Milestone map
Milestone map
3 milestones
Specify KPIs and Confirm Data Sources
1–2 weeks (2 hrs/day)
Map the target business process to five to ten measurable KPIs that are directly tied to strategic outcomes. For each KPI, confirm that the underlying data source is accessible, document the calculation method, identify the data owner, and agree on the refresh cadence. This specification document prevents weeks of wasted dashboard build time.
Proof required
Submit a KPI specification document covering: metric name, definition, calculation method, data source location, data owner, target value or benchmark, and refresh cadence for each of the five to ten KPIs.
What gets checked
- Every KPI has a confirmed accessible data source — not 'this data probably exists somewhere'
- The KPI set includes at least one leading indicator and one lagging indicator
- KPIs are traceable to a stated strategic goal, not convenience metrics that are easy to collect
Common mistakes
- Selecting KPIs based on available data rather than strategic importance — measuring what is easy, not what matters
- Skipping data source confirmation and discovering mid-build that data is inaccessible or incomplete
Resources
Foundationstart here
Depthgo deeper
Masteryfor the dedicated
What a verifier looks for
- Ask the candidate to open the data source live and show that the KPI data is actually there
- Challenge the leading/lagging balance: 'which of these can you act on before the outcome occurs?'
- Check that at least one KPI has a defined target value or benchmark, not just a measurement
- Probe the calculation method for one KPI: ask for the exact formula and what happens when a data field is null
Build and Validate the Dashboard
2–3 weeks (3 hrs/day)
Build a working dashboard in a free tool (Looker Studio, Metabase, or equivalent) displaying all five to ten KPIs against at least four weeks of real data. Validate every KPI calculation by spot-checking ten rows from the source data against what the dashboard shows. Document all discrepancies found and how they were resolved.
Proof required
Submit: a link to the live dashboard or an exported PDF of all dashboard pages; a validation log showing spot-check results for each KPI (ten rows checked per KPI, source versus dashboard value), and a discrepancy log documenting any mismatches and their resolution.
What gets checked
- Every KPI on the dashboard matches the source data in the validation log — no unresolved discrepancies
- Dashboard handles null or missing data without breaking or silently showing wrong values
- At least one KPI includes a target line or benchmark so viewers can see performance relative to expectation
Common mistakes
- Shipping without validation — dashboards that look correct often have silent calculation errors discovered only under scrutiny
- Building the dashboard in a tool the team cannot access or maintain without the builder present
Resources
Foundationstart here
Depthgo deeper
Masteryfor the dedicated
What a verifier looks for
- Ask the candidate to walk through one KPI calculation live — from the raw data source to the dashboard number
- Check the validation log: were ten rows actually checked, or were only clean-looking rows selected?
- Try filtering the dashboard by an edge-case date range or segment — does it handle gracefully?
- Ask who else on the team can update the dashboard when the builder is unavailable
Present Insights and Document a Decision
1 week (1 hr/day)
Present the dashboard and its first significant insight to the business or team owner of the process, and document one concrete decision made as a direct result of what the data shows. The decision must be specific, traceable to a metric on the dashboard, and involve a real action that will be taken.
Proof required
Submit: a recording or written summary of the review meeting (attendees, insight presented, questions asked); a written decision record naming the specific metric that drove the decision, the decision made, the owner, and the expected outcome; and a screenshot of the relevant dashboard state at the time of the decision.
What gets checked
- The decision is specific and actionable — 'investigate why return rate is 12% in Region B' passes; 'improve operations' fails
- The decision is traced to a specific metric visible on the dashboard, not a general impression
- The review was with a genuine process owner, not the dashboard builder presenting to themselves
Common mistakes
- Presenting the dashboard without drawing a specific insight — showing numbers is not the same as telling the business something it didn't know
- Documenting a trivial decision ('we noted this for future reference') that required no analysis
Resources
Foundationstart here
Depthgo deeper
Masteryfor the dedicated
What a verifier looks for
- Ask the candidate to identify the single most surprising thing the dashboard revealed — not the most expected
- Check the decision record: is the tracing between metric and decision explicit and specific?
- Ask who the process owner was and confirm they attended the review meeting
- Probe whether the decision was actually acted on — or whether it remains 'noted for future reference'