Data visualisation: examples of dashboards

Policy details

Some of the examples in this guidance are not typical of dashboards produced by government analysts. We have included them because they clearly show the dashboard principles explained in this guidance.

Example 1

An example of a current, publicly available dashboard is the UKHSA data dashboard.

There are several good things about this dashboard. For example, it:

• is based on user need
• adapts to add new measures
• provides clear notes about quality
• has a known, frequent updating schedule

However, there are areas where this dashboard could be improved. For example:

• accessibility – several accessibility issues are outlined on the dashboard’s accessibility statement
• navigation – some pages show England-level data when a user might expect UK-level data

You can find out more about the UKHSA data dashboard in the following UK Health Security Agency blog posts:

• The COVID-19 dashboard: bringing together data and statistics in one place
• Behind the scenes: Expanding the COVID-19 dashboard
• The COVID-19 dashboard moves to weekly updates

Example 2

The HeatRisk Forecast Tool developed by the Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) in the United States, is another example of a dashboard used in the public sector.

It provides a single interactive map which presents a colour-numeric based index that provides a forecast risk of heat-related impacts to occur over a 24-hour period. Again, there are good things to consider, for example:

• the simple design employs an easy-to-use, intuitive, mobile-friendly interface
• there is a single display (pane) where users can explore the interactive map
• the side panel lets users navigate through available dates and includes a colour-numeric key for interpreting the resulting data
• supporting information is available from links in the top panel

There are also areas where this dashboard could be improved. For example:

• it is not obvious whether the map or underlying data may be downloaded
• the visualisation may not be using an accessible colour palette
• there is no accessibility statement

Example 3

The ‘Transport Statistics Finder‘ from the Department for Transport is an example of a Power BI dashboard used to provide an overview of all the Department’s statistical data tables.

The design allows users to see the full range of statistical data tables from the department and easily select the table to download.

Possible improvements to the dashboard include:

• adding an accessibility statement
• making the colour contrast of text and background sufficient
• improving navigation so keyboard users can tab through options
• adding information about when it was last updated or giving details about the update schedule
• improving device responsiveness – this dashboard is more difficult to use on a mobile phone or tablet

Example 4

An example of an R shiny dashboard is the Local Authority (LA) interactive tool from the Department for Education, which includes data visualisations and headline measures.

Strengths of this dashboard include:

• its simple tab structure
• the presence of an accessibility statement which describes the accessibility of the dashboard, including limitations
• the presentation of clear contact information
• clearly labelled data with information about the date of last update and link to update frequency
• clearly labelled source data and metadata in each table or plot
• the use of simple interactive visualisations with feature sufficient colour contrast that do not overwhelm screen readers
• the use of dropdown menus that announce selected options when used with a screen reader
• the inclusion of cookie information

Possible improvements to this dashboard include:

• having a “skip to main” option at the top for users with a keyboard to quickly access the main content
• several other accessibility issues listed in the accessibility statement