Introducing dashboards and reports

Dashboards are visual representations of key metrics and actionable insights to be primarily consumed by decision makers. Many self-acclaimed dashboard experts say it should always be set to fit within a screen view, and the reason for this is a very valid one. Imagine needing to scroll down to see the fuel gauge on your car’s dashboard; seeing everything in one ever-present view is a much better user experience than having to scroll. The trouble, however, lies with whose screen. Screen resolution, monitor size, and Excel zoom settings are never the same for all parties concerned – the dashboard builder and the dashboard users. So it can be a very tricky clause to include in the dashboard definition, but knowing this, it is always good to aim to avoid the need for your dashboard users to scroll right or down when viewing your dashboard.

Reports are well-formatted presentations of data and are often the outcome of all data analysis...