Performance Dashboards. Measuring, Monitoring, and Managing Your Business

Tips, techniques, and trends on harnessing dashboard technology to optimize business performance In Performance Dashboards, Second Edition, author Wayne Eckerson explains what dashboards are, where they can be used, and why they are important to measuring and managing performance. As Director of Research for The Data Warehousing Institute, a worldwide association of business intelligence professionals, Eckerson interviewed dozens of organizations that have built various types of performance dashboards in different industries and lines of business. Their practical insights explore how you can effectively turbo-charge performance–management initiatives with dashboard technology. Includes all-new case studies, industry research, news chapters on «Architecting Performance Dashboards» and «Launching and Managing the Project» and updated information on designing KPIs, designing dashboard displays, integrating dashboards, and types of dashboards. Provides a solid foundation for understanding performance dashboards, business intelligence, and performance management Addresses the next generation of performance dashboards, such as Mashboards and Visual Discovery tools, and including new techniques for designing dashboards and developing key performance indicators Offers guidance on how to incorporate predictive analytics, what-if modeling, collaboration, and advanced visualization techniques This updated book, which is 75% rewritten, provides a foundation for understanding performance dashboards, business intelligence, and performance management to optimize performance and accelerate results.

Motivate, engage, and achieve lasting success with more effective performance management Managing Business Performance offers a unique blueprint for achieving organisational excellence through improved productivity, efficiency, engagement, and morale. With a unique approach that acknowledges the human aspect of performance management, this book combines technical and social know-how to give you a solid framework for designing, configuring, and managing performance improvement initiatives with sustainable results. You'll find practical models, techniques, and tools that take you beyond management theory into advice that you can use, with clear explanations that steer you toward the customisations that would best suit your organisation. International case studies illustrate these ideas in action, providing an intimate look at how cultural differences impact management strategies, and insight into how they can be managed. Organisational performance tools and techniques are well established, but many organisations will never realise their full benefit. This book helps you get more out of your performance strategy by showing you how the organisation's complex social nature impacts real-world outcomes, and how it can be used to drive better performance. Blend technical and social management strategies Keep people motivated and engaged See better results with more staying power Get the very best from your organisation Performance management strategies that fail to take people into account are counterproductive. There's no better way to de-motivate, demoralise, and disengage the people upon whom the organisation depends. Sustainable success requires a blended approach that utilizes the most effective science within the art of people management, and Managing Business Performance gives you a solid foundation for better business performance strategy.

No matter what industry your company competes in, you need to have a firm understanding of how to create a direct link between shareholder value and critical business processes in order to improve performance and achieve long-term value. Performance Dashboards and Analysis for Value Creation contains the information and expertise you need to do just this—and much more.

This book uncovers the components of driving increased marketing effectiveness and can be applied to just about every industry and marketing challenge. It demystifies how marketers can significantly improve their measurement and management infrastructure in order to improve their return on marketing effectiveness and ROI. They will be able to significantly improve their tactical and strategic decision-making and finally be able to respond to John Wannamachers' «half of my advertising is wasted; I just don't know which half.» With this in hand, they will be able to avoid the budget cutting ax, become a critical component of corporate success and enhance their careers. Even in a crowded theoretical marketing environment there are three new concepts being introduced: 1. The Marketing Effectiveness Framework to help marketers talk the talk of marketing effectiveness within marketing and with the C-Suite. 2. The Marketing Effectiveness Continuum to help marketers understand the organizational issues and change management associated with delivering long lasting enhanced marketing effectiveness. 3. The Marketing Accountability Framework to help marketers begin to collect data that is meaningful to improving their marketing effectiveness and to become accountable for their results. It is one of the only marketing books covering the topic at a global level. It includes a great number of specific case studies from North America, Asia, Europe and Africa. The cases cover the following industries: Telecommunications, consumer packaged goods, home repair services, travel, utilities, software, restaurants, alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages and others. It can also be used to support marketing education at the university level. Whether the reader is a marketer, business analyst, C-level executive, this book will help them to understand the key issues surrounding the measurement of marketing effectiveness. More than that however, is how each of the concepts can be directly applied to their marketing environment. Each of the concepts are applied to the different types of businesses (business-to-business, OEM, consumer, NGO and others) so they can quickly make them actionable.

The definitive reference book with real-world solutions you won't find anywhere else The Big Book of Dashboards presents a comprehensive reference for those tasked with building or overseeing the development of business dashboards. Comprising dozens of examples that address different industries and departments (healthcare, transportation, finance, human resources, marketing, customer service, sports, etc.) and different platforms (print, desktop, tablet, smartphone, and conference room display) The Big Book of Dashboards is the only book that matches great dashboards with real-world business scenarios. By organizing the book based on these scenarios and offering practical and effective visualization examples, The Big Book of Dashboards will be the trusted resource that you open when you need to build an effective business dashboard. In addition to the scenarios there's an entire section of the book that is devoted to addressing many practical and psychological factors you will encounter in your work. It's great to have theory and evidenced-based research at your disposal, but what will you do when somebody asks you to make your dashboard 'cooler' by adding packed bubbles and donut charts? The expert authors have a combined 30-plus years of hands-on experience helping people in hundreds of organizations build effective visualizations. They have fought many 'best practices' battles and having endured bring an uncommon empathy to help you, the reader of this book, survive and thrive in the data visualization world. A well-designed dashboard can point out risks, opportunities, and more; but common challenges and misconceptions can make your dashboard useless at best, and misleading at worst. The Big Book of Dashboards gives you the tools, guidance, and models you need to produce great dashboards that inform, enlighten, and engage.

