Story Zone. 

Change Author 

Users with Read Write permissions can change the Author of the Story. The Author of the Story is displayed in the top right corner of the Story page. Only users whose role has been assigned in the Story Zone with Read Write permissions can be made Authors for the Story.

Configure Search Keyword

Search Keywords can be set up to prioritize the display of a Data Story when those specific keywords are used in a search. This configuration ensures that the data Story appears prominently in search results, streamlining access for users. Any user with access to the Story can configure search keywords.

View references

If a Data Story is referred to any Object on the tool, it is reflected in the View references. For example, the Data Story can be referred to in the Business Description of a Data Catalog Object and that will reflect in View references of the Data Story.

In the Reference shutter, the displayed columns are:

      • Reference Category
      • Reference From
      • Reference Object type
      • Reference Object

Add/Remove Story from Home Page 

The System Admin has the authority to add or remove Stories from the Home Page. Up to eight Stories can be featured on the Home Page, where they are displayed as snippets accessible to everyone. Clicking on a Data Story snippet from the Home Page will redirect users to the Story's main page. However, if a user lacks Read permissions for a Story, they will not be able to access the full content and will only be able to view the snippet from the Home Page.

Set a Story as the Welcome Story

A Welcome Story is the first thing that all users see when they log into OvalEdge. This can be used to highlight a very important feature or information that everyone will see before using the tool.

The System Admin has the authority to add or remove a Story as a Welcome Story. Only one Story can be made as a Welcome Story. Clicking on a Welcome Story from the Home Page will redirect users to the Story's main page. However, if a user lacks Read permissions for a Story, they will not be able to access the full content and will only be able to view it from the Home Page.

Endorsement on a Story

Users who possess Read permissions can endorse a Story. They must input an endorsement message and submit their rating. The displayed rating for a Story represents the average of all the ratings given by different users, reflecting a collective assessment of the Story. Users can remove the endorsement rating that they gave, but cannot remove ratings given by other users.


System Settings

Key: max.characters.count.for.data.story

The System Admin can configure the maximum number of characters that can be entered in a Data Story. The default and maximum character limit is 100,000. System Admin can configure it to any number less than 100,000.

Key: homepage.welcomestory.fullsize

System Admin can Configure how the Welcome story should be displayed on the Home Page by default.

  1. If set to True, the welcome story will be displayed to its maximum size.
  2. If set to False, the welcome story will be displayed within a limited size with “See More” and “See Less” options to expand or collapse the content.