Start from the decisions, not the data
List the recurring decisions in the leadership meeting: pricing, hiring, stock, capital spend, collections. Each metric on the dashboard should support one of them. Anything that supports none is reporting, not decision support.
Show performance against something
A number without a comparison is noise. Every KPI should carry a target, a prior period or a forecast so it can be read at a glance.
Agree definitions once
Most disputes in leadership meetings are definitional, not factual. Write the definition of each KPI into the model so that revenue, margin and headcount mean the same thing everywhere.
Keep one screen for the meeting
Detail belongs one click away. If the first screen needs scrolling, it is not yet finished.
Frequently asked questions
- How many KPIs should an executive dashboard have?
- Usually between eight and twelve, each tied to a recurring decision, with detail available on drill-through.
- How often should it refresh?
- As often as the underlying decisions are made — daily for operations, monthly for financial performance.