A business intelligence (BI) dashboard is a graphical user interface (GUI) that consolidates and presents information from multiple data sources. They are typically used to give leaders a quick overview of key performance indicators (KPIs) and other vital data points so that they can make informed decisions about where to allocate resources.
Developing an effective BI dashboard can be challenging, but there are some best practices that you can follow to ensure that your dashboard is as helpful as possible. In this blog post, Databand discusses best practices for developing BI dashboards.
1. Define Your Goals
Before you start developing your dashboard, take some time to define your goals. What do you hope to achieve by creating this dashboard? What specific KPIs do you want to track? Once you have answered these questions, you can start designing your dashboard with these goals.
2. Keep It Simple
You should design your dashboard for quick and easy understanding. Too much information or graphics should not overload it. Stick to the essential data points that you need to track your KPIs and present them in a way that is easy to understand. The goal is for users to quickly find the information they need without getting overwhelmed or lost in the data.
3. Make Use Of Data Visualization
Data visualization is an essential tool for making complex data sets more understandable. When used correctly, visualizations can communicate a lot of information in a way that is easy for the human brain to process. When designing your dashboard, use data visualizations to help users understand the data more quickly.
4. Allow For Customization And Filtering
Not all users will want to see the same information on their dashboard. Therefore, it is vital to allow for some customization and filtering options. For example, let users choose which KPIs they want to see or which data sets they want to include in their visualizations. It will help ensure everyone can find the information they need on your dashboard without being bombarded with irrelevant data points.
5 . Test, Test, Test!
Once you’ve designed your dashboard, test it thoroughly before making it available to users. Try out features and ensure everything works as intended. Pay special attention to areas where users need help understanding the data or finding the information. Get feedback from potential users during testing to ensure your dashboard meets their needs.
The Benefits Of Business Intelligence Dashboard For Businesses
Business intelligence dashboards have become an invaluable asset for businesses of all sizes. By aggregating data from various sources into a single platform, business intelligence dashboards provide visibility into key performance metrics and trends that can inform data-driven decision-making.
From sales, marketing, and operational performance to customer sentiment analysis, these tools give organizations critical insights that can drive smarter decisions without requiring additional resources or manual data aggregation. With real-time updates and automation capabilities, businesses can respond quickly as the situation changes or new opportunities arise.
Business intelligence dashboards have empowered small to medium businesses by granting them access to data analytics previously restricted to larger companies with significant budgets and resources.
Common Mistakes To Avoid When Developing And Using A Business Intelligence Dashboard
Developing effective business intelligence dashboards requires understanding the available data, how to query and process that data, and how to visually display and communicate the information.
One common mistake when developing these dashboards is not taking advantage of the best practices in data visualizations and instead settling for basic chart capabilities available in some reporting tools.
Additionally, many users tend to over-clutter their dashboards by displaying too much data. This approach can easily confuse your intended audience, so it’s a good idea to design your dashboard with scalability and prioritize only the most relevant insights for your situation.
Finally, failing to keep your dashboard up-to-date with the most current data can lead to wrong decisions, so regularly monitor and refresh your dashboard contents whenever necessary.
Conclusion
Dashboards are a valuable tool for business intelligence, but only if they have an effective design. By following the best practices that Databand outlined in this blog post, you can develop BI dashboards that are both informative and easy to use, ensuring that they will be valuable resources for decision-makers in your organization.
