The selected indicators focus on the triple bottom line framework of people (social), planet (environmental), and profit (economic). Each of these areas plays a vital role in the long-term growth of the region. By focusing on a wider, more comprehensive set of indicators, the dashboard is able to provide a more holistic view of the region’s health, sustainability, and prosperity.
This tool tracks the region’s progress on over 30 critical economic, social, and environmental indicators. These cover a wide range of measurements, spanning from labor force participation rates to per capita water usage. These indicators where selected by an advisory committee of local leaders, who reviewed over 100 indicators before selecting the final set. One of the major evaluation criteria for the indicators was ensuring that the indicators are actionable and have an impact on the prosperity of the West Michigan region. The data also needed to be free to access, and able to be displayed on both a regional and county level.
THE WEST MICHIGAN REGIONAL DASHBOARD
Originally launched in February 2017, the dashboard created a common set of measurements by which to track West Michigan’s growth and prosperity. Although several organizations were already collecting, tracking, and sharing valuable data within the region, that data was not combined and presented as one common set of shared information. The launch of the dashboard allowed these resources to be viewed through one easily accessible tool, and it has already received over 6,000 visitors.
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REGIONAL DASHBOARD UPDATE
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