Appraisal graph block

Prerequisites: This block may need to be enabled on your site. If it is not visible in the Add a Block list simply contact the Support Team and ask for it to be enabled. 

The Appraisal Graph Block generates up to two graphs based on aggregated appraisal responses/results. Consider the following example data:

Legend	Apples	Oranges	Lemons
Leadership	1	2	4
Technician	3	2	2
Teacher	4	4	1
Assessor	3	3	3
Mentor	4	4	2
Management	2	1	1

The above data can produce the following graphs in the Appraisal Graph Block:

Site-level Appraisal Graph Block Configuration

The following configuration can only be performed by a user with Site Administrator access. This typically must be performed by Learning Pool personnel.

Configuring the Legends Colour and Font Size

Legend colour and font size are system level settings and will be applied accordingly to every instance of the Appraisal Graph block on the site.

1. Navigate to Site administration > Plugins > Blocks > Appraisal graph. This opens the site-level Appraisal Graphs configuration page.
2. There are four options here:
   1. Color for graph1 legend: Enter the RGB color codes for the desired color.
   2. Font size for the legend to graph1: Enter an integer value for font size desired.
   3. Color for graph2 legend: Enter the RGB color codes for the desired color.
   4. Font size for the legend to graph2: Enter an integer value for font size desired.

Configuring the Metrics and Their Ranges

Below each graph type, be it Bar or Radar, a cross-referenced table of the Datapoint Labels versus the Dataset names can be created with the aggregated values being represented by Metric labels. Each Metric label can represent a range of aggregated values. This is similar to defining a grading Scale.

1. As the Site Administrator, navigate to Site administration > Plugins > Blocks > Appraisal graph. This opens the site-level Appraisal Graphs configuration page.
   
   
2. In the Metrics section of settings, set the Metric x start value and Metric x end value.
   
   

   Note: don’t overlap values from one metric to another. For example, set one metric range from 0 to 1.99, and start the next metric range at 2.

3. Set the label for the metric range in the Metric x display value field.
   
   
4. Up to 8 different metric ranges can be defined.

Adding the Appraisal Graph Block to a Dashboard

1. Navigate to Site administration > Navigation >Dashboards. This opens the Manage dashboards page.
2. Locate the desired Dashboard in the table and click on its name to view the Dashboard’s layout.
3. Select the Blocks editing on button.
4. In the desired block zone, select the Add a block icon () to open the Add a Block panel.
5. Either use the Search field, or scroll through the list to locate and select the Appraisal Graph block.

This will place the block onto the Dashboard. The block will have the title “Appraisal Graph”, and will display the text “You have no data to display”. This indicates that the Appraisal Graph block has not yet been configured.

Accessing the Appraisal Graph Block Configuration Page

1. If the Dashboard layout page is not in edit mode, select Blocks editing on.
2. Locate the Appraisal Graphs block and expand its Actions menu () in the upper right corner of the block.
3. Select Configure Appraisal Graph block from the menu. This will open the Block Configuration page.

Adding Datapoint Labels/Legends

1. Expanding the Configure Datapoint Labels section will reveal the six Data point x Legend fields.
   1. A data point is a value associated with a specific measured criterion. In this section of options, identify the names of the six criteria being measured. 
   2. Note that any Data point x Legend field containing “N/A” will be ignored. As such it is possible to create Appraisal Graph Blocks for anywhere between 1 and 6 data point criteria by leaving some fields set to “N/A”.
      
      
2. Enter the label/name that should be displayed for each data point criterion. See example of how the Datapoint Legends entered above would be applied to the graphs.

Multi-language Support

The Datapoint Labels and Dataset Names support the multi-language filter. Meaning, if there are additional language packs installed in the , one can include the label/name translations within the configuration of the Appraisal Graph block so that the appropriate language will be displayed based on the user’s language selection for the site. 

To do so, simply add an additional line for each language when entering the Datapoint Labels or Dataset Names, with each term surrounded by its appropriate language tag. For example, if we have both English and French installed within the , then a Datapoint Label or Dataset Name could be entered as:

{mlang en}year1{mlang}

 {mlang fr}Année1{mlang}

Note: If using the above multi-language filter tags for graph Datapoint Labels or Dataset Names, do not include special characters or special formatting (bold, italics, etc.) in the text between the tags. Doing so will prevent the graph from rendering.

Configuring Each Dataset

There are six Configure dataset x sections. These are groups of data values to be graphed, typically the aggregate questions from a single appraisal activity. In our example, they are “Apples”, “Oranges”, and “Lemons.

Use the following steps to configure each set of data to be graphed:

Expand the Configure dataset 1 section and enter the Data Set 1 name.
Using RGB format, set the colour of the Data set 1 background colour (rgb format). This can also be thought of as the fill color for this particular data set as indicated below. The fourth value represents transparency, 0 being completely translucent to 1 being completely solid.
Using RGB format, set the colour of the Data set 1 border colour (rgb format). This can also be thought of as the fill color for this particular data set as indicated below. The fourth value represents transparency, 0 being completely translucent to 1 being completely solid.
The remaining Datapoint x fields are drop-down lists that offer the aggregate questions that are active in the across all available appraisal activities and contain data available for graphing. Consider this as being mapped to the Data Point x Legends defined in the previous section. For Datapoint 1, choose the Aggregate question that will provide the value associated with the value entered in the Data point 1 Legend field. For Datapoint 2, choose the Aggregate question that will provide the value associated with the value entered in the Data point 2 Legend field. … and so on. There should be an Aggregate question selected for each Datapoint x given every Data point x Legend. Note: The aggregate questions available in each Datapoint x dropdown field are pulled from Active appraisals. Aggregate questions from Draft and Closed appraisals will not appear as options for selection.

Selecting Chart Types and Enabling Metrics Tables

The Appraisal Graph block is capable of presenting up to two graphs of data. To choose the number and type of graphs, use the following steps:

1. Expand the Chart Types section of options.
2. Choose either “Bar graph” or “Radar graph” for Graph 1 Type.
3. Next, determine whether to Include metric table on graph 1. This will render a cross-referenced table below that maps the aggregated values in the graph to the metric ranges defined at the site level at Site administration > Plugins > Blocks > Appraisal graph.
4. If you want a second graph, choose the other graph type for Graph 2 Type and decide whether it should Include metric table on graph 2. Otherwise, leave it set to “Not set”.

Once the Appraisal Graph block has been configured as desired, don’t forget to select Save changes at the bottom of the configuration page to commit your changes.