Make way for the latest application tool to assist managers with business performance metrics: the dashboard. According to Shadan Malik, “a dashboard is a computer interface with charts, reports, visual indicators, and alert mechanisms that are consolidated into a dynamic and relevant information platform.” Depending on how the dashboard interface is constructed, you can see how well your company is performing on a monthly, quarterly, or yearly basis. If you are using a Balanced Scorecard as a performance measure, you can design the dashboard to produce alerts based on key data or performance indicators that will monitor whether or not you are meeting your goals.
Malik has written a practical guide for understanding the enterprise dashboard system and the ways it could help executives strategize. He has divided the book into four parts: Dashboard Execution, Dashboard Types, Software Assessment, and Case Studies. In each section, he introduces additional layers such as design layout, information delivery, best practices, navigation, user groups, storyboards, and dashboard templates to help you understand the basic strategy and makeup behind the interface. He also provides screen shots of some dashboard templates for those who need a visual reference.
By the end of the book, you should have a basic knowledge of dashboards in general, and some insights about how your company could benefit from this latest information management tool.
Malik is the software architect for iViz Group. He has worked with business intelligence solutions for over twelve years and currently has two pending patents in the area of data visualization and enterprise dashboards.
- Sara Grant