From Data to Decision (Without Overthinking It)
Moving from 'nice to know' information to action
You get an alert saying the weekly dashboard is ready. You click the link and start scanning the numbers. Some are up. Some are down. You close the dashboard and move on to the next thing on your to‑do list.
Either that dashboard shouldn’t exist, or you’ve fallen into a common, but very understandable, trap: stopping at review instead of turning what you see into a conclusion and then a next action.
We’re not picking on you. Turning information into a conclusion and next action is genuinely hard work. It requires practice and repetition, plus the confidence to know which numbers matter and say what they imply.
Go Beyond Reporting
Reporting is the starting line, not the finish. To move from dashboards to decisions, we hold ourselves accountable by using this template when reviewing a metric, analysis, or report at work: Say – Mean – Do.
Start with a regular dashboard that reflects your team’s goals or priorities. Then pick one or two changes and ask yourself: What does the data say, and what does it mean? Numbers tell you what happened, but insight comes from explaining why. Context matters because data rarely speaks for itself. Next, comes the harder question: What am I going to do? This is where insight earns its keep, by turning into action. Insight without a next step is just trivia.
This is easier than you think.
Instead of: “Attendance was down 10%.” [Say]
Try: “Attendance was down 10%, likely because of last week’s snowstorm.” [Say + Mean]
And then identify a step like: “Next time, let’s plan a few programs that work better for families during bad weather.” [Do]
Or sometimes, no action at all. “Snowstorms are rare. Let’s make sure attendance rebounds next week.” [Do]
That’s still a decision.
The Say–Mean–Do Template
This is what you practiced above in a format you can reuse.
[What does the data say] because [why / what it means].
My next step(s) is [what will you do].
That’s it. Say. Mean. Do.
Using Say-Mean-Do in Meetings
You don’t need to formally introduce this framework for it to be useful. Used in a team setting, these questions shift the conversation from reporting to thinking together. They’re not about challenging authority or catching mistakes. They’re an invitation to think together, opening the door to curiosity, problem-solving, and shared judgment.
“Let’s slow down. What do we see in the data?” [Say]
“Okay, what does that mean?” [Mean]
“So what’s the move?” [Do]
This kind of discussion enlivens the process of turning data into action. Over time, it weaves data naturally into your day-to-day operations and workflows, strengthening decisions and improving outcomes (without anyone ever having to say “Say, Mean, Do”).
Design Dashboards for Action
A big roadblock in data analysis is going from insight to action. Why? Because it will require time, energy, knowledge, confidence, navigating uncertainty - or any combination of these factors.
To reduce this friction, design your dashboards for decisions. We are not saying that your dashboard should tell you what to do and when. That type of design is development intensive and usually ends up being too rigid.
Instead, integrate the “Do” portion of Say-Mean-Do by defining up front what decisions that dashboard is meant to support. Draft a short statement clarifying why the dashboard exists, who it’s for, and, most importantly, what decisions it’s meant to inform.
Doing this work streamlines the data analysis piece of your workflow, and prevents dashboards from growing bloated - which also saves time on report production and review.
Template for Your Dashboard “Do” Statement
This dashboard exists to help [who uses it] decide [types of decisions it should support]. It’s reviewed [how often].
When a metric changes, the expected actions are [what we would do differently]. —> Spend your energy defining this portion, and refining as needed over time.
If a metric would not change a decision or action, it doesn’t belong here.
Here are some examples with different contexts, but the same principle: decisions first, metrics second.
For a Marketing Team
This dashboard exists to help the marketing team decide where to invest next quarter’s budget. It’s reviewed monthly by the VP of Marketing and channel owners.
If a metric moves meaningfully, the expected action is to reallocate spend, pause underperforming campaigns, or double down on high‑performing ones. [DO]
If none of these decisions would change based on a piece of data, it doesn’t belong in the dashboard.
For a Yoga Studio
This dashboard exists to help the studio owner decide which classes to offer and where to focus outreach. It’s reviewed monthly.
When attendance or engagement changes significantly, the expected action is to adjust class times, class formats, or marketing efforts.
If a metric wouldn’t change those actions, it doesn’t belong here.
Summary
Information is powerful, but it’s also easy to get lost in it. When there’s too much to review, you can lose sight of why you opened the dashboard in the first place and what decision you were trying to make.
With practice, you can build the habit of turning information into impact. Name what you see, say what it means, and decide one possible move. You don’t need perfect certainty. You just need to move from looking at data to using it.