How to Craft Effective Dashboards by Tailoring Stories for Different Perspectives

Dashboards are potent tools for conveying complex information. In addition, well-thought-out dashboards are powerful instruments to ensure the whole organization stays united behind common goals. Yet, to get messages across, dashboard creators must consider the unique points of view of those using them. C-level executives, department heads, line managers, and task-focused employees have different job needs. As a result, they will always view data from the point of view of what information is essential for their own success.

In this article, we look into how to consider these distinct views in the context of financial performance dashboards. We also provide concrete tips to ensure your dashboard’s narrative is comprehensible across job roles.

The Diverse Perspectives

In any organization, everyone (ideally!) shares the same mission, but how they approach it differs. Each person’s role provides a unique perspective on achieving the shared purpose. Let’s look at 4 examples below.

C-level Executives: The Strategic Visionaries

C-level executives are the strategic visionaries within an organization. Their primary concern is the overarching financial strategy and its alignment with the company’s long-term objectives. When crafting a dashboard for them, focus on high-level KPIs that reflect financial performance against the plan. Key metrics might include revenue growth, profit margins, and financial stability. The dashboard should link financial performance with the company’s strategic vision and goals. The dashboard introduction should set the stage for the bigger financial picture.

Department Heads: The Tactical Planners

The task of department heads is to put the financial strategy within their respective areas in place. Their perspective centers on strategy execution and resource allocation. Design a dashboard that offers specific financial metrics related to their departments. Examples are budget adherence, cost control, and project financial performance. Use the dashboard to guide their tactical decisions. It should offer detailed insights into how they can steer their departments toward financial success.

Line Managers: The Operational Leaders

Line managers are the operational leaders responsible for daily financial activities. For them, the dashboard should provide granular data and actionable insights. Tailor the story to highlight immediate steps they can take to improve financial performance. Include data on expenses, revenue targets, and variance analysis. Your dashboard should engage line managers with economic efficiency and optimization narrative. It should offer insights for tangible actions that can be done to achieve expected results.

Workers: The Financial Executors

The perspective of task-focused workers differs significantly from higher-level management. Their actions play a crucial role in executing financial practices. The dashboard for workers should be simple, visual, and focused on their specific financial tasks. Examples are budget tracking, expense submissions, or revenue generation. It’s critical to help workers understand how their contributions fit into the larger economic narrative.

Looking at the examples of these distinct roles, it becomes clear that having a common mission doesn’t mean everyone sees things the same way. The dashboard’s story must account for different perspectives. Various points of view, from C-level executives’ big-picture vision to task-oriented employees’ hands-on work, are essential. Considering them in the dashboard enables aligned efforts toward a common goal.

Balancing Perspectives - One Dashboard or Many?

Does this mean we need four different dashboards to meet everyone’s needs? No! Although it is common to solve it this way, making separate dashboards for each perspective is inefficient. A wide variety of needs doesn’t mean many dashboards must be created. Instead, aim for a balanced approach that caters to all audiences while preserving the narrative.

How to Create a Solid Narrative

In the pursuit of an engaging dashboard narrative, bear these guiding principles in mind:

Have information drill-down. Start from a high-level perspective and allow the user to drill down to the lowest level of details as needed. Ensure the connection between the high-level KPIs and the lower-level detail is evident.
Incorporate an index. Depending on their roles, people will look for different information on the dashboard. An index can significantly help them find the information they need while seeing how it fits into the bigger picture.
Use a variety of data visualizations. Different people have different preferences for how they consume data. Some people prefer charts and graphs, while others prefer tables or text. By using a variety of data visualizations, you can make your dashboard more appealing to a broader range of people.
Use clear and concise labels. Ensure that your dashboard’s data points are clearly and concisely labeled. This will help people understand the data, even if unfamiliar with the specific metrics you are tracking.
Have consistent visual language. Maintain a consistent visual language across the dashboard. This ensures users can easily recognize the data regardless of how they are used to seeing it. This is akin to an author’s consistent writing style throughout a book for coherence.
Allow users to customize the dashboard. Give users the ability to customize the dashboard to meet their individual needs. For example, allow them to choose which data visualizations they want to see and which metrics they want to track.
Use conditional formatting. Conditional formatting can be used to highlight important data points or to identify trends. This can make it easier for people to identify the most critical information on the dashboard quickly.
Use interactivity. Add interactive elements to your dashboard, such as filters and tooltips. This will allow users to explore the data in more depth and find the information they are most interested in.
Include feedback Loops: Implement mechanisms for users to provide feedback on the dashboard. This ensures that it continues to evolve and improve.

By using this approach, a dashboard can cater to various perspectives efficiently. It provides a personalized yet cohesive experience. Ultimately, a good dashboard should inspire and inform users, irrespective of their role or perspective. Much like a well-written novel, a dashboard captivates all who engage with its narrative.

Practical Examples of Data Storytelling

Cluster, a company specializing in UX (user experience-focused) design and front-end engineering, also emphasizes the importance of the storytelling aspect in dashboards. They describe it in this blog from their webpage: How to Tell a Story with Data Analysis Dashboards (Storytelling)

The article highlights the underutilization of storytelling in data analysis dashboards. Despite data’s pivotal role in decision-making, storytelling often takes a backseat in its presentation. This is further exacerbated by only 29% of data-collecting organizations effectively translating their data into actionable insights.

Integrating storytelling into data dashboards can bridge this gap, capitalizing on the innate human inclination for narratives. Data can be presented in a more accessible, engaging, and memorable through storytelling techniques. The article then provides insights on employing storytelling within data analysis dashboards, focusing on goal definition, data visibility, shared data perspectives, logical narrative planning, and infographics.

Below are examples of dashboards that they created in this manner. Key messages and different viewpoints are very easily found in the data, and the user can either stay on the highest strategic level or drill down to get more details.

Crafting Effective Dashboards for Organizational Unity

In conclusion, dashboards serve as potent tools for conveying complex information. They play a pivotal role in uniting an entire organization behind common objectives. Yet, the dashboard’s story must account for different perspectives. Like authors crafting stories for diverse readers, dashboard creators must navigate different roles within the organization. C-level executives, department heads, line managers, and task-focused employees have unique job requirements. They demand tailored narratives within the dashboard. Recognizing that each person approaches the dashboard with a distinct perspective is essential. Each person seeks the information most critical for their effective work is essential. A well-prepared dashboard is comprehensible across many roles. It bridges gaps and fosters a shared understanding of the organization’s economic landscape.