How do you create a strategic plan dashboard or scorecard to track your progress and performance?

1 Step 1: Define your strategic objectives and indicators

The first step is to identify and prioritize your strategic objectives, which are the specific outcomes or changes that you want to achieve in the short, medium, or long term. These should be aligned with your mission and vision, and reflect your theory of change or logic model. For each objective, you need to define one or more indicators, which are the measurable data points that show whether you are making progress or not. These can be quantitative or qualitative, and should be SMART: specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound.

2 Step 2: Choose your dashboard or scorecard format and design

The next step is to decide how you want to present your strategic objectives and indicators in a dashboard or scorecard format. There are different types of dashboards or scorecards, such as balanced scorecards, logic model dashboards, or dashboard maps, that can suit different purposes and audiences. You can use existing templates or tools, or create your own custom design. The key is to make sure that your dashboard or scorecard is clear, concise, and consistent, and that it highlights the most important information and insights.

3 Step 3: Collect and analyze your data

The third step is to collect and analyze your data for each indicator, using the methods and sources that you have defined. You may need to use different tools and techniques, such as surveys, interviews, focus groups, observations, or databases, to gather and process your data. You should also ensure that your data is accurate, reliable, and valid, and that you follow ethical and legal standards. Once you have your data, you should analyze it to identify trends, patterns, gaps, and challenges, and to compare your actual results with your expected or desired results.

4 Step 4: Visualize and communicate your results

The fourth step is to visualize and communicate your results in a way that is engaging, informative, and actionable. You can use different types of charts, graphs, tables, icons, colors, or symbols to display your data in your dashboard or scorecard. You should also use labels, titles, legends, notes, or annotations to explain your data and provide context. The goal is to make your dashboard or scorecard easy to understand and interpret, and to highlight the key messages and recommendations that you want to convey to your audience.

5 Step 5: Review and update your dashboard or scorecard

The final step is to review and update your dashboard or scorecard regularly, to ensure that it reflects your current situation and performance, and that it supports your decision-making and learning. You should establish a schedule and process for updating your data and revising your objectives and indicators, as well as for soliciting and incorporating feedback from your stakeholders. You should also use your dashboard or scorecard as a tool for celebrating your achievements, identifying your challenges, and adjusting your strategies and actions accordingly.

6 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?