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Technology Agnostic
Look for no restrictions on metrics data sources.
Very few organizations use a single technology to meet all their data
and performance needs.
Easy Availability
Look for web-based, easily customizable user interface (UI) design
with multi-language support.
Security
Look for configurable, secure user and data source access.
Since metrics tell critical information about the business, they usually
convey sensitive information. Dashboards and the information they
contain should therefore be easily protected without sacrificing their
availability.
Further, the metrics management solution should be able to access data
that is protected behind various security barriers and firewalls without
jeopardizing the integrity of these security measures.
Usability
Look for ease of use for both end users and dashboard developers.
end users and dashboard designers. Any solution must be easily usable
by both.
A solution should Assuming that the metrics dashboards are easily accessible to those
both offer who need them anywhere and at anytime, the design of the dashboards
immediate benefits
themselves and the metrics they present should be evaluated:
and support
increasing Are the dashboards clear and easy to understand so that users
sophistication and
grasp instantly what they are being shown and what it means for
new project roll-
outs over time. their areas of responsibility?
Ask if the vendor Can thresholds, trends and warnings be easily and clearly
has dashboard identified by the end user?
templates.
Can legends to explain data be easily integrated into the
dashboards?
Are relationships between metrics easily established by the end
users?
Do the dashboards allow drill-down views for more detailed
information, and other view changes requested by users?
Does the solution offer clean and consistent display of metrics
without visual “noise”?
Usability for dashboard designers may be less noticeable day-to-day,
but it is critical, for it is the designers who will be responsible for the
rapid development and deployment of dashboards to monitor KPIs,
and hence for critical business information.
When evaluating solutions consider
What skill sets do the dashboard designers require?
Is training necessary, and if so, how much is required? A rule of
thumb is that that no more than a few days’ training should be
needed for staff to become effective dashboard designers.
Do the solution’s dashboard design interfaces permit
development of simple dashboards to start, with increasing
complexity added as designers increase their expertise and
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Generally, the more effective the dashboards that can be designed, and
the more rapidly that the metrics management solution can be
deployed, the better the solution because its effect is immediate.
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Parameters can be used to filter data so that users see only the
information they need to see. In the example above, one data is filtered
by region. All users see the same dashboard, but users in Region East
see data for their region, while users in Region West see information for
their region.
period coverage, maximum capacities, etc.). This rule should guide the
dashboard designer through every step of design, from data gathering
to detailed composition of displays.
The Future
Look for the capability to initiate and sustain positive transformations
of the business.
Conclusion
Managers and technical experts looking for a metrics management
solution face a growing number of options.
When evaluating solutions for metrics management, prospective buyers
should arm themselves with knowledge about what these types of
solutions can and cannot do, and with a list of evaluation criteria. And,
finally, before buying they should ask two questions that encompass
the others:
Will this solution simply record what happened in the past, or
does it reveal what is going on now and, based on current
trends, what is likely to happen in the future?
Is the solution truly pro-active? Does it include displays,
thresholds and triggers not just to monitor what is going on, but
also and critically to automatically initiate appropriate actions,
and to facilitate reasoned, informed decisions?
About PureShare
PureShare is a metrics management software vendor that develops
proactive, web-based corporate performance monitoring and enterprise
reporting applications.
PureShare’s proactive metrics management applications empower
business users to see key performance indicators (KPI) in real-time and
allow business managers to accurately gauge performance. With
PureShare, organizations can harness corporate data into powerful
visual metrics that:
Automate the reporting and monitoring of key performance
indicators (KPIs), as well as data transformations.
Enable discovery of new insights into the business, and to
react quickly to those – rather than making after-the-fact
corrections.
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