Minimum Viable Dashboard

D05 - Measurement Sophistication

Definition

The smallest number of metrics, typically six to eight, that collectively answer the three operational questions that matter most: Is the cost of operations growing faster than revenue? Is the operation performing within acceptable bounds? Is there a specific risk that requires leadership attention?

Dashboard sprawl is the most common measurement failure in mid-market operations. More metrics don't produce more clarity. They produce more noise. The minimum viable principle forces the question, "If we could only keep eight metrics, which eight metrics would they be?"

That question produces better dashboards than starting from all available data and adding metrics until the dashboard looks comprehensive.

Indicators

• Your current operational dashboard has more than 12 metrics.
• You cannot confidently state which three metrics matter most to your leadership team right now.
• A metric was added to your dashboard in the last year because someone asked about it, not because it answers a defined question.

Quick Win

• Count your current dashboard's metrics.
• If it's more than eight metrics, pick the three metrics you'd remove first without losing any real decision-making capability.

Assess

• Take the HQ Score Assessment

Apply

• The Operations Dashboard Builder
• The Industry-Specific KPI Library

Related

• Board Operations Summary
• Vanity Metrics
• Goodhart's Law