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DASHBOARD-DESIGN5 MIN READ

Start With the Dashboard Question

Define a dashboard by audience, decision, and next action before selecting metrics or charts.

The first design move is not choosing a chart. It is choosing the question the page will answer. Audience The same data can support different dashboards. Finance may need variance to plan cash. Sales managers may need rep-level exception lists. Executives may need a weekly view of whether the business is on track. Audience changes the required grain, vocabulary, tolerance for detail, and default comparison. Decision A dashboard should make one decision, diagnosis, or monitoring loop easier. "Sales performance" is too broad. "Which region needs attention this week?" is buildable. The decision tells you what belongs above the fold, what…

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