USE DASHBOARDS TO ENABLE DATA DRIVEN MANAGEMENT

Keeping track of things is an essential component of performance management. You do need to know if you are on track and Dashboards can be a great tool to clarify direction, set standards and align your team. The simpler the better. Good Dashboards are easy to find, read and understand. Dashboards are like an abbreviated scorecard.

Keep them simple so they can be easily understood.

If it’s longer than 1 page, it isn’t a dashboard. It’s a report. Your goal on a dashboard is to quickly assimilate the status and then proceed to adjust. Clarity is paramount. Allow your staff to quickly spot the good, the maybe and bad by color coding the dashboards with Green, yellow and red ratings. Refresh them often.

Focus on key variables that drive real performance.

Identify the things you are trying to accomplish and avoid the temptation to go number crazy. More isn’t necessarily better. Quite often, long lists of numbers make things more confusing and ineffective. So, you will need a filter to determine what is really important. Measure how you make money, and ensure that your Dashboards track the drivers of your progress. That’s the easiest way to align interests and is a powerful, no-surprises, communication tool.

Be consistent and disciplined about capturing, analyzing and communicating the results.

Routine and repetition can ensure that the learnings are closely adhered to and acted upon. Accuracy is paramount to create a level playing field and the sense of fairness. Dashboards can be a great communication tool, provide a foundation for rewards and celebration and enhance the credibility of your views on performance.