By Mary Claire Salmon

The Greater Federal Way Chamber of Commerce is always on the lookout for new ways to help their city grow, which is why they use eIMPACT data visualization dashboards on their website. Read on to learn why Federal Way implemented these dashboards, and to hear snippets of our conversation with Chamber CEO Becca Martin, CCE.

Making data available AND engaging

Bordered by mountain ranges on one side and the cold waters of the Puget Sound on the other, Federal Way, Washington may look serene. But seated in the heart of the Seattle-Tacoma business corridor, the city is alive and bustling with business, and its vibrant Chamber of Commerce is always on the lookout for new opportunities for growth.

And to make that growth happen, they know it will take a team effort, building on a common foundation.

“We have a regional scope, and we want to be as inclusive as possible, with everyone at the table…so there’s a lot of moving parts,” explains the Chamber’s CEO, Becca Martin. “Workforce development, talent recruitment, business retention, expansion, even attraction all have different players. But at the very base of the structure, the backbone of all of that is the data.”

For example, before any company expands or relocates to a new city, they’ll want to track down some key data points on each potential destination. ​​Is there enough talent in the region to sustain their business? Is there affordable housing for their employees? Does the region offer a high enough quality of life to attract talent from out of state?

The Greater Federal Way Chamber of Commerce wanted a faster, easier way to answer all of these questions and more. But they didn’t want to stop at just making the information available; they wanted to make it engaging. That meant not only making the data on their city easy to find, but making it visually appealing, and thus more inviting to economic players who aren’t eager to wade through sprawling spreadsheets of data. As Martin puts it: “We wanted to up our game.”

And for help, they turned to eIMPACT.

Data on the Lightcast eIMPACT data dashboards is updated regularly and automatically, in clean visualizations that make the information easy to digest. Courtesy the Federal Way Chamber of Commerce

Creating an always-on dashboard, that’s always up-to-date

The Chamber decided to implement Lightcast eIMPACT data dashboards. Now, detailed information on their community – whether it’s data on wages, the educational pipeline or even the city’s mean commute time – lives right on their website. The data is updated regularly and automatically on the dashboard, in clean visualizations that make the information easy to digest (since, as Martin says, not everybody is a data nerd).

Now, the Chamber has a way to intrigue not only those companies who reach out to them, but also those companies who quietly peruse their website for information without ever picking up the phone or sending an email. This option to explore data on Federal Way without having to first request it and wait for a response has made the Chamber’s website a much “friendlier,” more hospitable place, according to Martin. It’s resulted in many businesses reaching out to the Chamber after getting excited by what they’ve seen in the dashboard.

“We really think of the dashboards as like another staff member, if you will,” Martin says. “They’re that colorful pop of personality when it comes to economic data.”

Businesses aren’t the only ones who can use the portal, however. The Chamber wanted to make this information available to everyone. Anyone can explore data on Federal Way, whether they’re a resident researching a career change, or a family considering a move to the city. Because the employer job posting data updates in real time, dashboard users will always see the most current view possible of job opportunities, career pathways and employment trends.

And while the dashboards were designed for outside stakeholders, they’ve made life easier for the Chamber’s team too. Staff members are developing exciting new programs and services, confident in the knowledge that their decision-making process is grounded in reliable data.

A data-rich resource, for everyone

“The world’s a big place, and there’s a lot of pivoting that can go on. This data helps people make informed decisions about it,” Martin says. “Here at the Greater Federal Way Chamber, we see that. Yes, we are a membership organization, but we are one that is focused on economic development and growth, and that means resources need to be available to anyone.”

You can explore The Greater Federal Way Chamber of Commerce’s dashboards here.