Practical 19 – Study of Dashboard

1. Objective

The primary objective of this practical is to familiarize students with the fundamental concepts of data dashboards. Students will learn to:

·         Define what a data dashboard is and its primary purpose.

·         Identify the key characteristics of an effective dashboard.

·         Distinguish between different types of dashboards (e.g., operational, analytical, strategic).

·         Recognize common components typically found in dashboards (e.g., KPIs, charts, tables, filters).

·         Understand basic design principles for creating clear, concise, and impactful dashboards.

·         Explore best practices for dashboard development, considering audience and data sources.

·         Critically analyze existing dashboard examples.

2. Introduction

In today’s data-rich environment, simply collecting data is not enough; it must be presented in a way that facilitates quick understanding and informed decision-making. Data dashboards are powerful visual displays that consolidate and present key metrics, trends, and other data points on a single screen, allowing users to monitor performance, identify insights, and track progress at a glance. They act as a "command center" for data, translating complex information into easily digestible visuals. This practical will delve into the theoretical aspects of dashboards, preparing you to design and build your own in subsequent sessions using the advanced Excel skills you’ve acquired (such as PivotTables, charts, and data validation).

3. Pre-requisites

·         Successful completion of Practical 3.

·         Familiarity with data manipulation (Practical 4: Filter) and summarization (Practical 16: PivotTable).

·         Understanding of data visualization through charts.

·         Basic understanding of Excel functions and formulas (Practical 6-9).

4. Software Required

·         Microsoft Excel (for review of previous practicals and potential sketching).

·         Internet browser (for research and viewing dashboard examples).

5. Procedure: Conceptual Study and Analysis

This practical is primarily a theoretical and analytical exercise. You will be studying concepts, not performing hands-on Excel tasks.

Step 5.1: Defining a Dashboard and its Purpose

1.     Read and Understand:

o    A data dashboard is a visual display of all your important data on a single screen so you can monitor the health of your business, department, or a specific process. It is often interactive and provides a high-level overview, allowing users to drill down for more detail.

o    Purpose: Dashboards typically serve to:

§  Monitor: Track performance against targets (e.g., sales goals, student pass rates).

§  Analyze: Identify trends, patterns, and root causes of performance changes.

§  Report: Communicate key information concisely to stakeholders.

§  Inform Decisions: Provide actionable insights to guide strategies.

Step 5.2: Characteristics of Effective Dashboards

1.     Identify Key Traits: An effective dashboard should generally be:

o    Visual: Heavily reliant on charts, graphs, and visual indicators.

o    Concise: Presents essential information without clutter.

o    Customizable: Adaptable to different user needs or data views.

o    Timely: Displays up-to-date or near real-time data.

o    Actionable: Provides insights that lead to decisions or actions.

o    User-friendly: Easy to navigate and understand for its target audience.

o    Interactive: Often includes filters, slicers, or drill-down capabilities.

Step 5.3: Exploring Dashboard Types

1.     Categorize Dashboards:

o    Operational Dashboards: Used to monitor real-time operations and daily activities. Focus on immediate alerts and short-term performance (e.g., website traffic, production line status).

o    Analytical Dashboards: Used to understand why things are happening. They provide richer data context, allowing users to explore trends and drill down into details to uncover insights (e.g., market research, customer behavior analysis).

o    Strategic Dashboards: Used by senior management to track long-term goals and Key Performance Indicators relevant to the organization’s strategic objectives. Focus on high-level summaries and trends over time (e.g., financial performance, project progress).

Step 5.4: Common Dashboard Components

1.     Recognize Elements: Dashboards are typically built from several components:

o    Key Performance Indicators: Individual metrics that show performance at a glance (e.g., "Total Students Passed," "Average Percentage").

o    Charts/Graphs: Visual representations of data (e.g., column charts for comparisons, line charts for trends, pie charts for proportions)..

o    Tables: Detailed data presented in a grid format (often used as supporting data for charts).

o    Filters/Slicers: Interactive controls that allow users to narrow down the data displayed (e.g., filter by Grade, Subject, or Student Name). (Refer to Practical 4 and 16).

o    Gauges/Speedometers: Visual indicators for performance against a target.

o    Maps: For geographical data visualization.

o    Text Boxes: For explanations, notes, or titles.

Step 5.5: Dashboard Design Principles

1.     Apply Best Practices:

o    Simplicity: Avoid clutter; only include essential information.

o    Consistency: Use consistent colors, fonts, and layouts.

o    Hierarchy: Arrange information logically, with the most important data at the top or prominent positions.

o    Visual Appeal: Use appropriate colors and fonts to enhance readability and engagement.

o    Interactivity: Allow users to explore data through filters and drill-downs (covered in Practical 20).

o    Context: Provide sufficient context for the data (e.g., targets, comparisons to previous periods).

o    Alignment: Ensure elements are neatly aligned for a professional look.

Step 5.6: Best Practices for Dashboard Creation

1.     Consider the "Why" and "Who":

o    Define Your Audience: Who is using the dashboard? (e.g., students, teachers, administrators). Their needs will dictate the content and level of detail.

o    Determine the Purpose: What questions should the dashboard answer? What decisions should it support?

o    Choose the Right Data: Select only relevant data that supports the dashboard’s purpose.

o    Select Appropriate Visualizations: Choose charts that best represent the data type and the message you want to convey.

o    Keep it on One Screen: Aim for a "single pane of glass" view if possible, minimizing scrolling.

o    Iterate and Gather Feedback: Dashboards are rarely perfect on the first attempt; seek feedback and refine.

6. Exercises / Tasks

Your tasks for this practical will involve research, analysis, and critical thinking.

1.     Dashboard Research and Categorization:

o    Using an internet search engine, find three different examples of dashboards (e.g., sales dashboard, marketing dashboard, project management dashboard, academic performance dashboard).

o    For each dashboard, categorize it as Operational, Analytical, or Strategic, providing justification for your choice.

2.     Component Identification:

o    For each of the three dashboards you found, list at least five distinct components (e.g., KPI, column chart, slicer, data table).

o    Describe the purpose of each identified component within that specific dashboard.

3.     Design Principle Analysis:

o    Choose one of the dashboards you found that you consider to be well-designed.

o    Identify and explain at least three design principles (e.g., simplicity, hierarchy, consistency, visual appeal) that are effectively demonstrated in that dashboard.

o    Choose one dashboard that you think could be improved. Suggest at least two specific improvements based on the design principles discussed in this practical.

4.     Audience and Purpose Discussion:

o    For each of your three chosen dashboards, infer its likely target audience and its primary purpose.

o    How well does the dashboard cater to its intended audience and purpose? Explain your reasoning.

5.     Relating to Marksheet Data:

o    Imagine you need to create a dashboard from your marksheet data (from Practical 3).

o    List at least three KPIs that would be important to display on such a dashboard.

o    Suggest two types of charts you would use, and what insights each chart would provide from the marksheet data.

7. Assessment / Deliverables

·         Submit a written report (or a presentation, if preferred by the instructor) summarizing your findings from the exercises.

·         The report should include:

o    Screenshots or links to the three dashboard examples.

o    Your categorization and justification for each.

o    Lists and descriptions of components.

o    Analysis of design principles and suggested improvements.

o    Discussion of audience and purpose.

o    Your ideas for a marksheet dashboard.

·         Be prepared to discuss your findings and analysis in class, demonstrating your understanding of dashboard concepts.