If treated as just numbers on a spreadsheet, data often ends up gathering dust, when it could be unlocking powerful insights instead. In this blog series, we’ll be demystifying data collection, reframing it as something that tells a unique story – one that’s crucial to making smarter business decisions.
Use tools to help connect the dots
As we’ve explored in the previous blogs in this series, your business data tells a unique story, with each data point forming part of a larger narrative. When seen in this way, you can finally begin harnessing data insights to help shape the future of your business.
Here, we’ll talk about how tools – specifically dashboards – can empower you to make the most of the data you have. Because what’s the point in having all this business data if you’re not using it to your advantage?
The truth is, data is only as valuable as the insights it can offer. That’s why we’re big advocates for interactive dashboards, which do a lot of the legwork in converting raw data into appealing visual stories, helping you make better-informed and timely business decisions.
Bring your data to life with dynamic dashboards
Nobody would ever dream of driving a car without a dashboard. We’d be relying on guesswork, essentially driving blind. Needless to say, things would quickly go wrong.
We won’t take this comparison too far – but, just like car dashboards, data dashboards give us useful, real-time information that’s presented in an easy-to-read, visual way. That’s why data dashboards are used across all manner of sectors, from education and healthcare to logistics, streamlining internal processes and helping things run smoothly.
Rather than sifting through static reports or endless sheets of figures, dashboards bring your business data to life in a dynamic, engaging way. With all your key metrics available at a glance, you can seamlessly monitor KPIs, set benchmarks, identify trends and make informed decisions based on real-time information. At GearedApp, we’ve seen firsthand the transformative power of interactive, custom dashboards in bringing data to life. For example, through our ongoing development of Admit.app, we’re streamlining workflows for local authorities by helping them to efficiently process huge volumes of data.
Turning insights into action
Your data can and should be more than a static snapshot of your business. At the end of the day, for your data to really elevate your performance, it needs to drive action. Therefore, the final step in unlocking your data’s full potential is finding ways to translate it into actionable steps.
We’ve found that data dashboards bring the best results when they’re specifically geared toward inspiring smarter decision-making. The difference here is subtle, and it doesn’t have to be complicated. It can be as straightforward as making the most of customisable features. For example, with advanced filter functions, different employees can split data into categories such as date range or user demographics. This level of flexibility is key for helping everyone in the team engage with business data in a way that speaks to them and their specific objectives.
It’s also about what you choose to show – and not show – in data visualisations. Merely displaying key metrics in isolation can be ambiguous and confusing. But when your data is adapted to different contexts through dynamic visual storytelling, teams can proactively align decisions with changing circumstances. For example, your marketing team might use a dashboard to track which campaigns generate the most engagement and adjust their approach in real-time. The product team might use it to identify which features are most popular or which ones may require improvements. When you take the time to think about the specific narrative and actionable insights for each dataset, your team is in a much stronger position to pivot quickly when needed.
To further boost engagement, it could be an idea to organise regular team reviews using the dashboard to chat about insights, track progress toward goals and spot potential areas for improvement. Essentially, dashboards can help you embed data storytelling into your day-to-day operations, helping your team be more agile, adaptable and aligned with the business’s evolving needs.
Wondering how a dashboard might fit in with your workflow?
At GearedApp, we love designing and building custom dashboards for companies of all shapes and sizes. Whether you already have a clear vision in mind or you’re just curious about what we can do to help improve your systems, we’d love to hear from you.