As COVID-19 surged, the world has relied on dashboards to tell the story of the pandemic. Refreshing our screens with the click of a mouse, we saw the pandemic unfold on a world map and in dynamic demonstrations of data morphing into charts and graphs. Containing steady streams of timely information gauging testing rates, case counts and the ensuing death toll, dashboards have been used to both inform the general public and to guide decision-makers to manage the pandemic.<\/p>\n
By synthesizing large quantities of data into an accessible snapshot of the situation, distilling insights and making this knowledge readily available, dashboards are a beguiling communication tool. The pandemic has exalted the idea of a dashboard, which has evolved from a speedometer plus a few warning lights, to something that would require concentration rivalling that required to fly a stealth fighter-jet. The technology is fascinating and seductive. \u201cWe can do it\u201d slicing and dicing data in all sorts of ways we never could have before. We can make data bounce, flash, zoom and soar. We can uncover covert relationships at the push of a button, play out scenarios, peel layer after layer to attempt to understand what is really going on.<\/p>\n
But not all dashboards are created equally. Like any communication tool, dashboards must be designed for their audience, who have different types and levels of engagement. An overview page for example, should be widely appealing, leading the way into more detailed data for those who are interested. A busy manager may need explanatory analysis \u2013 information to help make decisions, guide work and to inform advocacy. As one of my colleagues put it recently, \u201cManagers say they want data but they actually want information\u201d. They don\u2019t want to be spending time delving deeply into an expanse of data or navigating between the roundabouts of pie-charts and the helter-skelters of bar charts in order to find out what\u2019s important. This calls for a dashboard that\u2019s easy to navigate and a simplified design with readily available insights. A researcher on the other hand, may take interest in the process of exploring and require a more granular view of the data with options to drill down.<\/p>\n