Journal of Business and Technical Communication Jan 2021

Lean Data Visualization: Considering Actionable Metrics for Technical Communication

Gustav Verhulsdonck Central Michigan University ; Vishal Shah Central Michigan University

Abstract

Analyzing data gathered around COVID-19 can increase our understanding of its spread and the social and economic impacts. Data visualizations can help various stakeholders understand the outbreak. To this end, this article seeks to understand how COVID-19 data dashboards utilized actionable metrics to inform various stakeholders. Used in lean methodology, actionable metrics specifically tie data visualization to actions to improve a specific situation. The authors discuss how actionable metrics were used in COVID-19 data dashboards to inspire actions of various stakeholders by modeling different outcomes through future projections. In turn, the authors explore how actionable metrics in data dashboards can inform new business and technical communication practices for data visualization.

Journal
Journal of Business and Technical Communication
Published
2021-01-01
DOI
10.1177/1050651920958500
Open Access
Closed
Topics
multimodality technical communication

Citation Context

Cited by in this index (4)

  1. Lambrecht (2025)
    Risk Revisited: The Role of Technical Communication in Negotiating Barriers to …
    Journal of Technical Writing and Communication
  2. Hartzog (2025)
    ‘Flatten the curve’: rhetorical data visualizations of a global pandemic
    Technical Communication Quarterly
  3. Sorapure (2023)
    User Perceptions of Actionability in Data Dashboards
    Journal of Business and Technical Communication
  4. Ivankovic´ et al. (2022)
    Comment on Verhulsdonck and Shah's “Lean Data Visualization: Considering Action…
    Journal of Business and Technical Communication

Cites in this index (2)

  1. Frith (2017)
    Big Data, Technical Communication, and the Smart City
    Journal of Business and Technical Communication
  2. Wolfe (2015)
    Teaching Students to Focus on the Data in Data Visualization
    Journal of Business and Technical Communication
Also cites 1 work outside this index ↓
  1. 10.1145/3188173.3188176
     ↗
CrossRef global citation count: 15 View in citation network →

Related Articles

  1. Journal of Technical Writing and Communication Apr 2026
    Developing Intercultural Socioemotional Communication Skills: A Hybrid Student Exchange Project Between Kenya, Ireland, and Germany ↗
    Belinda Oechsler; Yvonne Cleary; Sissi Closs
    multimodality technical communication
  2. Journal of Technical Writing and Communication Apr 2026
    What Video Games Can Tell Us About Interactive Technical Communication ↗
    Emily Kuzneski Johnson
    multimodality technical communication multilingual writers
  3. Journal of Technical Writing and Communication Apr 2026
    “Is This Ethical?” New Data on the Ethical Principles and Practices of Document Design ↗
    Leslie Seawright; Amy Hodges; Timothy Ponce
    multimodality technical communication disability studies multilingual writers
  4. Journal of Technical Writing and Communication Mar 2026
    “It's Hard to Show ROI When You’re Preventing Things from Happening”: How Impact Storytelling Frames Community Health Initiatives for Executive Audiences ↗
    Margaret Hsiao
    qualitative research multimodality technical communication professional writing multilingual writers
  5. Computers and Composition Mar 2026
    From vision to insight: Enhancing students’ user-centered design skills with eye-tracking technology and usability tests ↗
    Meng Yu
    multimodality technical communication