The Next Organization
An office space overlaid with a transparent layer of charts and dashboards

Technology and dataData

Steering your strategy with the right figures

You have more data than ever, but you do not always know what to steer by. Figures contradict each other or say little about your strategy. The Next Organization starts small: first a few reliable figures that show whether your direction is working, then the larger projects.

Sound familiar?

  • Every department has different figures
  • Data sits in several places and the sources contradict each other
  • Meetings are about which figure is right, not about what to do
  • You can see what happened last month, not where you are heading
  • Producing a report takes days, and by then it is already out of date
  • You do not know whether your data is good enough for AI

From strategy to management information

Good management information starts with the question of what your strategy needs to deliver. Only then do you look at data and dashboards. That way you avoid a dashboard full of figures nobody needs. We start with little data: the basic information you use every day. Without good input there is no good output, so making it reliable comes first. It takes four steps, each building on the one before.

Four steps that build on each other

  1. Step 1

    Derive the KPIs

    What it delivers

    A handful of figures that show whether your strategy is working, each with its own owner

  2. Step 2

    Get the data right

    What it delivers

    One place for the right information, with agreements on definitions and quality

  3. Step 3

    Build the dashboard

    What it delivers

    An overview for each audience, built in short rounds with the people who will use it

  4. Step 4

    Steer and improve

    What it delivers

    A fixed rhythm in which you measure, discuss and adjust

    Measure, discuss, adjust

Little data first, big data later. Only once your basic information is right do larger data and AI projects make sense. And we link every KPI to a meeting where someone acts on it.

Whether your figures are right depends on systems that share information. That is what IT landscape is about. The financial side of steering is covered under Financial analysis.

What you get

You get one set of KPIs that fits your strategy, with a single version of the truth. The board and teams see in good time where they need to adjust. Your meetings are about choices rather than about which figure is right. And reliable data lays the foundation for AI.

Frequently asked questions

Where do you start with data?

With little data: the few pieces of basic information you work with every day, such as customers, orders and hours. Make sure they are right and kept in one place. Without good input there is no good output, not even with AI. The larger projects come after that.

Which KPIs belong with our strategy?

Figures that show whether you are reaching your strategic goals, not just revenue. Choose a few figures per goal, such as margin per customer group or customer satisfaction. Combine figures on results with figures that look ahead.

How many KPIs are enough?

Fewer than you think. For the board, a limited set of KPIs often works well. Teams steer by a few figures of their own that link to those.

How do you get a single version of the truth?

For each figure, agree what it means, where it comes from and who manages it. Take the data from one source instead of separate spreadsheets. That way every department talks about the same number.

Which dashboard tool should you choose?

That depends on your systems and on who will use it. Many organisations choose a standard package that connects to their existing software. Clear definitions and reliable data matter more than the tool.

Curious what this means for your organisation?

Book a no-obligation sparring session. We will think through your challenge with you and show how we would tackle it together.

Talk to us about your management information See our approach