Reports accumulate and are never retired
Each was requested by someone for a reason that may have expired years ago, and removing one requires finding out whether anyone still needs it.
Data Core · Object
Reporting
The machinery that gets numbers from data to a reader: what is produced, in what form, how it reaches people, and whether any of it is actually read.
The term
What it is
This object covers the mechanics rather than the content. What a financial pack contains belongs in the Business Core; what stakeholders receive belongs with them. How numbers get from a database to a decision is settled here.
Reporting systems grow by accretion. Every request adds a report and almost nothing is ever removed, which produces a library where the important reports are indistinguishable from the abandoned ones.
The measure that matters is usage. A reporting estate can be audited in an afternoon by checking what is actually opened, and the finding is consistently that most of it is not.
Why it earns a place
What goes wrong without it
A dashboard nobody can act on is decoration
The test is whether a reader can name what they would do differently on seeing each number. Most dashboard elements fail it.
Self-service moves the problem rather than solving it
Giving everyone the ability to build reports produces many reports built on inconsistent definitions, which is worse than a slow central function.
One level in
The modules within reporting
Four working areas. The first decides what exists, the second how it is presented, the third how it reaches people, and the fourth whether any of it is used.
What gets reported
The inventory of reports and dashboards, what each is for, and who asked for it. The basis for removing the ones nobody needs.
LearnDashboards
How numbers are presented so that a reader can tell what is normal, what is not, and what to do. Design rather than decoration.
LearnDistribution
How reports reach people, in what rhythm, and whether they arrive while they are still useful. The half that determines whether good reporting has any effect.
LearnWhether it is read
Usage measured rather than assumed, and the retirement of what nobody opens. The step that keeps a reporting estate from doubling every two years.
Learn
Across the framework
What it touches
- Business CoreThe financial pack’s content is settled there; this object covers how it and everything else is produced and delivered.
- StakeholdersWhat external stakeholders receive is decided with them; the mechanics of producing it sit here.
- Data GovernanceConsistent definitions are what make self-service reporting safe rather than merely fast.
- Time CoreReporting rhythm has to match the decision rhythm, or the numbers arrive after the decision.
Beyond the framework
Models worth knowing here
The Omnigoal says where this belongs and what it touches. It does not tell you how to think about it — other people have done that, and done it well. These are theirs.
The pyramid principle
Barbara Minto · 1973State the answer first, then the reasons that support it, then the evidence underneath each reason.
Developed at McKinsey for written recommendations. Ideas are grouped so that each level summarises the one below, and the whole thing is read top-down. It works because a reader who has the conclusion can evaluate the argument as it arrives, and a reader who does not is merely waiting.
- Reach for it when
- For any report or recommendation, and especially for the ones that build carefully to a conclusion on the last page.
- Where it stops
- It structures a case you have already reached. It is a way of communicating a conclusion, not of finding one, and used too early it hardens a view before the analysis is done.
Barbara Minto, The Pyramid Principle, Pitman, 1973.
Tufte’s data–ink ratio
Edward R. Tufte · 1983Most of the ink in a graphic should be showing data, and the rest is usually in the way.
Part of a broader argument that graphical excellence is telling the truth about numbers with the least distortion. Its practical instructions are unusually concrete — remove the decoration, remove the redundancy, and above all do not let a chart imply a relationship the data does not contain.
- Reach for it when
- On any recurring report, where a small improvement is paid back every week.
- Where it stops
- Taken to its conclusion it produces charts that are austere to the point of being hard to read, and later research suggests some decoration aids memory. It is a corrective, not a rule.
Edward R. Tufte, The Visual Display of Quantitative Information, Graphics Press, 1983.
These are other people’s models, named here so you can go to the source and use them properly. The Omnigoal is not affiliated with their authors and is not endorsed by them; nothing of theirs is reproduced here — no canvas, no diagram, no wording. Each is described in our own words, with the originator credited, because the framework is a place to put thinking, not a replacement for the people who did it. Model names and trademarks belong to their respective owners and are used here only to refer to the work itself.
Every model in the framework, and where each one belongsCheck what is actually opened. Most reporting estates contain a majority that nobody has read in a year.
The other objects in the Data Core
KPI management
Establish and monitor key performance indicators (KPIs) for different business areas. This helps track progress towards strategic objectives and ensures alignment with overall goals. By setting clear KPIs, businesses can measure performance accurately, identify areas needing improvement, and make informed decisions. This process involves selecting relevant KPIs, regularly reviewing them, and adjusting strategies based on performance data to drive continuous improvement and achieve desired outcomes.
LearnData Collection
Ensure accurate and consistent data collection across all business operations. Systematically gathering data from various sources provides comprehensive insights that inform decision-making and strategic planning.
LearnPerformance Analysis
Analyse data to assess the performance of different business areas against set KPIs. Using analytical tools to interpret data helps identify trends and insights that drive continuous improvement and strategic adjustments.
LearnData Governance
Establish policies and procedures for data management, ensuring data quality, security, and compliance. Robust governance frameworks safeguard data integrity and adhere to regulatory standards.
Learn