What This Chart Shows
This chart shows how much incremental value is attributed to each period and how that total splits across groups (channels, campaigns, etc., depending on strategy). The top panel is the headline total per day or period. The bottom panel is the breakdown: either a heatmap or lines showing who contributed what. A reconciliation note shows how closely the sum of group contributions matches the total.
Key Questions This Chart Helps Answer
- How does total modeled marketing-related KPI change move over time (trend, seasonality, campaign windows)?
- Which groups drive contributions in which weeks/months/quarters (heatmap or lines)?
- How does the story change at daily vs weekly vs monthly vs quarterly granularity?
- When I change KPI or grouping strategy, how do totals and the breakdown respond?
Axes, Metrics, and Units
Element | Description |
|---|---|
| Top panel X-axis | Time period. Numeric index per period; ticks show calendar context (e.g. week labels with dates, month/quarter labels) |
| Top panel Y-axis | Total attributed lift for that period. Same units as the selected KPI. |
| Middle panel Y (daily only) | Residual Correction to audit how tightly channel φ sums to the total each day. |
| Bottom panel X-axis | Same time axis as top; weekly/monthly/quarterly view can show a range slider for zoom. |
| Bottom panel (daily) | Heatmap: rows = selected groups, columns = days, color = signed φ. Hover “Lift”. |
| Bottom panel (rollup) | Heatmap (default): signed φ with diverging scale, or Blues for abs/share modes. Lines view: overlay lines for signed φ; stacked areas only for abs or share (non-negative transforms). |
All contribution and total values are modeled. They are not raw reported KPI.
Control Options Reference
Control | Meaning |
|---|---|
| KPI classification / hierarchy / drilldown | Which KPI (target) to use for the ledger and totals. |
| Granularity | Daily, Weekly, Monthly, or Quarterly (rollups). |
| Grouping mode | Channel, Campaign, Source, Pattern, Topic, Event Category. Determines how levers are grouped into rows. |
| Layout | Heatmap (default). Lines: rollup path, each group as a line. |
| Metric mode | Signed: raw φ (can be negative). Abs: |φ|. Share: % of total |φ|. Affects heatmap colors and whether lines stack. |
| Residuals | Hidden: hide residual row Show: show residual / efficiency row in daily view |
| Date range | Optional (start, end) in ISO format. Filters ledger to periods inside the range. |
| Group filter mode | Include or exclude the selected groups. |
How to Interpret the Results
- Top line (Total): Treat as the model’s period-level “marketing impact headline” in KPI delta units—compare shape and level across time, not as a second unrelated metric.
- Reconciliation (daily middle row): Small gaps suggests the visible decomposition is consistent with the total; large gaps warrant data/model review (also logged server-side if above threshold).
- Heatmap: Red/blue (signed) shows direction of contribution; intensity shows magnitude. Abs/share modes are for size-only or mix stories.
- Lines + signed: Compare group traces for timing; they add in meaning, not necessarily visually stack. Stacked areas for abs/share do stack by construction.
- Granularity: Daily = detail and noise; weekly+ = smoother narrative; quarterly for long-horizon reviews.
- Initial x-range (rollup): Bottom x-axis may start zoomed to the first ~9 periods for readability—use the range slider to see more.
Practical Applications for Marketers
Application | How to use this chart |
|---|---|
| Executive tempo | Use top panel to narrate when total attributed impact rose or fell. |
| Channel / tactic story | Use heatmap or lines to tie specific groups to specific periods. |
| Planning | Compare weekly/monthly views for budget pacing and seasonality. |
| QA with analytics | Use daily reconciliation row to sanity-check sum of parts vs total. |
| KPI alignment | Switch KPI controls and confirm the total and breakdown match the outcome you care about. |
Common Mistakes & Misinterpretations
Mistake | Why it is a problem | How to avoid |
|---|---|---|
| Reading Total Δ as “revenue” | It is modeled KPI change from the ledger; units follow your KPI definition. | Check KPI naming and docs; pair with actuals elsewhere. |
| Expecting stacked signed areas | Code refuses stacked layout for signed lines because negative φ breaks stack reading. | Use heatmap or overlay lines for signed; use abs/share for stacks. |
| Ignoring reconciliation | If φ and total disagree, interpretation of shares is shaky. | Watch daily middle panel and escalate if gaps are large. |
| Mixing strategies when comparing screenshots | Strategy_id changes group definitions and labels. | Note strategy in the title and keep it fixed for comparisons. |
| Assuming audit_mode hides the residual row | Parameter is accepted but not implemented in code paths reviewed. | Treat daily middle row as always on unless your fork changes it. |
Caveats & Considerations
- Daily vs rollup: Daily view has 3 rows (total + audit + heatmap) and uses the daily ledger. Weekly/monthly/quarterly have 2 rows (total + heatmap or lines) and use rollups. Date range filters the ledger or rollup rows to the selected calendar window.
- Metric mode: Signed = raw φ. Abs = |φ| (stacked area or Blues heatmap). Share = % of total |φ| (stacked or Blues). Choosing share or abs allows stacked area; signed does not stack.