Dashboards provide custom displays that summarize data and use statistics specific to each user. Scorecards provide a way of measuring the progress made toward implementing an organization’s strategic plan. Both dashboards and scorecards help manage an organization by providing information in a timely and readable manner.

Consider a company that sells home goods online and in retail stores located in all major U. S. cities. Sales during the year average the same for both online and in-store purchases, though weekly and promotional sales vary significantly. The marketing department needs to determine the best way to advertise and promote sales.

The analysts for the marketing department have enumerated their needs for designing on-target promotions. They need to know each of the following:

Sales per day

Sales per item

Sales per store

Promotions offered

Weather in the targeted areas

The company has decided to provide a dashboard for the analysts. They want the dashboard to be easy to read and contain all the data a marketing analyst needs to predict the success of a promotion. Sketch a proposal for the dashboard. Use any method, including hand drawing. Then, in a 1- to 2-page paper, answer the following questions:

Is the information requested by the marketing department sufficient to determine the best way to promote sales? Explain.

Is one dashboard sufficient for the marketing department? Explain.

How frequently should the data be updated? Explain.

Where will the information come from?