# Metrics Dashboard Design

> Design an actionable product analytics dashboard — choosing the right metrics, layout hierarchy, alerts, and refresh cadence so the team uses it daily, not once.

- Skill: `nandanosql/metrics-dashboard-design` (Agent Skill)
- Install (CLI): `npx skillmds@latest add nandanosql/metrics-dashboard-design`
- Raw SKILL.md: https://api.skillmd.com/api/skills/nandanosql/metrics-dashboard-design/raw
- Safety review: pending
- Works with: Claude Code, Claude.ai, OpenAI Codex
- Category: Data & Analytics
- Author: nandanosql (https://skillmd.com/u/nandanosql)
- Updated: 2026-09-17
- Page: https://skillmd.com/skills/nandanosql/metrics-dashboard-design

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## Purpose

Design a product analytics dashboard that the team **actually uses daily** — with the right metrics hierarchy, alert thresholds, and cadence. Avoids the "we built a dashboard and no one looks at it" trap.

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## Application

### Question 1: Dashboard Purpose

**Agent asks:** "Who is this dashboard for and what decisions will it inform?"

1. **Executive** — Board/leadership visibility
2. **Product team** — Daily operational decisions
3. **Growth team** — Experiment monitoring
4. **Engineering** — System health and performance
5. **Cross-functional** — Shared alignment

### Question 2: North Star

**Agent asks:** "What's your North Star Metric?"

(References `skills/strategy/north-star-metric/SKILL.md`)

### Question 3: Metric Selection

**Agent asks:** "For each metric layer, which metrics matter most?"

```markdown
**Dashboard Hierarchy:**

### Layer 1: North Star (1 metric)
- [NSM — the one number everyone watches]

### Layer 2: Input Metrics (3-5 metrics)
- [Metric that drives NSM — e.g., activation rate]
- [Metric that drives NSM — e.g., weekly engagement]
- [Metric that drives NSM — e.g., referral rate]

### Layer 3: Health Metrics (3-5 metrics)
- [Revenue/business health]
- [Technical health — errors, latency]
- [Customer health — NPS, support load]

### Layer 4: Experiment Metrics (variable)
- [Active experiment KPIs]
```

### Output: Dashboard Specification

```markdown
# Product Dashboard Specification

## Layout
| Row | Metric | Type | Alert Threshold |
|-----|--------|------|----------------|
| Hero | [NSM] | Big number + trend | If drops > [X%] |
| Row 1 | [Input Metric 1] | Line chart (7-day) | If below [threshold] |
| Row 1 | [Input Metric 2] | Line chart (7-day) | If below [threshold] |
| Row 2 | [Health Metric 1] | Gauge | Red if below [X] |
| Row 3 | [Experiment] | A/B comparison | If significance reached |

## Refresh Cadence
- Real-time: [Metrics that need live data]
- Daily: [Most metrics]
- Weekly: [Slower-moving metrics]

## Review Ritual
- **Daily standup:** Glance at Layer 1
- **Weekly review:** Analyze Layers 1-3
- **Monthly deep-dive:** Full analysis + action planning
```

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## References

### Related Skills
- `skills/strategy/north-star-metric/SKILL.md` — NSM definition
- `skills/analytics/funnel-analysis/SKILL.md` — Funnel metrics
- `skills/analytics/saas-economics-efficiency-metrics/SKILL.md` — Business metrics

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**Skill type:** Interactive
**Domain:** Analytics & Metrics