Hearts & Minds: Don't dash. The cautionary tale of Labour's digital dashboard

Digital dashboards are commonplace. They are part of the comms toolkit – having a KPI tracker that is visual and dynamic, easily understood, a way of earning acclaim while showing you’re trying even harder. 
 
But they have their downside. They’re fine, provided you make strides in hitting those targets. If you’re not careful, that smart idea can turn into a comms embarrassment. Companies must think carefully before putting themselves out there in such a fashion. Those KPIs require consideration. Fix the bar too high and you will be done for; too low and it’s meaningless.
 
Something like this appears to have struck Sir Keir Starmer’s cabinet. Last November, we were told the government website would soon produce a public dashboard highlighting how far policy promises had been met. The idea was to boost ‘trust and transparency’, demonstrating success before the next election.
 
There is lack of progress, but it’s in the development and launch of the dashboard itself. Instead of going live in December as was claimed, there is still no sign. Worse, reports have appeared saying work has ground to a halt. 
 
The government dashboard was in response to poor approval ratings and a backlash following the Budget. What seemed like a clever move at the time, of silencing critics with a graphic, constantly updated presentation, may have been just that. Certainly, questions are being asked as to where it is and when it can be expected, and no information is forthcoming. 
 
The government is in a tough space, we know that. But to set goals that rely on numerous factors aligning is risky. This in a machine that is notoriously slow and cumbersome, despite what Starmer and his colleagues say. That is even without outside forces and influences beyond their control coming to bear. 
 
In Starmer’s case, the dashboard was to be based on the six ‘milestones’ he wanted voters to judge him by. It invites the question, why the rush?  He is four years away from the next election, sitting on a substantial majority. Better to wait before committing, not least against a backdrop of prevailing economic and geopolitical volatility. 
 
Some leaders can get away with making claims, then not meeting them. Donald Trump is one such example. Starmer does not have that ability. He has built his reputation entirely on his cautious personality. Digital dashboards are great but they carry a health warning: be careful what you wish for. 

Chris Blackhurst is one of the UK’s foremost business journalists. He was previously Editor of The Independent and City Editor of the Evening Standard.