Dashboard definition basics

When I engage with business stakeholders, the primary challenge is ensuring that we are aligned in our discussions about data. For instance, consider a request to create a "sales ranking" for pens from an e-commerce site.

1. Meaning of the Data
Which item should be ranked first in the list:

• a $1 pen sold 1,000 times, or

• a $1,000 pen sold once?
  
  

The definition of "sales ranking" will vary based on the stakeholders' objectives. 

One possible solution is to allow both rankings to be displayed or selected:

• ranking by number of units sold

• ranking by revenue
  
  

This approach is similar to what the App Store has implemented, showcasing categories like "top paid" and "top-grossing." However, the challenge arises when you delve deeper; you may feel compelled to provide multiple options for viewing the data, which can introduce complexity for business users. Thus, it becomes essential to clarify the purpose of this ranking and the intended audience.

2. Audience
In my experience, the more knowledgeable the audience, the greater the need for various options. An e-commerce site manager typically spends their time analyzing data to uncover insights and profitability. In contrast, as a consumer, I prefer a simpler experience that offers ideas or inspiration with minimal effort. Achieving this requires a deliberate bias in how data is calculated and presented. The App Store exemplifies this well: upon logging in, users encounter stories and categories, while the concept of "sales ranking" has become less prominent over time. The App Store intentionally presents biased data.

Returning to our pen example, what kind of bias should we apply? Should we rename "sales ranking" to "popularity" and base the ranking on units sold? Ethical considerations will inevitably arise when determining which data to present and for whom. For instance, is the packaging and shipping cost for 1,000 pens at $1 each profitable when considering environmental impact? (Today, it is not uncommon to order items online for $1.) Would it be more effective to present data in a way that influences purchasing decisions?

3. Time Range
The final component to consider is the time range for the sales ranking. Should it be daily, weekly, or monthly? Assuming (optimistically) that you have access to the raw data, how do you define the time range:

• from 00:00 AM to 11:59 PM?

• from Monday to Sunday?

• Does "monthly" truly mean from the first day of the month to the last?

If you can access consolidated data from the platform, it is crucial to know precisely when that data is ready for synchronization.

Conclusion: Whenever I need to create a dashboard, my process involves:
1. Meeting  with the stakeholders;
2. Analyzing sample data and manually performing the ranking;
3. Simulating various output variations.

I have not discovered a more efficient and unambiguous approach that achieves complete consensus. It seems that this process has remained unchanged for the past 30 years.