5 Tips for Creating Compelling Dashboards

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1 5 Tips for Creating Compelling Dashboards The trend toward deeper and deeper analytics to measure business performance has resulted in a slew of tools for creating dashboards. Many of these tools are quite sophisticated and have the ability to produce stunning visuals relatively quickly. While these tools have empowered some, we have also seen examples that would be improved if they hadn t existed in the first place. This short guide aims to present simple tips to help anyone create compelling dashboards. Compelling dashboards do more than just look nice/hi-tech/artistic/etc. We try to present compelling as dashboards that convey meaning, increase understanding, provoke thought and spur action. 1. Know What You Want to Say This simple idea seems like a no-brainer, but it s not hard to find examples of dashboards containing mixed messages. These types of dashboards convey weak or no meaning. If the interpretation lies in the eye of the beholder, the dashboard has failed. Consider the following example:

2 Here we see a dashboard titled Sales History. In the line graph on the left, we see sales by product vertical, while on the right, we see a list of the top five sales reps. These divergent reports, while sales related, provide little actionable information to the viewer. Working backwards, it s difficult to determine what the dashboard creator is trying to say here. In this second example, we see the beginnings of a much more interesting story. The line chart on the left shows a simplified gross sales figure, while the bar chart on the right breaks down those sales numbers into different opportunity size tiers. Here the data are related, and showing different levels of granularity, from a summary on the left, to more detailed information on the right. Notice that Sales Rep report was removed from this dashboard completely. That s not to say that this information isn t important; just that this information is likely better placed in a separate dashboard dealing explicitly with rep performance. The following questions help test your dashboard for compliance with Tip #1: What am I trying to say? Does each element on the dashboard reinforce my overall message? Is each piece relevant? Will the consumer be able to draw the appropriate conclusions?

3 2. Measure Performance Against Clear Goals In the previous examples, we saw sample dashboards dealing with sales performance. However, even in the good example, there is still something missing: By looking at the dashboard, a viewer has no way of knowing if the performance is good, bad, or middling. The data does not instill a sense of urgency or, alternatively, praise. Look at how this small change can add a wealth of meaning to the dashboard: With the company sales target added to the line graph on the left, viewers have a whole new understanding of the numbers. It is clear that the company has only been above target for two of the seven months charted. This insight drastically changes the way a consumer interprets and scrutinizes the rest of the dashboard. The addition of clear targets or goals serves multiple functions. First, as we see, it provides a key to interpreting the rest of the data. All consumers of the data are on the same page in regards to whether performance is good or bad, and there is no ambiguity. Secondly, this evaluation against company targets provokes viewers to consider actions that could lead to better performance. The target is ingrained into the minds of the users, particularly if they had a hand in target creation in the first place. This is a key step in creating a metrics-driven business. Tips for setting company targets: Make sure people are aware of the metrics that judge their performance. Set targets that are challenging but attainable. Get buy-in from colleagues before setting targets. Keep current results public so people always understand the current situation with respect to the targets.

4 3. Make Sure Your Visuals Clearly Tell Your Story The dashboard tools out there today make creating flashy eye candy a snap, and it s easy to become enamored with the technology. Whether it s dashboards, applications, or websites, bling for its own sake rarely has staying power. Rather, use the considerable tools at your disposal to hammer your message home. Simplicity drives the most powerful messages. Yet achieving simplicity is often quite difficult. Don t let the technology distract you. Choosing the Proper Visual In the following example, there are two charts created from an identical set of data: Each report shows the sales performance of the top five sales reps. Clearly, the report on the left stands out because of its bright colors and unusual shape. However, the drawback of this chart is that it is difficult to derive the true meaning of the chart. The gaping hole in the center provides no added value, and the relative size of the slices are not differentiated enough to be noteworthy. In the chart on the right, we see a simple bar chart. While this may lack the pizzazz of the former chart, the information contained in this report is much more easily digested than the donut. Relative performance is seen instantly, and viewers grasp the intended meaning of the chart with no ambiguity. In this case, less is most certainly more.

