How to Manage Expectations in BI Development

🔑 A Key to Happier Stakeholders

We often have discussions about this, especially when it comes to dashboard time-to-market. More often than not, the conversation leads to the fact that some dashboards take over a month to finalize, which frustrates many stakeholders. In my experience, it's mostly about how you communicate and manage expectations with them.

In this short post, I'll share what works for me and what could be done better.

show this picture to your stakeholder :)

🎯 1. Set Clear Goals from the Start

Make Sure You Actually Need the Dashboard

Not every request needs a new dashboard. Sometimes, a simple report, an existing tool, or an ad hoc analysis can solve the problem faster. Before jumping into development, validate whether a new dashboard is truly necessary.

• Define what success looks like for stakeholders.

  What decisions will this dashboard or report help you make? What specific outcomes are you expecting? This ensures that BI efforts align with business objectives rather than just presenting data.

• Clarify the problem the BI solution should solve (not just what data to show).

  What challenge are you currently facing? What would an ideal solution enable you to do differently? Stakeholders often request a dashboard without fully articulating the underlying problem. Understanding their pain points ensures the BI solution is actionable.

• Agree on key metrics and KPIs — what will be measured and why.

  What metrics do you currently track, and how do you define them? Are there any disagreements or inconsistencies in how they are calculated? What level of granularity do you need (daily, weekly, monthly)? Different teams may interpret the same metric differently. Aligning definitions early prevents miscommunication and rework later.

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🔍 2. Communicate Scope & Limitations

Don't Promise What You’re Not Sure About

If you say “maybe,” stakeholders will often hear it as a “yes.” Instead of making assumptions, take the time to research first and come back with facts.

• Be transparent about data availability and quality — not all data may exist or be clean.
  Are there any known gaps or inconsistencies in the data? Is there historical data available for trends, or will we be starting fresh? Stakeholders may assume all data exists and is perfectly structured. Setting expectations early prevents frustration when limitations arise.

• Explain technical constraints (e.g., real-time updates vs. batch processing).
  How frequently do you need this data to update? Would a delay of a few hours impact decision-making? Many stakeholders expect real-time data without understanding the technical trade-offs. Clarifying this early prevents unrealistic demands.

• Set realistic timelines — BI is iterative, and dashboards evolve over time.

  What is the minimum viable version of this dashboard? Which features are must-haves vs. nice-to-haves? Stakeholders may expect a perfect solution immediately. Reinforcing the iterative nature of BI helps manage these expectations.

• Clearly define what is not in scope.

  Are there any additional requests that would be nice to have but are not essential right now? This helps prevent scope creep, where new requests continuously get added, delaying the project.

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👥 3. Involve Stakeholders Early & Often

Set up regular meetings and chats to share step-by-step progress.

People get frustrated when they don’t know what’s happening. Small bi-weekly check-ins with preliminary results help them see that work is in progress, reducing uncertainty and building trust. Try to keep them short – up to 30 minutes.

• Hold regular check-ins to align on progress.

  It gives stakeholders a sense of involvement and control, reducing anxiety about the final outcome. Allows them to raise concerns early, so their expectations are met without last-minute surprises.

• Use wireframes or prototypes before diving into full dashboard development.
  A stakeholder sees a simple sketch of a dashboard and realizes they need an extra metric. Adding it at this stage is easy — unlike making big changes after development is done.

• Encourage feedback loops to catch misalignment early.

  This ensures they feel heard and valued, rather than just receiving a finished product. It also helps them gradually refine their vision rather than needing to get everything perfect upfront.

🛠️ 4. Prioritize & Phase Deliverables

Deliver essential features first in manageable stages to ensure quick wins, maintain focus, and avoid unnecessary complexity

• Implement BI solutions in stages — start with an MVP, then enhance over time.

  MVP (Minimum Viable Product) focuses on delivering the most critical features and functionality first, ensuring the core aspects of the BI solution are up and running early. This allows the stakeholders to start using the product and provides valuable feedback for further improvements.

• Avoid "scope creep" by prioritizing must-haves over nice-to-haves.

  To manage scope creep, always prioritize must-have features (those essential to the project's core objectives) over nice-to-have features (those that would be good additions but aren’t critical to success).
  Also when stakeholders suggest last-minute additions, ask: "This sounds useful! Should we adjust the timeline to include it, or keep it in mind for the next phase?"
  This way, they have to decide if it's worth delaying the project or if it can wait — keeping you on track.

• Document what's included now vs. future iterations.

  This is particularly important when working in agile environments, where iterative development and flexibility are key. Documenting the MVP and subsequent phases allows for transparency in planning and execution.

  Include clear timelines and milestones for each phase, and make sure the stakeholders understand that future phases might depend on the feedback from earlier versions.

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💡 5. Focus on Data Adoption, Not Just Delivery

Success is not just about delivering BI solutions, but ensuring they are actively used and add value to the organization. Focus on creating intuitive, accessible dashboards and supporting users to ensure high adoption and ongoing engagement

• Ensure dashboards are accessible, intuitive, and user-friendly.

  Design dashboards with the user in mind: use clear labels, logical layouts, and interactive elements (filters, tooltips, etc.) to enhance usability.

• Provide training so users understand how to interpret and use BI reports.

  Training is essential for helping users feel confident in using BI tools effectively. It’s not enough to simply give users access to dashboards; they need to understand how to interpret the data and draw actionable insights.

• Monitor usage metrics — if adoption is low, investigate why.

  Tracking usage metrics (e.g., number of logins, frequency of dashboard access, user feedback) allows you to gauge whether the BI solution is being adopted. User surveys and interviews can help collect qualitative feedback on why users are not engaging with the solution.

Set the expectation that BI is an ongoing process — not a one-time project. Continuous improvements, data validation, and adaptation to business needs are all part of the game.