Outer dashboards are critical, but only if the metrics translate into meaningful action.
“We generated 120 reports last quarter—but did anyone read them?”
At a public agency, the analytics team produced hundreds of reports. The dashboard looked impressive—volume, frequency, delivery times—all up. But the impact? Unclear.
The new leader didn’t ask for more reports. She asked: “Which of these insights were actually used in decisions?” The answer: barely 10%.
She cut output by half and invested time in stakeholder interviews. Result? More alignment, better engagement, and a 3x increase in insights that led to action.
Avoiding the Reporting Trap
This illustrates a common blind spot in data strategy — overproducing noise instead of creating clarity. According to the HBR article “Hidden Traps in Decision Making”, even experienced leaders fall into the habit of generating reports feel productive rather than to be productive.
“Even if you can’t eradicate the distortions ingrained into the way your mind works, you can build tests and disciplines into your decision-making process that can uncover errors in thinking before they become errors in judgment.”
Leaders need to shift the mindset from volume to value. Dashboards should be pressure-tested for relevance.
Core Principles
- High output can obscure a low impact: Metrics should be evaluated not by their volume
- Activity isn’t the same as effectiveness.
- Metrics must be evaluated by their influence on decisions, not just their quantity.