5 Examine Your Layout with a Critical Eye In this next example, two charts are placed side by side, suggesting a relationship between the two: Both of these charts show business performance in blue, against a company target overlaid in green. After a quick glance, it s easy to assume that performance in the chart on the left is slightly higher than the report on the right, based solely on the position of the KPI target line and the number of points above it. Closer inspection, however, shows an entirely different picture. In the chart on the left, the y-axis begins with 0% and climbs to 32%, while in the second picture, the scale is from 10% to 90%. The target line in the left picture stands at 20% while it is 60% on right. Clearly, the magnitude presented in the second chart is significantly higher, but this meaning is weakened simply due to the layout.

6 Tables, Charts and Text People consume information in a variety of different ways. Often, a clear picture can say a thousand words. But are these words the same as the ones you hope to inspire with your picture? Will every viewer have the appropriate context to draw the intended conclusions from your visuals? Often, a little bit of text annotation in a dashboard can go a long way to grounding the viewer in the appropriate frame of reference. In this sample, the author uses clear chart titles as well as a brief description of each dashboard element. The text is non-intrusive; well-versed viewers can ignore the text without detracting from the dashboard experience. However, others who may be viewing this information for the first time can quickly read the description and gain an appropriate context for interpreting the pictures. Tips for dashboard layout and design: Use technology to enhance your message, not for its own sake. If related elements are closely positioned, make sure one item does not detract from the intended meaning of the other (i.e., conflicting scales). Use appropriate combinations of tables, charts and text to reinforce your message.

7 4. Keep It Simple! As touched upon earlier, a simple, direct message has the biggest impact on potential viewers. By definition, it s easy to understand and not prone to varying interpretations. Yet more often than not, a dashboard is the fruit of countless hours of complex analysis, on many different levels. Thus the story that needs to be told is complicated and multifaceted. How, then, is it possible to keep things simple? Let s have a look and see what we can learn from this classic example. The National Debt Clock s message is staggeringly simple: However, this simple dashboard could have looked very differently. If the author didn t identify what the really key metrics are, we would be looking at something like this:

8 It s not that the intricacies don t matter, and don t have a place, but they should be treated as their own story, where the findings can be consumed in digestible chunks. Let s look at the following example: This dashboard was built to present an analysis of a company s current sales pipeline. The goal is to report on past performance, and draw insight for improving future results. You ll notice that this dashboard contains only four reports, all relating to Sales History, as seen by the highlighted tab. By breaking the story up into several tabs (or chapters), the author was able to present a clear flow of ideas in understandable chunks. Dashboard viewers can jump from tab to tab and learn the story bit by bit. Tips for keeping it simple: Break your complex thesis into bite-sized chunks. Provide summaries, and move the details to their own section. Don t overwhelm users with too much information at once; but allow them to dig at their own pace. Put yourself in your users shoes, and ask yourself if your presentation is understandable and on target.

9 5. Test and refine your design Even expert dashboard designers don t get everything right on the first try. Put yourself in your users shoes, design the first version the best you can and then test it with a sample of your users. Show them real data and observe how they use the dashboard. Is the message clear? Can they make sense of the data? Does something feel too complicated? Is something missing? Incorporate constructive comments and then test again. Having dashboarding tools that allow you to make quick changes is crucial. Even after you launch your dashboard to a wider audience, make sure it is easy for users to contact you and continue collecting feedback. Be ready for receiving many comments about how the dashboard should look. People often like different colors and want bells and whistles. They might not appreciate the effectiveness of your simple design initially, but trust us, they will appreciate the simplicity after looking at the dashboard every day. Tips for testing and refining: Put your design to the test show real data to real users and listen to what they say. Incorporate feedback and test again. Be ready for people asking for graphical design changes, but make sure you don t violate any of the principles of compelling dashboard design. Again, keep it simple.