Dashboards are excellent tools for visualizing KPIs at a glance.

They enable investors and entrepreneurs to monitor their impact performance “in real-time.”

But should everyone dive right in?

Weigh your options by answering these 3 questions:

1. Have you defined what success looks like?

Dashboards become actionable when you can quickly determine whether things are moving in the right direction. Before building a dashboard, ensure you have clearly defined success indicators.

2. Can you measure your chosen indicators regularly?

If your data doesn’t change or can’t be updated frequently, consider alternative visualization tools such as reports and infographics.

3. Is your data quantitative or qualitative?

Dashboards work best with numerical data and short headlines that provide context. If you require more in-depth text or qualitative analysis, explore other reporting options.

By considering these questions, impact investors and social entrepreneurs can decide whether a dashboard is the right tool for their needs, ensuring they effectively measure and manage their impact.

Are you using dashboards to analyze your impact data?

What other tools do you find helpful for managing your performance?