On October 16, 2021, I had the honor of speaking to audiences of Online Fundraising Day all about data dashboards. Specifically, what they are, why they matter, and how to go about starting one. This unique one-day event was coordinated by Community Cats Podcast. 

For the purpose of my presentation, I focused specifically on Google Dashboard and used the Community Cats Podcast Dashboard (which I built and maintain) as an example. 

Community Cats Podcast offers a weekly podcast, but they also coordinate multiple educational events throughout the year, along with certification workshops, free webinars, and more. They have become a leader in virtual learning for folks who are passionate about cats and/or involved in animal welfare. They have been working with Breezy Consulting since December 2020. 

Community Cats Podcast uses their dashboard in a number of ways. Most notably, the team reviews the dashboard internally at least once a month to assess how things are going, and where to go next. The dashboard is shared with potential sponsors and advertisers to showcase the organization’s impact and reach. It is shared with event speakers and podcast guests to highlight the show’s popularity. And it is shared with other organizations to emphasize how important and helpful a dashboard can be for both public transparency and internal goal-setting. 

Indeed, a well-organized data dashboard can be a powerful tool for any organization. But what exactly is a data dashboard? 

Consider a dashboard we’re all more familiar with–the dashboard of a vehicle. The dashboard in a vehicle is there to give the driver all the information they might need to operate the vehicle safely and effectively. The dashboard makes it easy to see the vehicle’s speed, the engine’s RPMs, the general fuel level, etc. There are warning lights for those occasions when something isn’t working the way it should. You get exactly what you need, with no other distractions. 

A data dashboard works exactly the same way. It delivers high-level information about the organization and its programs, its fundraising, etc. It can relay the information that is most important for its audience, without distractions. After all, donors don’t really need (or want) to pour through mountains of spreadsheets. They just need the bottom line. Board members may not have the time to read lengthy written reports, but they will have time to review the charts and visuals provided in a dashboard. 

While a picture may be worth a thousand words, a good data dashboard can speak volumes about your work and the ongoing health of your organization. It is a storytelling tool that may be more impactful than any spreadsheet or written report could hope to be. At a glance, audiences can visually see the impact of what your data actually means. Spreadsheets are just numbers on a page. A data dashboard gives those numbers context and scope. 

There are many options out there to help organizations develop a data dashboard. However, I can personally recommend Google Data Studio and Google Dashboard. Once you learn the ropes, it is easy to connect Google Sheets, Google Analytics and more directly to the dashboard, meaning your dashboard will update automatically whenever your data does.

For anyone looking to get started with Google Dashboard, I recommend any of the tutorials made by knowledgeable creators on YouTube. They are a great way to learn your way around and take those first steps toward building your very own data dashboard. 

So dig in! Consider starting the new year with a data dashboard. Once you’ve set your goals for 2022, use your dashboard to track your progress. And remember–it’s your story! Might as well make it a good one.

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Session recordings of Online Fundraising Day, including my complete session, Let’s Get Visual! Amplify Your Data with Google Dashboard, are available to purchase here.