Sassan S. Hejazi, Ph.D., 
With the increased use of computers and automation in construction, data is captured across many business processes and can cover such areas as project opportunities, job estimates, actual job labor, equipment and material usage, on-hand inventory, accidents, and various job communications. However, the overwhelming amount of available data makes it difficult to manage and extract tangible value.
One potential solution is a management dashboard tool that translates data and information into knowledge to improve the decision-making process. Through the use of data visualizations, dashboards provide at-a-glance awareness of current business performance, allowing contractors to better focus on critical activities rather than day-to-day operational issues.
This article explores options for effective management dashboard setup and deployment as well as how to maximize the benefits of this tool.