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Collaborating With Stakeholders

Building a dashboard is usually not the end of the process. Once people start using it, questions come up, feedback is shared, and changes are requested. This is where real collaboration begins.

Gathering Feedback

Feedback is a good sign! It means people are engaged with the content and want to make it better.

Common types of feedback include:

Requests for new metrics
Questions about how numbers are calculated
Suggestions to change layout or visuals

Try to understand the question behind each request. Often the real need is clarity, not another chart.

When someone asks for a new chart, I always ask "What decision will this help you make?" Sometimes the answer reveals they just need a filter on an existing chart.

Iterating Without Breaking Things

Dashboards should evolve, but changes should be intentional. Good practices:

Make small changes one at a time.
Test updates before sharing again.
Avoid constantly changing definitions of key metrics.

Frequent small improvements are better than constant redesigns. I recommend maintaining a stable version while working on updates.

Setting Expectations and Boundaries

Not every request should turn into a dashboard change – it's usually a matter of clarification for the user, so they can understand how the dashboard works or what it shows.

It is okay to:

Ask why a change is needed.
Push back on unnecessary complexity.
Explain tradeoffs clearly.

Clear communication helps prevent dashboards from becoming bloated and confusing. Remember, you're the expert, and you need to decide whether something gets added or not.

Communicating Insights, Not Just Charts

When reviewing dashboards with stakeholders:

Walk through the main takeaways.
Explain what has changed since the last version.
Highlight areas that need attention.

This helps ensure the dashboard leads to action, not just observation.