Dashboard (management information systems)
A dashboard in the context of management information systems is a digital interface that consolidates critical data, statistics, and insights onto a single display, similar to a car dashboard. These dashboards utilize graphs, charts, and other visual elements to present either real-time or historical information pertinent to various business operations. Unlike traditional dashboards, those used in information technology often feature interactivity, enabling managers to analyze and manipulate data to inform and adjust business strategies. Dashboards are widely used across industries, aiding both small and large organizations in decision-making, trend identification, performance documentation, and task organization. They are characterized by automatic updates, a one-screen layout for easy viewing, and simplicity in design. A variety of dashboard software is available, each tailored to different business needs and sectors, including popular options like Tableau, Power BI, and IBM's Cognos Analytics. Additionally, as mobile technology has advanced, personal dashboard applications have emerged, providing users with daily data like weather and task management. Overall, dashboards have become essential tools for enhancing productivity and efficiency in both professional and personal contexts.
On this Page
Subject Terms
Dashboard (management information systems)
Just as a car’s dashboard displays pertinent information about the functioning of the vehicle, dashboards for management information systems group facts, statistics, and other important information on a single digital page or graphical user interface. Dashboards display information with graphs, charts, and other visual data to provide either real-time or historical information about myriad business functions.
As opposed to most vehicle dashboards, information-technology dashboards are often interactive, allowing managers to analyze data both to initiate and reformulate business plans. Dashboards have become integral aspects of productivity and are used across a wide spectrum, helping small and large businesses make decisions, identify trends, document performance, media outlets disseminate information, and individuals consolidate information and organize tasks.
Overview
In its modern incarnation, the dashboard is a unique tool, but in terms of information technology, it does share roots with personal information managers, tools that integrate multiple applications. An example would be the Sidekick by Borland, introduced in the early 1980s, which allowed for task switching between a calculator, address book, calendar, and other basic types of data storage. “Dashboard” has also been used as a term to describe a software program that can integrate information from multiple applications either on the computer’s operating system or from the Internet.
The definition of a digital dashboard may be slightly different depending on the company and the features a company seeks to highlight. However, a dashboard has certain key characteristics that distinguish it from other types of presentation media, such as scorecards. A dashboard must contain information that is updated automatically on a regular basis; the time frame for updates will vary according to the needs of the user. Also, all performance measurements must be accounted for and, importantly, fit on one screen. A dashboard can have filtering, search, and drill-down features, but a true dashboard should allow the user to garner necessary information from the visuals presented on a single screen. Furthermore, a dashboard should be simple, uncluttered, and easy to read and use.
Dashboard software for personal and professional use has been developed by several companies, each with slightly different approaches and target markets. One of the first dashboards was created by Microsoft and combines web-based features with those found in Outlook, such as email and other corporate applications. IBM’s Cognos Analytics with Watson, also called Cognos Analytics (formerly IBM Cognos Business Intelligence), relies on a multitude of charts and can be tailored for group size and function. Actuate’s dashboard helps companies compare real-time and projected data and highlights a company’s overall performance. Other dashboard software is made for a specific profession. For example, iDashboard provides dashboard software for property management and real estate. Other commonly used dashboard software include Tableau, Mode, ThoughtSpot, Power BI, AWS QuickSight, Oracle Analytics Cloud, and Yellowfin.
As smartphones and tablets became ubiquitous, dashboard applications for personal entered the market. Generally, these dashboards display data and applications that one might need to prepare for the day, such as weather, stock prices, task planners, and email. Though they had been used primarily for business, companies increasingly created dashboards for personal use.
Bibliography
Ballou, Brian, et al. “Creating Effective Dashboards.” Strategic Finance, vol. 91, no. 9, 2010, pp. 27–32.
Bremser, Wayne G., and William Wagner. “Developing Dashboards for Performance Management.” CPA Journal, vol. 83, no. 7, 2013, pp. 62–67.
Howell, David. “Dashboard Software and Services: A Business Buyer’s Guide."Tech Radar, 25 Oct. 2012, www.techradar.com/news/world-of-tech/roundup/dashboard-software-and-services-a-business-buyer-s-guide-1107237. Accessed 8 Nov. 2024.
Ignozzi, Bryan, and Lowell Alcorn. “Taking Dashboard Technology for a Drive.” Mortgage Banking, vol. 72, no. 3, 2011, pp. 90–92.
Khan, Arshad. Visual Analytics for Dashboards: A Step-by-Step Guide to Principles and Practical Techniques. Apress, 2024.
Laudon, Kenneth C., and Jane Price Laudon. Essentials of Management Information Systems. 15th ed., Pearson, 2024.
Oz, Effy. Management Information Systems. 7th ed., Thomson/Course Technology, 2017.
"What is Management Information Systems (MIS)?" Michigan Technological University, www.mtu.edu/business/what-is-mis. Accessed 20 Oct. 2024.