Dashboard Design for Varied User Requirements

👇🏽 My post on dashboards unexpectedly got popular. The comment section was amazing, and the following data practitioners shared their expertise on dealing with the challenges of dashboards not being used: Jose Gerardo Pineda Galindo: "Understanding the business is key to deliver an actionable Dashboard... [Also make] your dashboards simple and not a Dashboard with 20+ mixed with graphs, metrics, tables." Robert Odera, MBA: "Start with users and uses... socialize what the dashboard does, reiterate what the dashboard doesn't do, ask what outcomes the changes will drive..." Anna Decker Wilson: "The dashboard is a square peg in a round hole attempt at a solution to the last mile problem in data - it seems like the dashboard will fill the need, but it seldom does..." Daniel E. Thompson: "Most of the dashboards I create for clients involve a 'Business Recommendation' page in PowerBI that covers 4-5 main KPIs, strategy, important metrics, and steps for short/long-term planning." Eric Gonzalez: "1. Gather requirements, 2. Wireframing, 2a. Get stakeholders out of “this is how we’ve always done it” mentality, 3. Monitor usage consistently, 4. If usage is low, ask why and redo 1-2" Anna Bergevin: "Start by asking what they need the data for... Then decide if a dashboard is even the right solution (maybe it’s not - maybe it’s alerts, maybe it’s email report delivery, maybe it’s a curated table they can pull into excel and explore)." Kobe W.: "Start from a business problem and create dashboards as solutions to these problems. Take it up a notch by including the consumer in the design process. Mimic their workflow in the design... [so it's] an integrated part of the process..." Idriss Shatila: "[Educate] them, you're the expert, they came to you, so you tell them what can be done and what cannot be done so that they would learn." Kaleb Thompson: "Stop building dashboards. Most of the time it’s not even the right solution to drive the desired business outcomes... I think the future of BI is a handful of high level enterprise KPIs and the rest being data driven alerts and triggers that lead to real actions." Marco Giordano: "... I insert dashboards into the 'process.' The fact of using the dashboard is tied to some actions they can take. So if they don't use the dashboard(s), they miss a piece!" Andrew C. Madson: "I have my teams get to know their stakeholders and deeply understand their roles, responsibilities, and needs... Then, build a product with quick iterations and tight feedback loops, enabling them to do their job better." Robert Harmon: "[The] first step is [to] stop being reactive with dashboards. Start being proactive with timely messaging. If the data's off, you'll know in like 10 minutes. The users will definitely tell you..." Yuki Kakegawa: "You leave the data industry." (this one is my favorite 🤣) There were more, but I hit the word limit for the post 😅 #data #datascience #analytics

🔨 What is my dashboard construction process?   ❓ Whether you start with a form or a meeting, the following question is your starting point.   🤔 "What business questions are you trying to answer?"   For us, an Intake form launches an interview.   After the business question, there is always an immediate follow up: ❓ Where are you going with that?   That's important because the requestor might be asking: ◼ The wrong question. ◼ A question that's a symptom of a larger issue. ◼ A question that has already been answered. ◼ A question that we don't have data to support.   So if all that is resolved, the following questions should be addressed if the answers are not obvious, because without three Yes's, there is little value in continuing. It can be hard to be assertive with these, but it's worth the effort because it saves everyone time. ❓ What action can you take based on the answers? ❓ Are these question high enough priority that I should build a dashboard to answer them? (generally that's answered by my management). ❓ Are the questions aligned with corporate goals?   If that goes well, then it come down to Use Cases, prototyping, and gathering the appropriate the data.   The last step has been greatly simplified by my working with a separate data engineering team.   📊For the dashboards themselves, most users struggle with articulating their needs without something to look at. The sooner you show them a wireframe the better.   👀 Once I start building, I usually review my work at least once with both my manager and teammates. So by the time the customer sees something, it's had several pairs of eyes looking at it.   I usually meet with customers at least once (or twice schedules permitting) before moving work into production. In between those meetings I might have several chat/email exchanges with A/B choices.   As far as layout, I'm a big fan of the top-down approach: Goal, KPI, Trends, Actions. The rest of my design philosophy can be seen in my "Better First Dashboard" on Tableau Public (a link is on my profile).   I hope that helps! If your process is different, tell me about it in the comments.   🏗→🧠 Build to Learn!   💭🚶♀️🚶♂️ Follow for more.   #tableau #data #analytics #VizoftheRay

I was reviewing some design choices I made in a visualization the other day when I mentioned that I like to design with how I imagine someone would use this visualization. For example, they're in the flow state and think, "I want to email so and so about this." and in one click, connect to their email app. As data visualization practitioners, I think it's helpful for us to not just assemble dashboards, but create experiences. How do you do this? I'm sure there are a ton of ways, but here are the top of mind tips/questions: ∙KYA (know your audience). ∙How do they engage with a dashboard/visualization? ∙What do they actually need vs what they asked for? and most importantly: ∙What would make their life easier? #dataexperiences #dashboards #dataviz #userexperience #ux #usercentricdesign

Dashboard design: It's all about empathy, not aesthetics. Do your dashboards gather dust or drive decisions? The difference is in understanding your audience. Data scientists enjoy diving into data lakes, craving complex graphs and in-depth information. Executives, however, prefer to sip from a data stream, demanding clear, concise visuals that cut to the chase. So what's your design mantra? A one-size-fits-all approach, or a bespoke solution that fits like a glove? Next time you're designing, don't ask, "How does it appeal to me?" Instead, ask "Who am I designing for?" and "How well does it serve them?" Turn your dashboard from a neglected tool to an integral team asset by embracing empathy. Remember, your users consume design, not just data. Speak their language. Let's not just display data, but empower decision-making. Because when empathy meets design, magic happens.

Post Exchange I've connected with a lot of distribution leaders on one of my favorite topics, #dashboarddesign. With more and more asset managers leaning into client centricity and vehicle agnostic GTM functions, dashboards are being re-imagined. Pro Tip: Toyota Corolla > Space Shuttle The best #distribution #dashboard is the one that is used the most. If you are using dashboards to drive operational excellence from your distribution efforts and find yourself filled with joy when you hit that refresh button, you are probably living these best practices… …and your distribution dashboard likely looks more like a Toyota Corolla than a Space Shuttle. A few distribution dashboard #bestpractices 1.) Know your audience. Are they comfortable with #data? Do they understand the inputs that drive the outputs shown on your dash? How does the dash help them be successful? 2.) Build with purpose. If you want your dash to be used daily, focus on data that should move daily, e.g. activities and pipe progression. What goal is the dashboard helping your business achieve? I like to put the $ goal in the dashboard title. 3.) Function over fashion. Design your dash for easy adoption. Spend less time on colors and fonts and more time on “why” you’re focused on the cuts of data you’ve chosen and “how” you will use it to drive short-term or longer-term business decisions. Limit the # of colors used. 4.) Storytelling. Dashboards should tell a story that is constantly evolving. A story that is grounded in continuity, but full of dynamism—especially when pivoting dashboard dates and segments. When reviewing your dash, if the story doesn’t jump out, you may be focused on measures and goals that are too disparate. 5.) Keep it simple. Toyota Corolla > Space Shuttle.       #GTM #Dashboards #Distribution VettaFi