Building Better Dashboards A guide to transforming raw data into actionable intelligence By Kate Brown BUSINESS INTELLIGENCE In today’s data-driven world, your level of efficiency in handling and interpreting data can make or break a business. With a plethora of information at your fingertips, it is especially important to employ best practices in your organization’s use of dashboards. Here are key insights to unlock those efficiencies. First, it’s useful to understand the progression of data value before delving into dashboards. The journey of data from its raw, unrefined state to actionable insights is crucial. Data efficiency is not just about speed but also about transforming data into a format that is easily interpretable and actionable. Below is an example: PROGRESSION OF DATA VALUE • DATA: The raw information collected from various sources • SORTED: Organizing the data to make it accessible • ARRANGED: Structuring the data in a coherent manner • PRESENTED VISUALLY: Using visual aids to make data comprehensible • EXPLAINED WITH A STORY: Providing context and narrative to the data • ACTIONABLE: Making data useful for decision-making Dashboards play a pivotal role in modern data analytics. They serve as the bridge between complex data sets and actionable insights fulfilling many key roles. • DATA VISUALIZATION: Dashboards simplify complex data through visual representations, enabling users to grasp real- time insights quickly. This visualization is fundamental in making intricate data sets understandable. • ENHANCED DECISION-MAKING: Organizations can perform scenario analysis and make informed choices. By presenting data in a structured format, dashboards allow decision-makers to assess various scenarios and outcomes. • INTEGRATION OF DATA SOURCES: Integrating multiple data sources provides a unified view and facilitates cross-functional insights. This integration is essential for a holistic understanding of business performance. • PERFORMANCE MONITORING: Track progress and provide alerts and notifications, ensuring that performance metrics are always at the forefront. This monitoring helps maintain and improve performance standards. • USER ENGAGEMENT: Interactive features and customization options in dashboards enhance user engagement. By allowing users to interact with the data, dashboards make the analysis more dynamic and user-centric. DASHBOARD BEST PRACTICES Dashboards can play multiple roles in business operations, but it’s imperative to maximize their effectiveness. To unlock the full potential of dashboards, aim to follow certain best practices. These steps help ensure that dashboards are not only efficient but also effective in delivering actionable insights. • INTERACTIVE VISUALIZATIONS: Including drill-down capabilities, filters and slicers allows users to interact with the data. This interactivity makes it easier to explore data from different angles and gain deeper insights. • USE KPIS: Defining and using relevant KPIs is crucial. KPIs should be set with conditional formatting and benchmarking to 24 / INSIDE RUBBER / 2025 Issue 1
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