What Do We Talk About When We Talk About Dashboards?

Area of Science:

• Information Science
• Human-Computer Interaction
• Data Visualization

Background:

• Dashboards are a prevalent application of data visualization, distinct from exploratory tools.
• Understanding dashboard design and usage contexts is crucial for effective data presentation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To analyze the practical applications and design space of dashboards.
• To identify major dashboard types and their surrounding practices.
• To suggest future research directions for dashboard development and use.

Main Methods:

• Systematic literature review on dashboard use.
• Analysis of dashboard examples and usage documentation.
• Construction of a design space for dashboards.

Main Results:

• Identified distinct characteristics of dashboards based on design goals, interaction levels, and usage practices.
• Categorized dashboards into major types.
• Established a framework for understanding dashboard design and use.

Conclusions:

• The proposed framework and literature review highlight areas for advancing dashboard design, implementation, and user support.
• Further research is needed to optimize dashboard effectiveness in various practical contexts.