A Series-B SaaS we work with had 14 Looker dashboards averaging 2.1 views per week. The CEO still asked, every Monday, how the previous week had gone.
The dashboards existed. Nobody read them. They were too much, too late, and too disconnected from any decision somebody actually had to make that morning.
The replacement
- Daily 8am Slack brief — one paragraph, three bullets.
- What is up, what is down, what to do today.
- Per-role views: CEO sees revenue; sales sees pipeline; ops sees throughput.
- Anomalies surfaced with context, not buried in a chart.
Six weeks after deployment, leadership killed 11 of the 14 dashboards. Internal NPS on "do we have visibility?" jumped from 31 to 49. Time-to-decision on weekly metrics dropped 71%.
Frequently asked questions
Why are dashboards ineffective for reporting?
Dashboards can become ineffective because they often provide too much information that is not actively used. In the case of a Series-B SaaS, 14 Looker dashboards averaged only 2.1 views per week, indicating that the data was not being engaged with, leading to a lack of timely insights for decision-making.
What is the benefit of using a Slack message for reporting?
A Slack message for reporting, like the Daily 8am brief, provides concise, actionable insights tailored to specific roles. It highlights what is up, down, and what actions to take today, ensuring that the information is relevant and immediately useful for decision-making.
How did the switch from dashboards to Slack messages impact decision-making time?
The transition from dashboards to Slack messages resulted in a 71% reduction in time-to-decision on weekly metrics. This significant improvement indicates that streamlined, focused reporting can enhance the speed and efficiency of decision-making processes.
What was the change in internal NPS after implementing reporting automation?
After implementing the Daily 8am Slack brief, the internal Net Promoter Score (NPS) regarding visibility increased from 31 to 49. This suggests that the new reporting method significantly improved employees' perception of their access to important information.