Using dashboards for impact

A dashboard is a self serve tool that helps you see your data in one place. It can turn rows of information into visuals like graphs, charts, and maps, making it easier to understand what is happening in your organisation. But a dashboard is only valuable if it helps you make decisions, tell your story, or improve how you work. 

We build dashboards that are tailored to your organisation goals and needs. This guide will walk you through what a good dashboard looks like, how to use it day-to-day, and how it can support stronger outcomes. 

What is a dashboard, really? 

Think of a dashboard like the dashboard in a car. It gives you key information at a glance; speed, fuel level, engine warnings, so you can drive safely and respond to any issues. A data dashboard works the same way. It shows you what is going well, what needs attention, and what is changing over time. 

Depending on your needs, a dashboard might display: 

• How many clients accessed your service last month 

• What types of services are most in demand 

• How different programs are performing against their goals 

• Trends in demographics, referral sources, or wait times 

These visuals are updated automatically from your data systems, so you no longer have to create reports from scratch each time. 

Why dashboards matter 

A well-designed dashboard helps you shift from reactive reporting to proactive decision-making. It allows frontline workers, managers, and executives to see the same information and work from shared evidence. 

For example: 

A youth mental health service used their dashboard to identify a spike in demand after school holidays. This helped them plan extra staffing in advance for future terms. 

A housing service was able to track how quickly referrals were being actioned across different regions. The dashboard helped highlight where more resources were needed. 

When people can see what is happening in real time, they can act sooner and with greater clarity. 

What makes a dashboard useful 

Not all dashboards are created equal. A useful dashboard is: 

• Relevant: It shows the information your team actually needs to see 

• Easy to read: It avoids clutter and uses clear, familiar language 

• Up to date: It pulls from live or regularly refreshed data 

• Actionable: It highlights things that can inform decisions or improvements 

Woven designs dashboards with your team. That means we ask what questions you need to answer, what language makes sense for your audience, and how you want to use the information. We don’t build generic dashboards or assume to know more about your data than you do, we build ones that fit your context. 

How to use a dashboard in practice 

Once your dashboard is live, it should become part of how your team works. Here are some ways to embed it into your routines: 

• Team meetings: Use the dashboard to review progress on goals or identify areas for attention. 

• Reporting: Pull insights directly from the dashboard into your board reports or funding submissions. 

• Reflection and learning: Use trends in the data to reflect on what is working well and where change might be needed. 

We often recommend setting aside a regular time to review your dashboard, even if just for 15 minutes. This builds habits and helps staff grow their data confidence over time. 

What if the data doesn’t look right? 

Sometimes a dashboard will reveal things you did not expect or even things that look wrong. This is part of the process. A good dashboard should raise questions and spark conversations. 

If something looks off, it might be: 

• A sign of data quality issues that need attention -

• A real-world trend that your team is starting to notice on the ground 

• A chance to improve how data is collected or entered 

Woven will work with you to trace issues back to their source and make adjustments. We see this as an opportunity for learning, not as a failure. 

Ongoing Support 

We don’t disappear after go-live. We help your team learn how to get the most from your dashboard, adapt it over time, and build the internal skills to manage it independently. We can also set up alerts, automation, or drill-down options depending on your team’s needs. 

Dashboards are not just for big organisations or technical staff. They are practical tools that help you turn your data into insights, improve your services, and show your impact clearly. Woven designs dashboards that work for the way you work, giving your team the visibility and confidence to use data every day.