Build Smartsheet Dashboards That Tell a Story (Not Just Display Data)
Here’s a little Smartsheet truth I ran into this week: your dashboards aren’t for you. They’re for your audience. That includes your team, your executives, your project members, and anyone else who depends on your work.
At Legato Strategic, we often say that a well-built dashboard doesn’t just track tasks. It must tell a story. And lately, we’ve been building Smartsheet dashboards that do just that.
Start with the Story
Before you touch a single widget, ask yourself:
What does leadership need to see?
What story am I trying to tell?
When your dashboard starts with purpose, everything else falls into place.
Design with Intention
A strong dashboard isn’t about cramming in every metric. Instead guide the viewer’s eye, much like a well designed webpage.
Show progress:Â Use charts to spotlight wins and flag risks.
Give it breathing room:Â Keep white space so your key points stand out.
Make it navigable:Â Add links along the top or side like a mini website.
Humanize it:Â Include photos, logos, or even a campus image. Visuals remind users that data represents people, not just numbers.
Why We Care
At Legato, we’re big believers in helping institutions own their story.That’s why we design dashboards that:
Give executive sponsors a clear, honest view of what’s happening
Help schools visualize the impact of their modernization work
Showcase the progress we’re making together
Because when schools can see their progress, understand their data, and connect it to their mission, they build the confidence to tell that story themselves.
Transform Your Smartsheets
💡 Want to transform your dashboards into storytelling tools? Let’s talk. We’ll help you design Smartsheet dashboards that inform, inspire, and empower your team. Reach out to us to start a conversation.
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