Dashboards
Dashboard
• A dashboard can be defined as
“a data visualization tool that displays the current status of metrics
and key performance indicators (KPIs) simplifying complex data sets
to provide users with at a glance awareness of current performance”
Dashboards are a collection of widgets that give you an overview of the
reports and metrics you care about most.
Types Of Dashboard
Types Of Dashboard
• Strategic - focused on long-term strategies and high-level metrics
• Operational - shows shorter time frames and operational processes.
• Analytical - contains vast amounts of data created by analysts.
• Tactical - used by mid-management to track performance.
Strategic Dashboard
Operational Dashboard
Analytical Dashboard
Tactical Dashboard
A good BI dashboard design
Makes the complex simple: we have lots of information, lots of
data that changes all the time and different analytical needs and
questions. We want to take all this complexity and make it simple.
Tells a clear story: we want to be able to connect data to its context
in the business and to answer the viewer’s questions. This is where
the visual layout of a dashboard plays a crucial role.
Expresses the meaning of the data: the chosen data visualizations
need to correctly represent the data, and the information you want
to extract from it.
Reveals details as needed: we want each viewer to have access to
the data they need – no less but also no more. Some users might
need to be able to see a more granular view of the data – others
could suffice with an overview.
Poor dashboard design
Too many widgets (about 30 of them), visualization
and indicators creating visual clutter
Basic questions such as “what is the total amount of
sales” take much more than 5 seconds to answer
No organizing principle behind the visual layout –
widgets seem to be strewn randomly
Tables in the bottom add very little in the way of
insights
Good Dashboard design
1. The 5 Second Rule
Your dashboard should provide the relevant information
in about 5 seconds.
five-second rule – this is the amount of time you or the relevant
stakeholder should need to find the information you’re looking
for upon examining the dashboard.
Of course, ad-hoc investigation will obviously take longer; but
the most important metrics, the ones that are most frequently
needed for the dashboard user during her workday, should
immediately ‘pop’ from the screen.
2. Logical Layout: The Inverted Pyramid
Display the most significant insights on the top part
of the dashboard, trends in the middle, and
granular details in the bottom.
3. Minimalism: Less is More
Each dashboard should contain no more than 5-9
visualizations.
4. Choosing the right data visualization
Select the appropriate type of data visualization according
to its purpose.
Visualization should serve a specific purpose and convey
specific facts in a more effective way than the basic tabular
format.
Dashboard for Healthcare
encompass a wide variety of organizations and use
cases — from hospitals to medical equipment
manufacturers, and emergency rooms to intensive
care units.
dashboard metrics tracked by healthcare organizations
can be fairly similar to the ones monitored in other
industries such as finance or marketing
business intelligence in hospitals presents a unique set of
potential insights that can help physicians save lives by
providing more effective and resourceful care to patients
Health care data sources
Electronic medical records
Electronic health records
Specific department data
Administrative data
Financial data
Example healthcare metrics (KPI)
Patient satisfaction
Physician allocation
Emergency room waittimes
Number of occupied beds
Visualize the metrics – to provide more
insights
Comparison of Cost of addmission in different
departments
Visualize trends and outliers
Hospital resource utilization – Patient
admision and ER stay
Leading diagnoses by number of
patients, cost and stay
Dashboard