Name the recurring decision
Begin with a sentence such as: “Each Monday, we decide which delivery commitments need attention.” That is more specific than wanting a dashboard of business performance. The decision determines the useful measures, their frequency and the level of detail.
Define a small set of measures
For a delivery review, consider work due, work at risk, unresolved dependencies and capacity committed. These are illustrative choices, not a universal scorecard. For each measure, define its calculation, source, owner and update schedule. Different definitions can create disagreement even when everyone is looking at the same chart.
Show what happens next
A number becomes more useful when it connects to ownership. Beside a material exception, capture the reason, the person responsible and the next review date. Allow the team to explain an unusual movement rather than treating every change as evidence of a problem.
Test the report in a real meeting
Run one review using the simplest possible report. Note which measures inform a decision and which produce discussion without consequence. Remove or revise the latter. Add complexity only when a specific question cannot be answered with the existing information.
Write the decision your next report should support, then remove one measure that does not help make it.
This perspective is original Tresswell editorial analysis. Worked examples are illustrative and do not describe client results.
External sources inform the points attributed to them. The practical application and examples are Tresswell’s interpretation. No endorsement is implied.
Read our editorial approach