By using this site, you agree to the Privacy Policy and Terms of Use.
Accept
SmartData CollectiveSmartData Collective
  • Analytics
    AnalyticsShow More
    data Analytics instagram stories
    Data Analytics Helps Marketers Make the Most of Instagram Stories
    15 Min Read
    analyst,women,looking,at,kpi,data,on,computer,screen
    What to Know Before Recruiting an Analyst to Handle Company Data
    6 Min Read
    AI analytics
    AI-Based Analytics Are Changing the Future of Credit Cards
    6 Min Read
    data overload showing data analytics
    How Does Next-Gen SIEM Prevent Data Overload For Security Analysts?
    8 Min Read
    hire a marketing agency with a background in data analytics
    5 Reasons to Hire a Marketing Agency that Knows Data Analytics
    7 Min Read
  • Big Data
  • BI
  • Exclusive
  • IT
  • Marketing
  • Software
Search
© 2008-23 SmartData Collective. All Rights Reserved.
Reading: Breaking Free of the One-Page Dashboard Rule
Share
Notification Show More
Aa
SmartData CollectiveSmartData Collective
Aa
Search
  • About
  • Help
  • Privacy
Follow US
© 2008-23 SmartData Collective. All Rights Reserved.
SmartData Collective > Big Data > Data Visualization > Breaking Free of the One-Page Dashboard Rule
Business IntelligenceData Visualization

Breaking Free of the One-Page Dashboard Rule

JuiceAnalytics
Last updated: 2009/05/05 at 9:55 PM
JuiceAnalytics
5 Min Read
SHARE

Conventional wisdom says that an executive dashboard must fit on a single page or screen. The argument hinges on a pair of assertions about this constraint: it provides necessary discipline to focus on only the most critical information; and it enables the audience to see results “at a glance.”

The “discipline” argument is made forcefully by Avinash Kaushik (among others).

“If your dashboard does not fit on one page, you have a report, not a dashboard… This rule is important because it encourages rigorous thought to be applied in selecting the golden dashboard metric.”

I buy wholeheartedly into the value of constraints. However, defining a useful constraint as a “rule” assumes there is only one viable means to achieve the desired ends. Confining visual real estate is but one way to focus your thinking. There are others: How about limiting yourself to five key measures? How about demanding that a dashboard can be understood in 3 minutes by a new user? How about only presenting exceptions?

More Read

business dashboards and big data

Leveraging Big Data With State-Of-The-Art Business Dashboards

Web Tracking and Analytics Data in Salesforce: Why They’re Necessary
Brain Scans Show No Difference Between Pie Chart and Bar Chart Perception?
The Emailed Dashboards School of Management
6 Must-See Usability Testing Videos

The argument that a one-page dashboard necessarily provides an view of your business “at a glance” is more self-deceiving. Well-known information-ista Stephen Few uses this rationale in his…

Conventional wisdom says that an executive dashboard must fit on a single page or screen. The argument hinges on a pair of assertions about this constraint: it provides necessary discipline to focus on only the most critical information; and it enables the audience to see results “at a glance.”

The “discipline” argument is made forcefully by Avinash Kaushik (among others).

“If your dashboard does not fit on one page, you have a report, not a dashboard… This rule is important because it encourages rigorous thought to be applied in selecting the golden dashboard metric.”

I buy wholeheartedly into the value of constraints. However, defining a useful constraint as a “rule” assumes there is only one viable means to achieve the desired ends. Confining visual real estate is but one way to focus your thinking. There are others: How about limiting yourself to five key measures? How about demanding that a dashboard can be understood in 3 minutes by a new user? How about only presenting exceptions?

The argument that a one-page dashboard necessarily provides an view of your business “at a glance” is more self-deceiving. Well-known information-ista Stephen Few uses this rationale in his definition of a dashboard:

“A visual display of the most important information needed to achieve one or more objectives; consolidated and arranged on a single screen so the information can be monitored at a glance.” PDF

I check my speedometer “at a glance.” I “glance” at a Heads-up Display (HUD) on a video game showing how much energy my character has remaining. These displays communicate but a single number that is already hovering on the corner of my consciousness. If we follow this advice literally, we’d show:

Acme Widgets Dashboard

Assuming one page gives you quick, easy comprehension is like assuming all red cars are fast. That’s simply not true. It must be duly noted, however, that all red cars are cool.

Stretch Trabant image courtesy jetow@flickr.com

More often, people follow the one-page dashboard rule off a cliff like these folks.

dashboard

There are real problems with this definition:

Dashboard definition

  • In reality, the one-page rule leads to jamming information into the available space.
  • When everything must fit on a page, there isn’t room to describe the connections between information or fashion a story from the data.
  • A good dashboard raises more questions than it can answer. Sticking to a static piece of paper limits any ability to find or present explanations.

Don’t get me wrong: A one-page dashboard is often an effective way to create “a visual display of the most important information needed to achieve one or more objectives.” But with streaming video, interactive visualizations, podcasts, Kindles, smart phones, video projectors…is it really necessary to limit ourselves to 8.5″ x 11″ piece of paper. Or might we open ourselves up to some more creative solutions to sharing the numbers; a short movie, a few slides, a short text narrative, or 140 characters.

I’d like to use this definition instead and will be back soon with some ideas on how to make your dashboards clear and concise.

Dashboard definition

 Link to original post

TAGGED: avinash kaushik, dashboards, stephen few
JuiceAnalytics May 5, 2009
Share This Article
Facebook Twitter Pinterest LinkedIn
Share

Follow us on Facebook

Latest News

smart home data
7 Mind-Blowing Ways Smart Homes Use Data to Save Your Money
Big Data
ai low code frameworks
AI Can Help Accelerate Development with Low-Code Frameworks
Artificial Intelligence
data Analytics instagram stories
Data Analytics Helps Marketers Make the Most of Instagram Stories
Analytics
data breaches
How Hospital Security Breaches Devastate Local Communities
Policy and Governance

Stay Connected

1.2k Followers Like
33.7k Followers Follow
222 Followers Pin

You Might also Like

business dashboards and big data
Big DataBusiness IntelligenceExclusive

Leveraging Big Data With State-Of-The-Art Business Dashboards

8 Min Read

Web Tracking and Analytics Data in Salesforce: Why They’re Necessary

10 Min Read

Brain Scans Show No Difference Between Pie Chart and Bar Chart Perception?

3 Min Read

The Emailed Dashboards School of Management

8 Min Read

SmartData Collective is one of the largest & trusted community covering technical content about Big Data, BI, Cloud, Analytics, Artificial Intelligence, IoT & more.

ai is improving the safety of cars
From Bolts to Bots: How AI Is Fortifying the Automotive Industry
Artificial Intelligence
AI and chatbots
Chatbots and SEO: How Can Chatbots Improve Your SEO Ranking?
Artificial Intelligence Chatbots Exclusive

Quick Link

  • About
  • Contact
  • Privacy
Follow US
© 2008-23 SmartData Collective. All Rights Reserved.
Go to mobile version
Welcome Back!

Sign in to your account

Lost your password?