EXPLORING THE DESIGN OF PERFORMANCE DASHBOARDS IN RELATION TO ACHIEVING ORGANISATIONAL STRATEGIC GOALS

Keshika Bugwandeen, Marius Ungerer
2019 South African Journal of Industrial Engineering  
Inadequate information sharing and ineffective monitoring are obstacles to strategy execution in an organisation. Performance dashboards are an information system tool used to translate the organisation's strategy into objectives, metrics, initiatives, and tasks for each group and individual in the organisation; however, many organisations have been unable to implement dashboards successfully. The primary objective of the research was to explore the design of performance dashboards in relation
more » ... o achieving strategic goals. The literature revealed mandatory criteria for dashboard design. Dashboards are a business enablement tool, and their success rests on a structured development process with adequate stakeholder involvement. 162 translate organisational strategy into objectives, metrics, initiatives, and tasks, and to measure, monitor, and manage key activities and processes. Performance dashboards are an element of business information systems that are required to contribute to achieving organisational strategic goals. Dashboards should provide employees with the right information to optimise decisions, enhance efficiency, and increase profits. However, executives are questioning the return on their investment in business information systems [8] . Barriers identified include software capability, lack of automation, lack of a holistic view, and overlooking the broader scope of planning, monitoring, and adaptation [7], [9]. Many organisations have implemented performance dashboards, but not all have succeeded in improving their business performance [7] . The objective of this study was to consolidate theoretical and best practice guidelines for the design of performance dashboards that are required to achieve an organisation's strategic goals; and to evaluate an organisation's performance dashboard against these guidelines and in comparison with achieving their strategic goals. LITERATURE REVIEW Strategic planning is practised by most successful organisations, as they have realised that they cannot compete globally without a strategic plan. Organisational goals are the strategic objectives that a company's management has established to justify its activities and existence, and to define its performance standards [10]. Neilson, Martin and Powers [11] assert that most companies struggle with strategy implementation, as corroborated by Hrebiniak [1], MacLennan [2], and Shah [5]. Business intelligence (BI) is any activity, tool, or process used to obtain the best information to support the process of making decisions [12] . Performance dashboards are a BI tool that enables business employees to measure, monitor, and manage key activities and processes and thus achieve their goals [7] .
doi:10.7166/30-2-2021 fatcat:6xrfjkf6evavtbwzs3eudwr3wa