KPI dashboards in SCADA systems - Interactive Code Practice

Practice - 5 Tasks

1fill in blank

easy

Complete the code to create a KPI card showing the current temperature.

SCADA systems

kpi_card = createKPI(title="Temperature", value=[1])

Drag options to blanks, or click blank then click option'

Acurrent_temp

Baverage_temp

Cmax_temp

Dmin_temp

Attempts:

3 left

💡 Hint

Common Mistakes

Using average or max temperature instead of the current value.

Confusing variable names.

The KPI card should display the current temperature, so current_temp is the correct value.

2fill in blank

medium

Complete the code to calculate the uptime percentage for the last 24 hours.

SCADA systems

uptime_percentage = ([1] / total_time) * 100

Drag options to blanks, or click blank then click option'

Aidle_time

Bdowntime

Cmaintenance_time

Duptime

Attempts:

3 left

💡 Hint

Common Mistakes

Using downtime instead of uptime in the calculation.

Forgetting to multiply by 100 to get a percentage.

Uptime percentage is calculated by dividing the uptime by total time, then multiplying by 100.

3fill in blank

hard

Fix the error in the DAX measure to calculate average pressure.

SCADA systems

AveragePressure = AVERAGE([1][Pressure])

Drag options to blanks, or click blank then click option'

ASensors

BPressureReadings

CSensorData

DPressureData

Attempts:

3 left

💡 Hint

Common Mistakes

Using a wrong or non-existent table name.

Misspelling the table name.

The correct table name is SensorData which contains the Pressure column.

4fill in blank

hard

Fill both blanks to create a filter that shows only alarms with severity higher than 3.

SCADA systems

FilteredAlarms = FILTER(Alarms, Alarms[Severity] [1] [2])

Drag options to blanks, or click blank then click option'

A>

B3

C<

D5

Attempts:

3 left

💡 Hint

Common Mistakes

Using less than operator instead of greater than.

Using wrong threshold values.

The filter should select alarms where severity is greater than 3, so use > and 3.

5fill in blank

hard

Fill all three blanks to create a measure that counts faults occurring in the last 7 days.

SCADA systems

FaultCountLast7Days = CALCULATE(COUNT(Faults[ID]), FILTER(Faults, Faults[Date] [1] TODAY() [2] 7 && Faults[Date] [3] TODAY()))

Drag options to blanks, or click blank then click option'

A>=

B-7

C-

D<=

Attempts:

3 left

💡 Hint

Common Mistakes

Using wrong comparison operators.

Not subtracting 7 days correctly.

Mixing up the order of operators.

The filter checks faults where the date is greater or equal to 7 days ago (TODAY() - 7) and less or equal to today.

Practice

1. What is the main purpose of a KPI dashboard in a SCADA system?

easy

A. To generate detailed reports for auditors

B. To store raw sensor data for later analysis

C. To control machine operations automatically

D. To display key performance indicators clearly and quickly

Solution

1. Step 1: Understand the role of KPI dashboards

   KPI dashboards focus on showing important numbers that reflect system performance.

2. Step 2: Differentiate from other SCADA functions

   Storing data, controlling machines, and generating reports are different tasks from displaying KPIs.

3. Final Answer:

   To display key performance indicators clearly and quickly -> Option D

4. Quick Check:

   KPI dashboard = clear key numbers [OK]

Hint: KPI dashboards show key numbers fast and clear [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Confusing dashboards with data storage
• Thinking dashboards control machines
• Mixing dashboards with report generation

2. Which of the following is the correct way to highlight a KPI value that is below target using color in a dashboard?

easy

A. Use red color for values below target

B. Use yellow color for values below target

C. Use blue color for values below target

D. Use green color for values below target

Solution

1. Step 1: Understand color conventions in KPI dashboards

   Red usually signals a problem or below target performance.

2. Step 2: Match color to KPI status

   Green means good, red means bad, so below target should be red.

3. Final Answer:

   Use red color for values below target -> Option A

4. Quick Check:

   Below target = red color [OK]

Hint: Red means below target or problem [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Using green for bad performance
• Choosing blue which is neutral
• Using yellow which means caution, not failure

3. Given a SCADA KPI dashboard showing machine uptime percentages: Machine A = 95%, Machine B = 88%, Machine C = 92%. If the target uptime is 90%, which machines should be highlighted in red?

medium

A. Machine B only

B. Machine A and Machine C

C. Machine A only

D. Machine B and Machine C

Solution

1. Step 1: Compare each machine's uptime to the target

   Machine A: 95% > 90% (above target), Machine B: 88% < 90% (below target), Machine C: 92% > 90% (above target).

2. Step 2: Identify which machines are below target

   Only Machine B is below the 90% target and should be highlighted in red.

3. Final Answer:

   Machine B only -> Option A

4. Quick Check:

   Below 90% uptime = red highlight [OK]

Hint: Highlight only below target values in red [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Highlighting machines above target
• Including machines that meet or exceed target
• Ignoring the target threshold

4. You created a KPI dashboard but the color coding does not change when values go below target. What is the most likely cause?

medium

A. The data source is missing some sensor readings

B. The dashboard layout is too complex

C. The color rules are not linked to the KPI values correctly

D. The target values are set too high

Solution

1. Step 1: Check the color coding logic

   If colors do not change, the rules linking KPI values to colors are likely not set or connected properly.

2. Step 2: Rule out other causes

   Layout complexity or missing data won't directly stop color changes; target values affect performance but not color logic.

3. Final Answer:

   The color rules are not linked to the KPI values correctly -> Option C

4. Quick Check:

   Color rules linked properly = color changes [OK]

Hint: Check color rule connections first when colors don't update [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Blaming layout instead of logic
• Assuming missing data causes color issues
• Thinking target values affect color coding directly

5. You want to design a KPI dashboard for a SCADA system that shows temperature, pressure, and flow rate KPIs. Which layout approach best supports quick understanding?

hard

A. Display all raw sensor data in a large table with no colors

B. Arrange KPIs in a simple grid with clear labels and color-coded status

C. Show only the average values without any target or color indicators

D. Use multiple pages with detailed charts for each KPI

Solution

1. Step 1: Identify best practices for KPI dashboard layout

   Simple grids with clear labels and color coding help users quickly see status and compare KPIs.

2. Step 2: Evaluate other options

   Raw data tables, averages without targets, or multi-page charts reduce clarity and speed of understanding.

3. Final Answer:

   Arrange KPIs in a simple grid with clear labels and color-coded status -> Option B

4. Quick Check:

   Simple, clear, color-coded layout = fast understanding [OK]

Hint: Use simple grids and colors for fast KPI reading [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Showing raw data instead of KPIs
• Omitting targets and colors
• Splitting KPIs across many pages