How to build trustworthy executive dashboards

Executives rarely reject a dashboard because of its colours. They stop using it when the numbers disagree with another report, when the data is out of date, or when it takes too long to find the answer they need.

Start with decisions, not data

Ask which decisions the dashboard should support and how often they are made. A small number of well-chosen measures, each with an owner and a clear definition, will be used far more than a page of every available metric.

Make trust visible

• Show when the data was last refreshed.
• Use a single certified model so every report calculates measures the same way.
• Reconcile key totals against source systems as part of each load.
• Document definitions where users can find them.

Design for a quick read

Lead with performance against target, then trend, then exceptions. Keep detail one click away rather than on the first screen. Test the dashboard with the people who will use it and refine it based on what they look for first.