Data Visualization Dashboards: Benefits and Examples

Data visualization dashboards are being used at more companies every day, as these tools allow business owners to collect data on current trends and measure progress toward goals.

By using these dashboards you can improve your data analysis and decision-making, which can help your business achieve greater success. But how do they work?

The main purpose of a data visualization dashboard is to transform raw data into easily digestible, useful information. This information is displayed using visual elements such as a chart, graph, gauge, or other infographic.

Dashboards collect data from various sources, organize that data into one location, and then display the collected information in a visual format that is easy for users to understand.

Dashboard visualizations are helpful because they allow you to see all of your company’s essential metrics at once so you can quickly monitor your performance and identify any problems or issues.

Instead of scrolling through multiple spreadsheets or jumping between numerous platforms trying to interpret rows of data or arbitrary numbers, dashboards display your most important data in one report. Making your information easier to understand and work with so you can make data-driven decisions to improve and grow your business.

A good data visualization dashboard does more than simply present numbers. It transforms raw data into clear and actionable insights. These are the key features that make dashboards such valuable tools:

Dashboards collect information from multiple systems such as CRM, ecommerce platforms, and marketing tools, consolidating it into a single view. This eliminates the need to switch between spreadsheets or separate tools to see the complete picture.

Dashboards display data using visual elements such as charts, gauges, bar graphs, line plots, and maps. These visuals make it easy to identify patterns, trends, or anomalies in the data.

Modern dashboards offer interactive features, enabling users to filter data, drill into specific metrics, or change time frames to view insights from different perspectives.

Many dashboards update in real-time or near real-time, providing decision-makers with up-to-date insights that allow for quick responses to changing conditions.

Dashboards are often centered around key performance indicators (KPIs), helping businesses track progress toward goals. Common metrics include sales revenue, website traffic, inventory levels, and customer satisfaction.

Different teams and departments rely on dashboards tailored to their specific goals. Here are some of the most common types:

Sales dashboards focus on key metrics like pipeline health, top-performing reps, conversion rates, and deal value. They are essential for guiding revenue growth strategies.

Marketing dashboards offer consolidated insights across campaigns, including web traffic, email performance, ad spend, and social engagement. They help understand ROI and optimize marketing tactics.

Financial dashboards help finance leaders track revenue, profit margins, costs, and forecasts. They often include visualizations for cash flow, budget variance, and expense ratios.

Operational dashboards provide visibility into key workflows such as order fulfillment, customer service performance, and supply chain logistics. They are critical for day-to-day decision-making.

Business intelligence dashboards offer executives and cross-functional teams a comprehensive overview of business performance. By combining data across departments, they deliver high-level insights and guide strategic planning.

Dashboards offer a variety of benefits that help optimize your business operations and practices.

Here are just a few of the many benefits that come with using data visualization dashboards:

Instead of spending hours searching for reports, figures, and spreadsheets when you need information on specific metrics or targets, you can instead turn to your dashboard.

Just the process of creating a dashboard can help you create a single source of data where everything is stored in a central location. Data becomes more accessible to everyone, from entry-level workers to C-suite executives, so everyone can quickly find and use data that’s applicable to their role.

Dashboards can help you make data-driven decisions that are based on relevant information. This tool takes the guesswork out of planning your business strategies, as you have the necessary data to know what’s working well and what needs adjustment.

Dashboards can also help improve your company’s workflow from a managerial standpoint and help you gain a better understanding of exactly how your business is operating on a day-to-day basis. Teams can have access to the same dashboard and work together to understand what the visualizations are telling them.

By utilizing dashboard visualization tools, managers receive timely updates about important metrics, which can help them make necessary adjustments to their business’s operations or resources to achieve better results. They can also be alerted when certain metrics change, prompting them to look at the dashboard and drive decision-making based on those insights.

One of the main benefits of a dashboard is the ability to customize views based on your personal needs. For example, you can choose which metrics are displayed on your dashboard, the graphics used to represent your data, and how they are grouped together.

Since dashboards are online applications, many of them have the ability to let you sign in using single sign-on authentication instead of multiple usernames and passwords.

In addition to single sign-on, dashboards can also allow business teams and managers to collaborate with each other easily.

Dashboards can store your company’s data in a central location so that you always have access to the latest information whenever it’s needed.

Domo’s customizable, interactive data visualization dashboards help business professionals and decision-makers access and understand their most essential metrics. You’ll gain a complete view of the most relevant operations and performance data for your role and see changes reflected in real-time. Allowing you to spot issues before they develop into serious problems, better allocate resources, and find opportunities to maximize your business performance.