What is the purpose of a project dashboard?

A project dashboard serves primarily to display key performance indicators (KPIs) and the overall status of the project in a visual and easily digestible format. This tool is essential for project managers and stakeholders as it provides a real-time view of various metrics, allowing them to quickly assess progress, identify areas that require attention, and make informed decisions.

By consolidating important information such as tasks completed, milestones achieved, and resources utilized, a project dashboard helps in monitoring the health of the project at a glance. It is particularly useful for facilitating communication among team members and stakeholders, ensuring that everyone is aligned on the project’s trajectory.

While financial insights, responsibilities, and budget forecasts can be part of broader project documentation, they are not the central focus of what a dashboard is designed to achieve. The dashboard's main role is to synthesize critical data into a format that highlights performance trends and overall project health, which allows teams to maintain focus on their goals and objectives.