Watch this video for a primer on Enterprise Dashboards from a leading authority on the subject. Shadan Malik of iDashboards is the author of the book, Enterprise Dashboards: Design and Best Practices for IT.

Here is a snippet from the Enterprise Dashboards book:

From Shadan Malik:

The term dashboard has acquired an exciting new meaning for those in information technology management as top organizations throughout the world e embrace the idea of empowerment through improved real-time information systems. What does a “dashboard” mean in the business sense? A dashboard is a rich computer interface with charts, reports, visual indicators, and alert mechanisms that are consolidated into a dynamic and relevant information platform.

Information management is a field in our new information-saturated and fast-moving business culture. Corporate America is currently abuzz with talk about enterprise performance management, balanced scorecards, busi- ness activity monitoring, and regulatory compliance. The most exciting new development in these discussions is arguably how enterprise dashboards can serve as live consoles to manage such business initiatives. Currently, some good books and journal papers outline the concepts and value behind various new information management initiatives, but few resources are available that fully explore the issue of dashboard implementation. The only available insight into the world of dashboards at this time is confined to the manuals of the software, which facilitate dashboard implementation or spe- cialize in specific solutions with a dashboard interface. As of the writing of this book, I have found no book on the subject of enterprise dashboards. This book will shed light on the neglected subject of dashboard implementation, one that I have had the opportunity to explore, practice, and preach over the past few years.