Design your way

Tuesday, April 8, 2014

A dashboard is a set of graphical menus and interfaces that give the user quick access to data and information as well as simplify any editing processes they might need for a website or even an application.

In most cases, dashboards will contain information such as stats, analytics, schedules, messages and much more. Essentially, a dashboard is a user interface designed to interact with the back-end of a website or application that makes it easier for the user to make changes and access information.

Think of it as a control panel or admin panel that gives users access to all the necessary data to perform virtually all the functions of a site or application.

Data visualization can be a difficult task for even the best designers and not all designers are suitable for dashboard design.

When done correctly, dashboards will truly stand out to a user and the applications or websites using them will receive praise and even increased usage because of the fantastic design.

These designs are often colorful with a fantastic layout that make it easy for anybody to control the site or application and make intuitive decisions.

Dashboard design is not a typical element that designers often focus on. But, they are extremely important to the user experience.

Proper research and planning is a must before designing a dashboard and when developing a dashboard, one must consider perfect design to create a user experience that is both intuitive and useful to anyone who will use it.