Dashboards
IT 7113 Data Visualization
http://idi.kennesaw.edu/it7113/
J.G. Zheng
Fall 2021
This lecture notes is hosted at https://www.edocr.com/v/oekl31vr/jgzheng/Dashboard
Overview
• What is a dashboard?
• Elements of a dashboard
• Types of dashboards
– Comparing with report, visual analysis tool, and
scorecard
– Levels of dashboards
• General design considerations and principles
This lecture introduces dashboards and their use in various
business cases. A second module will continue on
dashboard design patterns and best practices.
What is a dashboard?
3
http://visualnomics.com/ArabUprising/
Real-world public
dashboard
https://www.arcgis.com/apps/opsdashboard/inde
x.html#/bda7594740fd40299423467b48e9ecf6
https://www.fairfaxcounty.go
v/demographics/fairfax-
county-general-overview
Dashboards from
former student projects.
Dashboard
4
A dashboard is a visual-oriented display of
the most important data and information
needed to achieve defined goals and
objectives; consolidated and arranged on
a single screen so the information can be
viewed at a glance.
Adapted from
Dashboard Confusion by Stephen Few
http://www.perceptualedge.com/articles/ie/dashboard_confusion.pdf
Notes about Dashboard Definition
•
The term dashboard originates from the automobile dashboard where drivers monitor the major
functions at a glance.
• Visual-oriented display
– Dashboard is a data visualization tool
– Dashboard is a type of graphic user interface
– Dashboards are visually intensive, with many graphics, charts, maps, colors; but they could also have
textual information.
• Most important data and information
– Usually these are the key data, metrics, and performance indicators (KPI) that a user concerns most on
a regular basis.
• Goals and objectives
– A dashboard is part of a business intelligence and analytics tool used to visualize data and analysis
results.
– A dashboard serves a very clear goal; all data and information presented serve that goal.
– The goals can be monitoring, analytical, reporting, exploration, and c