Introduction

Understand why visualizing key results in a dashboard is important to drive function, action, conversation, and performance feedback.

Background

We live in an evolving environment influenced by visual queues, milestones, goals, and timelines.

The simplest and perhaps most widespread visual dashboard is a set of traffic lights and intersection signs!

Take a moment to consciously think about all the visual dashboards that you take queues from daily.

Helpful tip

Capture your current or desired dashboards so we can build your team, business unit, and or organization's drive for results use case. We will use your specific use case during our course coaching sessions.

Your Dashboard Increases Visibility, Accountability, and Alignment to Objectives (Priority Goals)

Visualizing your dashboard helps align individuals, teams, and your organization to prioritize goals. The needs of the business can change quickly, therefore it is important that your workforce is working on "what matters most".

The all-important positive feedback loop should start with a check-in on the results (good work) displayed in your dashboard including positive recognition where issues were resolved. Corrective feedback and guidance conversations arising from dashboard check-ins can improve accountability in a non-threatening and constructive manner.

Having your dashboard key results readily available on any device is empowering and sets you apart. You will be seen as well-informed, accountable, prepared for effective communication, professional and confident. Now, who doesn't want that?!

Your Dashboard Provides a Function and Should Drive an Action

Your dashboard function is simply showing how you are working or operating in a particular way to achieve your business objectives (outcomes or outputs).

Your dashboard action is the condition in which things are happening or being done specifically, an activity that a person, group or automated process does or has done.

It is important that drive for results conversations and feedback cover both function and action Without a drive for results action the dashboard is just a bunch of numbers or perhaps a nice visual to look at.

Function

• Alignment with your organization's top priorities (objectives)
• Situational awareness to see your current position against targets or goals
• Measure progress against an objective or plan (productivity or efficiency)
• Compare actual to forecast
• Gain insight into the workflow, process, and spin-off effects (standard operating procedures, SOPs)
• Workforce utilization (attendance and absenteeism trends)
• Alert and indicate trends, issues, and risks
• Compel to action

Action

• Undertake analysis to better understand root cause, including the impact on people, process, and systems 
• Adjust resources in response to demand and changes in the market (staff, plant, equipment, technology, systems, processes, services, raw materials, and finished goods)
• Actionable intelligence for faster, better-informed decision making
• Execute a task (getting work done)
• Generate a response (movement, follow through, and communication)
• Continuous improvement (seek solutions to problems)
• Reduce duplication and redundancy (release capacity for priority activities)
• Enrich reporting through focused, concise narration

It is worth highlighting two other important components of both Function and Action. Risk and Resiliency are often overlooked and never have enough focus (conversation).

Risk

• Ability to respond quickly and appropriately when faced with unscheduled and or peak demand on resources (resource plan ready and well understood)
• Having solutions in play or ready to deploy as the operating situation changes (minimize loss, harm, or damage)

Resilience

• Ability to cope or deal effectively with challenges and adversity
• Capacity to recover quickly from difficulties, (agility and elasticity)
• Ability to return to normal operations in a specified timeframe (business continuity)

Your focus and drive for results influence on these variables cannot be underestimated.

Dashboard Options

1. Hard copy (paper).
2. Electronic link to file storage or document management system.
3. Integrated online (Software as a Service, Saas).
4. Business Intelligence (BI) reporting as part of your organization's enterprise application.

Dashboard Examples

https://www.klipfolio.com/resources/dashboard-examples

Dashboard Apps

Having live dashboards available on your phone, tablets, and PC's means you are always ready to communicate your objectives and key results!

https://www.klipfolio.com/

https://www.tableau.com/

https://www.arria.com/