How to create an IP3 ASSESS Focus dashboard

Focus is an add-on feature within IP3 ASSESS that helps you compare places and clearly identify priorities using data that matters to your work. This quick guide follows the same steps shown in the video attached.

Step 1: Name Your Focus

Give your Focus a name and a short description so others understand:

• What decision this Focus supports
• What kinds of areas or indicators it looks at

This text appears in reports and shared outputs.

Step 2: Choose Areas

Select the areas you want to compare.

These might be:

• Counties
• Census tracts
• Custom regions

Focus only compares the areas you choose.

Step 3: Add Indicators

Indicators are the data points used to score each place.

You can:

• Choose from IP3 data
• Add your own data

Pick indicators that best reflect what matters for your decision.

Adjust Importance (Weights)

Weights let you say which indicators "matter" more.

• Higher weight = more influence
• Lower weight = less influence
• Same weight = all indicators treated equally

Use weights to reflect your priorities, not perfection.

Choose How Comparisons Work

Each indicator is compared in a simple, consistent way:

• Rank: puts places in order
• Grouped ranges: sorts places into tiers
• Distance from average: highlights outliers

Don't get hung up on what’s “best.”

Step 4: Set Priority Buckets

Buckets turn scores into clear priority groups.

• All scores fall between 0 and 100
• You decide what score ranges mean

Example:

• 0–33: Lower Priority
• 34–66: Medium Priority
• 67–100: Higher Priority

Choose language and colors that make sense for your audience.

Step 5: View Results

Once everything is set, Focus creates:

• Visual maps
• Priority groupings
• Downloadable and shareable reports
• A clear explanation of how results were created

Contact your IP3 project manager to learn more or to enable Focus for your account!

Full video tutorial: