KPI Dashboard Design
Comprehensive patterns for designing effective Key Performance Indicator (KPI) dashboards that drive business decisions.
Do not use this skill when
- •The task is unrelated to kpi dashboard design
- •You need a different domain or tool outside this scope
Instructions
- •Clarify goals, constraints, and required inputs.
- •Apply relevant best practices and validate outcomes.
- •Provide actionable steps and verification.
- •If detailed examples are required, open
resources/implementation-playbook.md.
Use this skill when
- •Designing executive dashboards
- •Selecting meaningful KPIs
- •Building real-time monitoring displays
- •Creating department-specific metrics views
- •Improving existing dashboard layouts
- •Establishing metric governance
Core Concepts
1. KPI Framework
| Level | Focus | Update Frequency | Audience |
|---|---|---|---|
| Strategic | Long-term goals | Monthly/Quarterly | Executives |
| Tactical | Department goals | Weekly/Monthly | Managers |
| Operational | Day-to-day | Real-time/Daily | Teams |
2. SMART KPIs
code
Specific: Clear definition Measurable: Quantifiable Achievable: Realistic targets Relevant: Aligned to goals Time-bound: Defined period
3. Dashboard Hierarchy
code
├── Executive Summary (1 page)
│ ├── 4-6 headline KPIs
│ ├── Trend indicators
│ └── Key alerts
├── Department Views
│ ├── Sales Dashboard
│ ├── Marketing Dashboard
│ ├── Operations Dashboard
│ └── Finance Dashboard
└── Detailed Drilldowns
├── Individual metrics
└── Root cause analysis
Common KPIs by Department
Sales KPIs
yaml
Revenue Metrics: - Monthly Recurring Revenue (MRR) - Annual Recurring Revenue (ARR) - Average Revenue Per User (ARPU) - Revenue Growth Rate Pipeline Metrics: - Sales Pipeline Value - Win Rate - Average Deal Size - Sales Cycle Length Activity Metrics: - Calls/Emails per Rep - Demos Scheduled - Proposals Sent - Close Rate
Marketing KPIs
yaml
Acquisition: - Cost Per Acquisition (CPA) - Customer Acquisition Cost (CAC) - Lead Volume - Marketing Qualified Leads (MQL) Engagement: - Website Traffic - Conversion Rate - Email Open/Click Rate - Social Engagement ROI: - Marketing ROI - Campaign Performance - Channel Attribution - CAC Payback Period
Product KPIs
yaml
Usage: - Daily/Monthly Active Users (DAU/MAU) - Session Duration - Feature Adoption Rate - Stickiness (DAU/MAU) Quality: - Net Promoter Score (NPS) - Customer Satisfaction (CSAT) - Bug/Issue Count - Time to Resolution Growth: - User Growth Rate - Activation Rate - Retention Rate - Churn Rate
Finance KPIs
yaml
Profitability: - Gross Margin - Net Profit Margin - EBITDA - Operating Margin Liquidity: - Current Ratio - Quick Ratio - Cash Flow - Working Capital Efficiency: - Revenue per Employee - Operating Expense Ratio - Days Sales Outstanding - Inventory Turnover
Dashboard Layout Patterns
Pattern 1: Executive Summary
code
┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐ │ EXECUTIVE DASHBOARD [Date Range ▼] │ ├─────────────┬─────────────┬─────────────┬─────────────────┤ │ REVENUE │ PROFIT │ CUSTOMERS │ NPS SCORE │ │ $2.4M │ $450K │ 12,450 │ 72 │ │ ▲ 12% │ ▲ 8% │ ▲ 15% │ ▲ 5pts │ ├─────────────┴─────────────┴─────────────┴─────────────────┤ │ │ │ Revenue Trend │ Revenue by Product │ │ ┌───────────────────────┐ │ ┌──────────────────┐ │ │ │ /\ /\ │ │ │ ████████ 45% │ │ │ │ / \ / \ /\ │ │ │ ██████ 32% │ │ │ │ / \/ \ / \ │ │ │ ████ 18% │ │ │ │ / \/ \ │ │ │ ██ 5% │ │ │ └───────────────────────┘ │ └──────────────────┘ │ │ │ ├─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┤ │ 🔴 Alert: Churn rate exceeded threshold (>5%) │ │ 🟡 Warning: Support ticket volume 20% above average │ └─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘
Pattern 2: SaaS Metrics Dashboard
code
┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐ │ SAAS METRICS Jan 2024 [Monthly ▼] │ ├──────────────────────┬──────────────────────────────────────┤ │ ┌────────────────┐ │ MRR GROWTH │ │ │ MRR │ │ ┌────────────────────────────────┐ │ │ │ $125,000 │ │ │ /── │ │ │ │ ▲ 8% │ │ │ /────/ │ │ │ └────────────────┘ │ │ /────/