Comprehensive patterns for designing effective Key Performance Indicator (KPI) dashboards that drive business decisions.

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 3. Dashboard Hierarchy Common KPIs by Department Sales KPIs Marketing KPIs Product KPIs Finance KPIs Dashboard Layout Patterns Pattern 1: Executive Summary Pattern 2: SaaS Metrics Dashboard Pattern 3: Real time Operations Implementation Patterns SQL for KPI Calculations Use resources/metric queries.sql for executable normalized input examples. users contains one row per customer, events contains user/month observations, spend contains source spend rows, and monthly revenue contains one reconciled amount per month. Represent months as an integer year × 12 + month − 1 so offsets do not wrap after December. The queries keep the original cohort denominator, deduplicate activity before counting, aggregate spend before joining customers, and return NULL for undefined growth or acquisition cost. Missing cohort/month combinations need an explicit reporting calendar if zero activity rows must be displayed. Normalize subscription intervals, currency, refunds and revenue recognition before producing monthly revenue; these examples do not define accounting policy. Python Dashboard Code (Streamlit) Best Practices Do's Limit to 5 7 KPIs Focus on what matters Show context Comparisons, trends, targets Use consistent colors Red=bad, green=good Enable drilldown From summary to detail Update appropriately Match metric frequency Don'ts Don't show vanity metrics Focus on actionable data Don't overcrowd White space aids comprehension Don't use 3D charts They distort perception Don't hide methodology Document calculations Don't ignore mobile Ensure responsive design Resources [Stephen Few's Dashboard Design](https://www.perceptualedge.com/articles/visual business intelligence/rules for using color.pdf) [Edward Tufte's Principles](https://www.edwardtufte.com/tufte/) [Google Data Studio Gallery](https://datastudio.google.com/gallery) Limitations Use this skill only when the task clearly matches the scope described above. Do not treat the output as a substitute for environment specific validation, testing, or expert review. Stop and ask for clarification if required inputs, permissions, safety boundaries, or success criteria are missing.

kpi-dashboard-design