Some common chart and graph types that would be useful for performance dashboards include line charts, bar charts, pie charts, scatter plots, area charts, gauges and indicators. Each type of visualization has its own strengths and suits different kinds of data and metrics. A good performance dashboard brings together different charts and graphs to paint a comprehensive picture of how the business or organization is performing.
Line charts are well-suited for displaying trends over time. They are often used to show how a particular metric is changing each week, month or quarter. Line charts make it easy to see the direction that numbers are headed up or down. Some examples of line charts include tracking revenue over 12 months, comparing website traffic week-over-week, or viewing sales numbers year-over-year. The performance dashboard would include line charts to reveal trends in key performance indicators.
Bar charts provide a simple visual comparison of item categories or values across periods. They are effective for depicting differences in amounts or quantities. Bar charts in a performance dashboard may illustrate a team or division’s monthly sales, compairing branches and regional profitability, or ranking top 5 products by units sold. This allows managers to easily discern which areas are exceeding goals and where improvement may be needed.
Pie charts express numerical proportions by cutting a circle into slices corresponding to different categories or subgroups. They are helpful for showing percentage breakdowns or distributions. For example, a pie chart on a dashboard could indicate what percentage of revenue came from different product lines or departments. Another use may be demonstrating the proportion of services that are completed on time versus late. This gives a clear at-a-glance view of how quantities are divided among different segments.
Scatter plots display numerical values for two variables on the horizontal and vertical axes to reveal any statistical correlation or trend in the relationship between the variables. On a performance dashboard, scatter plots may chart employee performance ratings against productivity metrics. Or they could compare service level agreement fulfilment times with customer satisfaction ratings. This helps identify if improvements in one area may positively or negatively impact another.
Area charts are similar to line charts but fill the space under the line, producing an image that more clearly illustrates changes in magnitude. They are useful when cumulative totals need to be emphasized over time, such as depicting overall sales achieved month-to-date or year-to-date. Area charts on a performance dashboard can succinctly show progression towards key targets as time periods accrue.
Gauges and indicators are graphic displays that present measurements against graduated scales, akin to physical dashboards in vehicles. Circular gauges with needles are commonly used, along with linear progress bars. These visuals are placed prominently on performance dashboards to constantly showcase metrics crucial to management like cash flow, capacity utilization, headcount, customer satisfaction NPS score etc. The “at-a-glance” monitoring promotes quick understanding of whether goals are being achieved or remedial action is necessary.
Combining these different types of charts and graphs allows dashboards to provide holistic insight into business health and direct attention to obstacles or opportunities across multiple dimensions. Well-designed performance dashboards present an assortment of clearly labeled visualizations to facilitate comparison, correlation, trends analysis and informed decision making. Additional graphs may also be integrated such as histograms, tree maps or sunbursts depending on the nature of benchmarks to oversee. The blending of varied charting formats results in dashboards that distill volumes of operational data into actionable strategy recommendations.
Effective performance dashboard views capitalize on line charts, bar charts, pie charts, scatter plots, area charts and gauges to transform raw figures into coherent stories through data visualization. Judiciously applying the strengths of each graphical technique surfaces key insights, flags issues and spotlights successes by functional area, team, product or over time. This empowers leadership oversight of performance metrics indicating where adjustments or new initiatives could propel objectives forward. A dashboard bringing together different charts and graphs creates a comprehensive and intuitive medium to manage business performance.