Learn to use Excel dashboards and reports to better conceptualize data Updated for all the latest features and capabilities of Excel 2013, this go-to resource provides you with in-depth coverage of the individual functions and tools that can be used to create compelling Excel reports. Veteran author Michael Alexander walks you through the most effective ways to present and report data. Featuring a comprehensive review of a wide array of technical and analytical concepts, this essential guide helps you go from reporting data with simple tables full of dull numbers to presenting key information through the use of high-impact, meaningful reports and dashboards that will wow management both visually and substantively. Details how to analyze large amounts of data and report the results in a way that is both visually attractive and effective Describes how to use different perspectives to achieve better visibility into data, as well as how to slice data into various views on the fly Shows how to automate redundant reporting and analysis processes Walks you through creating impressive dashboards, eye-catching visualizations, and real-world What-If analyses Excel Dashboards and Reports, Second Edition is part technical manual, part analytical guidebook, and exactly what you need to become your organization's dashboard dynamo!

Transform the way your business works. Neuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP) techniques can be applied to all business challenges. As a leader or manager in either the public or private sectors, whatever your industry or size of organisation, you can use NLP to improve your business by changing the mindsets of everyone you work with. When tailored for practical business application, NLP can help you to identify and deliver efficiencies, hold onto clients in the midst of increasing competition, improve morale and increase organisational performance and results. Change Your Business With NLP is the first genuinely practical guide for managers, showing how to use NLP techniques to overcome specific business problems. You will learn how to: Improve your results as a leader Build an exceptional team Manage change more effectively Change your organisation’s culture Create more effective client and customer relationships Transform your presentation skills Increase the overall performance of your business Bestselling author Lindsey Agness, an international change management consultant and certified trainer of NLP, uses step-by-step techniques and a broad range of case studies to show you that NLP can deliver measurable results in business.

Create dynamic dashboards and put your data on display with For Dummies No matter what business you’re in, reports have become a staple of the workplace, but what good is a report if no reads it, or even worse, understands it? This all new edition of Excel Dashboards & Reports For Dummies is here to help you make meaning of all your data and turn it into clear and actionable visualizations. Fully updated for the latest business intelligence and spreadsheet tools in Excel 2013, this book shows you how to analyze large amounts of data, quickly slice data into various views on the fly, automate redundant reporting, create eye-catching visualizations, and more. Helps you move beyond reporting data with simple tables, rows, and columns to designing high-impact reports, dashboards, and visuals Walks you through a wide array of technical and analytical concepts to give you the background you need to select the right tool for interpreting and displaying data Covers how to build a chart, work with pivot tables, group and bucket your data, represent trends, create What-If analyses, and increase the value of your reports Excel Dashboards & Reports For Dummies, 2nd Edition is the business analysis tool you need to transform your raw data into a powerful and effective presentation that is accessible to everyone.

Managing Technology to Meet Your Mission is a practical resource that will help nonprofit professionals make smart, strategic decisions about technology. The book shows how to effectively manage technology and offers practical advice for decision makers and staff alike who often have little or no experience with technology. With contributions from the top experts in the nonprofit technology field, this must-have guide addresses technology planning and people. It includes the tools you need to get the work done, and the knowledge that will help you communicate better, evaluate technology investments, raise money, and more. Written in nontechnical language the book covers a broad spectrum of topics including: Achieving IT Alignment with Your Mission Steve Heye, YMCA of the USA Managing Technology Change Dahna Goldstein, PhilanTech Measuring the Return on Investment of Technology Beth Kanter, trainer, blogger and consultant IT Planning and Prioritizing Peter Campbell, Earthjustice Finding and Keeping the Right PeopleJames L. Weinberg and Cassie Scarano, Commongood Careers Budgeting For and Funding Technology Scott McCallum and Keith R. Thode, Aidmatrix Foundation Introduction to IT and Systems Kevin Lo and Willow Cook, TechSoup Global Where Are Your Stakeholders, and What Are They Doing Online? Michael Cervino, Beaconfire Consulting Effective Online CommunicationsJohn Kenyon, nonprofit technology strategist Effective Online Fundraising Madeline Stanionis, Watershed The Future if IT in NonprofitsEdward Granger-Happ, Save the Children Praise for Managing Technology to Meet Your Mission «This invaluable guide for nonprofit leaders proves that nonprofit organizations can and should embrace technology, rather than being scared of or intimidated by it!» —Kristie Ferketich, senior strategist, Google Grants, Google Inc. «NTEN's Managing Technology to Meet Your Mission can help leaders craft a technology strategy that makes sense and builds ROI while also providing inspiration for their staff and supporters!» —Jonathon D. Colman, associate director and web evangelista, digital marketing, The Nature Conservancy «This book shows what NTEN does best: Bring together a wide range of voices to provide practical technology strategies and know-how to help nonprofits more efficiently and effectively move their own missions forward.» —Marnie Webb, TechSoup Global

Preventing Identity Theft in Your Business is a reliable guide to help protect companies, their customers, and their employees from the growing problem of identity theft. Real-life examples show managers and executives how to identify business, customer, and employee identity theft, how these crimes are committed, how best to prevent them, and overall, develop an honest company culture. It also covers how to manage this threat in business reorganizations such as mergers, acquisitions, globalization, and outsourcing.