designing dashboards for a sense of control

Designing Dashboards for a Sense of Control

What makes dashboards so appealing to the human mind?

They offer us a

SENSE OF CONTROL

By presenting lots of information in a digestible form, by allowing us to identify trends, and by

allowing us to spot when something is off, dashboards help establish a sense of control.

Need for Control is an evolutionary thing.

CONTROL OF OUR ENVIRONMENT

BETTER CHANCE AT SURVIVAL

If we are in

then we stand a

(Hence, when feeling not in control, we tend to become stressed.)

give you a clear understanding of things to help establish a feeling of certainty.

give you the resources to predict and plan for the future.

help you complete critical tasks in time to avoid last-minute panic.

3. DASHBOARDS

2. DASHBOARDS

1. DASHBOARDS DASHBOARD STRATEGIES

TO ESTABLISH A SENSE OF

CONTROL by @Shilpi1412

Dashboards allow us to juggle more information than our brains can save, recall, process, compare, connect, .. at a given time.

1. DASHBOARDS GIVE YOU A CLEAR UNDERSTANDING OF THINGS TO HELP ESTABLISH A FEELING OF CERTAINTY

UNDERSTANDING

Our dashboards should offer us the same reassurance routine does. We look at operational dashboards for confirmation that the situation is in hand. Dashboards should be designed in such a way, that at a glance, people can be certain everything is normal.

DESIGN FOR REASSURANCE

UNDERSTANDING

Operational dashboards also have a 'ʹwatchdog role'ʹ. If something is not (numbers are up or down, an routine event that normally happens but did not, ..) this should be brought to our aDention immediately and actionably.

WATCHDOG ROLE

UNDERSTANDING

Actionable means a user should be able to get further information on the deviation. Take them directly to the most detailed info on the issue at hand available, so they can understand. From there, give them the opportunity to zoom out, to get to the bigger picture. Become a user'ʹs research assistant.

RESEARCH ASSISTANT

2. DASHBOARDS GIVE YOU THE RESOURCES TO PREDICT AND PLAN FOR THE FUTURE

PREDICT & PLAN

•  For operational dashboards, show the current trends. •  For analytics dashboards, make it easy to compare periods or events, and

assist the user in identifying paDerns and opportunities. •  Show what you know about the future. We need to plan against this

information.

Where there are limited resources remaining (time, budget, ..) or a goal to reach, make this super clear.

PREDICT & PLAN

External factors, such as the weather or actions from a competitor are something we can not change, although we might be able to anticipate or respond to it. Internal factors, such as allocation of budget or timing, we can adjust. Whilst we need to be aware of and understand the external factors, build a dashboard geared towards taking action, highlight where we can take control and make a difference.

“Consider visually indicating where the user can make a

difference, what he can influence.”

3. DASHBOARDS HELP YOU COMPLETE CRITICAL TASKS IN TIME TO AVOID LAST-MINUTE PANIC

AVOID PANIC & CRITICAL TASKS

•  Show what you know about the future •  Highlight information that warrants action •  Allow users to mark future stuff as 'ʹmanaged'ʹ, 'ʹcovered'ʹ or 'ʹunder

control'ʹ.

Completion of outstanding things leads to a sense of control as well – we do not have to worry about them anymore. Give people room to annotate (or automatically annotate, if you have the info), which of future events still need action and which are covered.

PREDICT & PLAN

Even when people are panicking, good design can help them still. They need to find information as quickly as possible, and consistency in your data hierarchy will make that they instantly know where and how to check, and although possible they won'ʹt feel in control regarding the situation, they will at least feel in control of handling your dashboard. For more frequently occurring "ʺpanic"ʺ cases in your industry, you can offer ‘prefab’ solutions or advice.

“Even when people are panicking, there is still room

for control.”

A LITTLE EXTRA

UNDERSTAND WHAT YOUR USER NEEDS

Design dashboards to take into account

context and work routine.

CONTEXT

Most of us humans thrive when there is routine, and checking dashboards has become part of that routine. You should take into account the frequency with which we check them. Adjust the main overview according to how often the dashboards are or ought to be checked.

FREQUENCY OF CHECKS

CONTEXT

In the most common understanding of context, your dashboard should take into account which device the dashboard is accessed from. Which information, the interactions with the dashboard (such as drill down) and -‐‑ especially -‐‑ the density of the information should be adjusted to the device.

DEVICE CONTEXT

CONTEXT

Context is also ‘what just happened’. Do we check the dashboard in response to a specific problem we are encountering (eg. machine no longer responding), or action we have taken (eg. sending out a campaign). Action & re-‐‑action checks mean we are actively looking to spot what has changed.

(RE)ACTION OR ROUTINE?

.( yeey, you’ve made it to the end :-)

Thanks for being all a0entive and such. Now, please go forth

and make some kick-‐‑ass dashboards. (Or tweak existing ones a li0le bit.)

Have a look at the full article on www.keek.be, if you like to read some more on dashboards & control. If you have dashboard-‐‑design advice of your own to share, or constructive critique

regarding these slides, both are welcome at @vintfalken or [email protected].