#CIO & IT dashboard - Improve what we measure - The fundamental rule.

We can only improve what we measure!

Indicators reflect this. A performance indicator is the information needed to drive action towards a goal.

Therefore, it is essential to master the art of dashboarding.

The fundamental rule

The rule #1 is that it is essential to adapt the format and wording of the dashboard to the final audience. We often forget that a dashboard is, above all, a tool for communication!

The basic objective and the steps to achieve it...

Yes, the dashboard is much more than a management tool for performance.

The objective of a dashboard is communication: with the management, the executive committee, the client, etc., and/or among the stakeholders in a project: the team, supplier, service provider, etc.

Therefore, it is necessary to proceed iteratively, and for that, we should not skip the step of drafting: a concise, evolving dashboard to be worked on with the reader and the user to ensure that the objectives are clear and clearly stated. Both the format and the vocabulary must be adapted for the end user.

Obviously, this is a collaborative effort, as the person requesting the dashboard from the #CIO may not always know exactly what all the objectives and uses of this dashboard are. Also we having often seen teams create dashboards without ever talking to the end users, which is quite a shame...

It is important to remember to keep it simple and straightforward, to prioritize iconography over overwhelming tables, not to overload with colors, and to focus on the essentials.

And above all, it is crucial to maintain a consistent pace, disseminate data and indicator reports over time. It is better to regularly monitor 2 #KPIs than to consider 10 and not be able to keep track of their updates.