Unlocking The Secrets Of Effective Dashboard Building: Your Proven Process

Creating dashboards that resonate with users and meet organisational goals involves a structured and systematic approach. The art of building powerful dashboards requires embracing feedback, iterative design, and clear communication. This comprehensive guide will take you through the Proven Process for developing effective dashboards, focusing on each stage from gathering requirements to collecting user feedback.

(One of our motto’s on this journey is “Fail quickly.” But don’t fail yet, read on…)

The Importance of a Structured Approach to Dashboard Building

Dashboards serve as a bridge between raw data and informed decisions. A well-structured methodology is essential for ensuring meaningful interactions between users and the data presented. By following the Proven Process detailed in this post, dashboard developers can create interfaces that provide clear insights and foster user engagement. Let’s unpack how this process unfolds through various stages.

Step 1: Gather Requirements

The foundation of a successful dashboard begins with a deep understanding of user needs. Engage with stakeholders across various functions to identify the metrics that truly matter for decision-making. This initial phase clarifies objectives and outlines the dashboard’s purpose, aligning with what users find most valuable.

Example in Practice:

Working with a leading healthcare organisation, we organised a focus group, comprising doctors, administrators and data analysts to shape a comprehensive dashboard. This collaborative approach led to the identification of key metrics, which directly influenced critical patient care decisions.

My view of the dashboard is overwhelmingly positive. It delivers all I had hoped and more! It is easy to navigate, well laid out and provides the appropriate/necessary information in an intuitive and uncomplicated way. Very well done!

(This was a quote from one of the Doctors in the focus group. Luckily for us, he typed it by email…)

Step 2: Get Data

Once requirements are established, it’s time to focus on data acquisition. Identify relevant data sources while ensuring accuracy and integrity. The effectiveness of your dashboard will hinge on the veracity of this data, underscoring the necessity of comprehensive data review procedures.

BUT: In the early stages, don’t stumble if your data isn’t ready for a productised solution. We live in the real world and this will always happen – don’t let it kill your momentum. Grab what you have and move that data pipeline forwards in parallel. The feedback and momentum you gain with senior stakeholders throughout this process should help you overcome many barriers that present themselves to you.

Step 3: Analyse

Analysing the gathered data is the next critical step. Leverage analytical tools to unearth patterns and trends that can inform the dashboard’s design. Key questions to ask include: What are the key performance indicators (KPIs) relevant to our goals? How do different data points interrelate and present a cohesive narrative? Ask the 5 W’s…What, Where, Who, When and Why?

The summarised Pareto theory tells us that 80% of the output is derived from 20% of the input…often called the 80:20 rule as a result. What that means to you as an analyst at this stage is that…80% of you analyse shouldn’t make it to the dashboard. Don’t be afraid of this – it was useful as part of your learning journey. But please, don’t try and cram it all in! Your dashboard users will get lost and confused.

Step 4: Design

The design of the dashboard is where concepts come to life. Prioritising clarity, simplicity, and usability will foster an intuitive user experience. Create wireframes or prototypes to visualise the layout and facilitate stakeholder feedback.

Go Lo-Fi before Hi-Fi and get feedback at each step. Trust me, this will save you so much time. Don’t do the early stage designs in Tableau…unless both you and your stakeholders are expert at this – because you will get dragged into the wrong conversations.

Note: It’s function before form when it comes to dashboard design.

Step 5: Review

Design reviews with stakeholders are essential to catch misalignments before they escalate. Early feedback helps refine design aspects and ensures user buy-in, supporting a collaborative environment that values input from various team members.

Step 6: Build

With a finalised design, the next step is to build the dashboard. Focus on core functionalities derived from user requirements. Avoid feature bloat, and keep the interface aligned with initially defined goals to enhance user uptake.

Real-world Example:

A major FMCG company initially rolled out a basic production quality dashboard featuring only essential test result metrics. By periodically revisiting user feedback, they were able to incrementally add advanced functionalities that catered to evolving user needs, ultimately enhancing customer experience.

Step 7: Test

Testing is crucial to ensure the dashboard performs as intended. Conduct User Acceptance Testing (UAT) with actual users to confirm core functionalities and identify possible improvements. This validation step helps to maintain quality before full launch.

But: don’t fall into the trap of not doing system testing before handing over for UAT. Your users want to be testing what they asked for, not your build errors. You will lose confidence and your users will lose patience (if not their minds…).

Step 8: Publish

Once testing is satisfactorily completed, it’s time to launch the dashboard. Ensure users are equipped with necessary documentation and support during this transition. A well-laid onboarding process can demystify dashboard features and foster confident usage.

Step 9: Collect User Feedback

Post-launch, gathering user feedback becomes vital for ongoing improvements. Establish structured methods for users to submit their insights, encouragements, and suggestions for enhancements. This holistic approach nurtures a continuous improvement culture.