Workshop: How To Create Meaningful Data Dashboards
Uploaded by
Open Data InstituteWorkshop: How To Create Meaningful Data Dashboards
Uploaded by
Open Data InstituteFrom Data to Dashboards
November, 2014 | Ulrich Atz @statshero
Introductions
Your name
Where youve come from
Role
Your aims/expectations for this
session.
Outcomes
Youll have an overview of how dashboards help make
sense of data
You can articulate design choices for your dashboard
You know some software solutions to create
dashboards
Discussion
What / where is dashboard?
EXAMPLES OF
DATA DASHBOARDS
http://www.perceptualedge.com/example7.php
OKs Global Open Data Index
http://global.census.okfn.org/
Stephen Few
http://www.pe
rceptualedge.
com
http://epp.eur
ostat.ec.euro
pa.eu/
A dashboard is a visual display of the most important
information needed to achieve one or more objectives,
consolidated and arranged on a single screen so the
information can be monitored at a glance.
Stephen Few
A dashboard is a visual display of the most important
information needed to achieve one or more objectives,
consolidated and arranged on a single screen so the
information can be monitored at a glance.
Stephen Few
A dashboard is a visual display of the most important
information needed to achieve one or more objectives,
consolidated and arranged on a single screen so the
information can be monitored at a glance.
Stephen Few
Exercise
1. Your turn: go to http://data.london.gov.uk
2. Find the dashboard and think of three comments
3. Use Juice Labs template to categorise the dashboard
Juice Labs (2009).
A Guide to
Creating
Dashboards
People Love to
Exercise
1. Sign up for a free account with http://geckoboard.com
2. Create a simple dashboard by linking one of your
social media (or other data).
3. Prepare to show it off to the group
How could it be useful?
Why did you choose your metrics?
Did you make any design choices?
Leading practice
1. Have a purpose
2. Information at a glance
3. Less is more
4. Use as a means, not an end
5. Keep your dashboard a dashboard
Data isnt like your kids, you dont
have to pretend to love them equally.
Amanda Cox, NYT graphics
Thank you!
HOW (NOT) TO
VISUALISE YOUR DATA
Non-traditional
use of chart
types
Arbitrariness of double axes
Selective use of data
http://ampp3d.mirror.co.uk/2014/05/16/11-mistakes-that-will-drive-data-nerds-crazy/
Finding a meaningless correlation
http://www.tylervigen.com/
Charts that use ALL THE DATA
Y-axis does not
start at zero
