Kansas City Measures Performance through Online Dashboard

To follow through on its commitment to provide more visibility into city performance, Kansas City (MO) launched KCStat Dashboard on Oct. 22, 2013, an online tool that displays progress on city goals and objectives.

Developed by government data company Socrata, the dashboard is the city’s way of offering residents more information about government performance with real-time data, said Julie Steenson, a performance analyst for the city. Upon full implementation, the dashboard will display various statistics, from citizen satisfaction percentages to progress on maintenance and repair tasks. Key features of the platform, according to Socrata’s March product announcement, include an easy-to-use interface (without the need for user licenses), and real-time dashboards that can be shared through a simple drag-and-drop system. Mayor Sly James praised the tool for its benefits related to transparency. “The KCStat Dashboard is the city’s way of helping residents see how we’re doing at our job of serving them,” said James in a city release.