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What are the core principles of good dashboard design?
Good dashboards answer a specific question for a specific audience, show the most important numbers first, use simple charts, and avoid clutter. Every element should help someone make a decision, and definitions and refresh time should be clear so people trust what they see.
Practical principles:
- Start with the decisions the viewer needs to make.
- Lead with a few key figures, then supporting detail.
- Use comparisons such as versus last period or target to give context.
- Choose the simplest chart that works; avoid 3D effects and decoration.
- Use colour sparingly and consistently.
- Limit the number of visuals per page.
- Label units, filters and last-updated time.
Test with real users. If they have to ask what a number means, the dashboard needs work.
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