All case studies
Illustrative scenario

When two dashboards disagree

This reporting design makes the definition, timing and source of each figure visible before the team debates which report is right.

  • Financial & management visibility
  • Connected systems & data

Designed change

A management view with explicit metric definitions, a visible reporting period and a repeatable reconciliation back to source records.

Illustrative scenario combining common practice needs. Software shown is a suggested stack.

Name the event being counted

Fees recorded, bills issued and payments received describe different events. The design would define the event behind each management figure, including adjustments and the period it belongs to. The report would display when its source information was refreshed, giving readers a way to distinguish a definition difference from a timing difference.

Follow a figure back to its source

Before release, the team would trace sample figures to their underlying records and record any exclusions. Changes to a definition would be reviewed and explained, particularly where a previous period would look different as a result. Data movement between the chosen systems would be an implementation task, not an assumed native connection.

The practical lesson

Settle the event, period and exclusions before comparing the figures. A shared label does not mean two reports measure the same thing.

Recognise the problem?

Talk through the process, the constraints and what a useful change would look like.

Discuss your practice