Focusing on Basics for Dashboards and KPI

When developing dashboard KPI, there is an imminent need to focus on just the basics of KPIs here. This way, more informed decisions can be made faster.

KPI dashboards are tools that no company or organization should be without. This is because these dashboards contain the keys that make decision making all the more easier. The metrics provide the needed information for decision makers to make more informed decisions. After all, you never can tell when you would need to make sudden decisions that can mean the difference between success and failure for the company itself. Thus, KPI dashboards are very important tools for any company or organization to have. And they have very positive effects when it comes to the very experience of using them in companies.

However, a lot of companies actually incorporate so many metrics on their KPI dashboards. These companies do not really mean any harm in doing this. But what they do not realize is that the more metrics they include on the dashboard, the more confusing it would be to interpret the data represented by the metrics themselves. Thus, the better thing to do here is to choose just a few relevant metrics to include in your KPI dashboard.

It is very easy to get tempted to include a lot of KPIs in your dashboard. This is especially true when you see that you have a lot of data about your content, your models, specifications, colors, origination, and a lot more. When you feel very much tempted to include many KPIs for your dashboard, fight off the urge because less is more when it comes to dashboard KPIs. Just think about the time you can save when you have only a few KPIs to analyze and check out for representation. You also end up making decisions that are more profitable in the end.

Because you will be using just a few metrics for your dashboard, the issue at hand would now pertain to selecting which metrics you would include. Focus on the basics so that the members of the management staff can also focus on the aspects that drive the whole process of the trade from start to finish. You alone would know what particular metrics to use for your dashboard since businesses and organizations differ from one another. Of course, there are commonalities that you just cannot ignore. For instance, when it comes to the supply chain, these just might be the key indicators to include: cost reduction, shorter delivery time, on-time delivery, efficiency of manufacturing chain, better supplier management, and more. It is also important to portray all of these details in a certain format that can well present all information against indicators that have been pre-set, as well as historical trend data.

All of these just might be jargon to the ear at this point in time. And managers like to have specific information at hand so that the decision-making process can be made more speedy and efficient. The following are common indicators: Perfect Order Lead Time, Perfect Order Fulfillment, Production On Time and Complete, Expedited Order Fulfillment, Supplier Fulfillment On Time and Complete, Customer Return Rate, and Cash to Cash Cycle Time.

Supply chain management will certainly improve with the usage of these indicators on your dashboard. And the same procedure should be exercises when developing dashboards and KPI for whatever facet of the organization. Keeping the basics in mind will surely bring a lot of benefits for the organization as a whole.