Client Focus: Networks Northwest

Regional development group leverages data automation to lower reporting burden and delight stakeholders

When we first spoke with Matt McCauley, CEO of Networks Northwest, he was faced with a familiar challenge: how to use his resources in the most strategic, impactful way possible.

Germane to this subject are the numerous activities the staff perform that are repetitive in nature, time intensive and relatively mundane. Data reporting is at the top of this list.

A staff member was spending a significant percentage of his time providing ongoing reports, from data collection, to cleaning and analysis, to formatting for publication. The report was then handed off to an outside web developer to post to the website.

If this workflow sounds familiar to you, you are not alone. Most organizations today employ a similar process, even if it means a trade-off between more strategic activities such as engagement, business recruitment and workforce development.

We were spending too much time on the tedious parts of data reporting. With eImpact we were able to “set it and forget it” — allowing us to focus resources on higher value activity.

eImpact was founded to specifically address the challenge and opportunity of automated data reporting. Read on to see some of the highlights and outcomes Networks Northwest was able to achieve using eImpact.

How Networks Northwest Uses eImpact to Automate Data Reporting

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1. Straight to the Source

eImpact made a big investment in technology to access a wide range of data – more than 2,000 datasets in total. The software queries for new data regularly, so all reports contain the latest information available. This enables Networks Northwest to take their eye off the ball on routine data updates, and invest this time elsewhere. A major portion of data reporting activities is consumed at this stage: basic data collection and processing.

2. A Tailored Presentation

We recognized early on that no two regions are exactly alike. In fact, it is just the opposite, especially when viewed through the lense of data. At the same time, most reporting software is based on a canned template with little or no narrative. At eImpact, we believe that data in and of itself is relatively meaningless ‐ to bring meaning and criticial insights requires context, and a storyline. Networks Northwest is now able to tell their region's story and adjust/improve it over time.

3. Professional and Interactive

Networks Northwest is a leader when it comes to using data strategically. Whether posted on the website or sent directly to a business or stakeholder, your data reports are an important (and increasingly central) way that your organization is evaluated. Going a step further to provide interactivity in the report is proven to boost engagement and understanding of the information. This helps your organize stand out while adding value for your audience.

The Networks Northwest Report Dashboard

Here is an embedded version of the Networks Northwest dashboard. Feel free to explore around! You can visit their complete data site at www.benchmarksnorthwest.org.

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