Evaluating Dual Performance Measures on Information Dashboards: Effects of Anchoring and Presentation Format

Abstract

ABSTRACT This study examines aspects of dual performance measures in the context of organizations disclosing operational performance to the general public through information dashboards. Dual performance measures are measures where performance is a function of two values, one value denoting the percentage of a group to which the measure refers and one value denoting the performance level achieved by that particular percentage. Dual measures must be anchored to either target percentage or target performance level before a decision on over- or under-performance can be made. A 2 × 2 experiment (n = 222), involving performance assessment of a fictional emergency room, varies anchor and presentation format, and measures the effects on subjective performance of the emergency room, as well as perceived informativeness and attractiveness of the dashboard. The results indicate, first, that choice of anchor matters, in the sense that anchor choice can mask or accentuate relevant information, thereby influencing subjective performance. Second, a pictorial unit chart combined with a performance-level anchor is perceived to be the most informative and most attractive dashboard display. The study contributes to research on the design of information dashboards by developing theory on the effectiveness of reporting dual performance measures.