Using eIMPACT Dashboards to Tell an Actionable Data Story

How eIMPACT helps regions attract businesses, workers, and investment

Published on Jan 11, 2024

Written by Remie Verougstraete

In today’s information-rich environment, data availability isn’t usually the challenge. It’s getting the right data in front of the right audience when they need it – in a way that’s understandable and actionable.

This is especially true for communities or industry associations who need an efficient way to:

  • Enable site selectors and business leaders to quickly discover the unique strengths of their region

  • Showcase their region’s economic growth to policy makers and local leaders

  • Help job seekers and individuals find high-growth careers in their area

Lightast’s recent acquisition of eIMPACT is all about making this critical work easier. In this post, we’ll briefly introduce you to eIMPACT, summarize the key advantages it provides, and let you hear directly from some of the economic development, workforce, and industry leaders already using it to save time and serve their stakeholders.

About eIMPACT

eIMPACT dashboards allow you to visually communicate key workforce, economic, and community indicators. As a result, data is more accessible to both you and your stakeholders, making it easier for you to answer questions, inform decisions, and spotlight the strengths of your community or industry.

To achieve these outcomes, you’ll partner with our team of experienced data visualization experts. We’ll help you select relevant data points and share them in a way that’s clear and compelling. 

The process is pretty simple. Just define your geography, pick the data points that matter to you (and your constituents), and embed the customized, brand-compliant dashboard into your organization's website. We handle the full data pipeline – from initial aggregation to ongoing updates – so you can focus on strategic, high-impact work that will move your community or industry forward.

Want to see eIMPACT in action?

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Key advantages of eIMPACT dashboards

By using eIMPACT, economic developers, workforce developers, and professional associations are able to:

  • Make data more accessible: Well-designed dashboards can simplify complex data for a broader audience. And web-based dashboards amplify this advantage by making the data available 24/7 to every citizen, site selector, or city staff member who might need the latest stats on your community’s economy.

  • Keep data up-to-date: Another favorite feature of eIMPACT dashboards: they’re always fresh with the latest data available. No manual data collection. No monthly reminders to update that PDF on your website. We maintain the data pipeline for you, so you can focus on strategy and service to your community.

  • Save time, streamline work: Ultimately, making data accessible and keeping it up-to-date is all about saving time – for your staff, and your stakeholders. It’s about spotlighting your community, workforce, or industry and helping drive informed decisions that lead to greater prosperity. 

It all adds up to less ad hoc reporting for you, more information available on-demand for them. Everybody wins!

But don’t just take our word for it. Check out the videos below to hear directly from some of the outstanding professionals already using (and loving) eIMPACT.

Client examples: eIMPACT at work

City of El Paso

The City of El Paso, TX uses its eIMPACT dashboard to eliminate ad hoc economic data collection and updating, while presenting a visual data story to businesses and investors.

The time eIMPACT saves us is incredible, but even more important is the exposure it gives us to the outside world, which is so, so valuable.” — Elizabeth Triggs, Director of Economic and International Development

CareerSource North Central Florida

CareerSource North Central Florida uses myCareerPathway™ Dashboards to serve every customer with tailored LMI data, shedding a light on in-demand skills, job market trends, compensation ranges and transferable career paths. With just job title and location, the customer gets a customized data snapshot in visual format, generated in seconds. The new LMI service even helped CareerSource repurpose an unfilled role and gain a case manager!

"With all of our different programs and the different populations coming to us for services, myCareerPathway Dashboard can be tailored for each individual user. They can put in either their current career or the career that they want to transition to, and they can get information on just what they need. It's not a one size fits all. It's tailored exactly for each each individual user." Phyllis Marty, CEO

Arizona Technology Council

The Arizona Technology Council uses its eIMPACT dashboard to engage a wide-ranging audience, from the media to the public to state legislators. What previously existed as a static economic impact report updated only every few years is now a live dashboard featuring data updated every quarter, with evolving content and storytelling.

"People really appreciate the stories we relate to the data because it sort of brings the numbers to life. We get feedback from the community and the media about how important it is that we account for what's going on in our ecosystem here in Arizona." — Steven Zylstra, CEO

Upcoming webinar

To get a closer look at eIMPACT, join us on January 25th for a webinar with Erik Larson (co-founder, eIMPACT) and Josh Wright (EVP of Growth, Lightcast). Erik and Josh will share more of the exciting opportunities this acquisition creates for current customers of both organizations, as well as share examples of how communities and organizations are using eIMPACT to streamline and amplify their work.

Have questions or want to learn more about eIMPACT dashboards? Please reach out! We'd love to hear from you and explore how our data solutions can help.