Scoreboard. March 2009.

This issue is all about data visualization and how to take advantage of Klipfolio Dashboard's built in Asset system. Dials, graphs, indicators and iconography continue to generate lots of requests and interest. Adding visuals is a powerful way to represent dashboard data and allow at-a-glance awareness of your key performance metrics. And although visuals add a high-degree of appeal, they can also introduce visual noise that makes your KPIs less meaningful. A great backgrounder on good use of visual elements is Stephen Few's book "Information Dashboard Design".

For another perspective on the importance of succinct dashboard design, look at Avinash Kaushik's 5 Rules for Dashboard Design as quoted by the Dashboard Spy. In case you've been hiding under a rock (a possibility given the economic climate) and don't know Avinash, he's the author of the web analytics blog Occam's Razor and is also Google's own Analytics Evangelist. Some Dashboard contributors heard Avinash speak at the SMX Search Marketing conference in NYNY last fall and were mightily impressed.

Here at Klipfolio, we take Avinash's "single page dashboard" rule further still and recommend a single enterprise sidebar for your business dashboard. Enjoy the read and let me know where you stand when it comes to dashboard design.

Allan Wille, President & CEO

Dev know-how: Assets
Jeremy Hall & Masayo Kodera

In past issues, we have already discussed using built in indicators to generate bar-charts, and today we'll highlight indicators using Assets, which allows you to use simple syntax to define conditions on which to assign graphics. To streamline this process, and make your Klips shine, we've published some of the key visual assets this month - feel free to use these in your own Klips. Assets can be used to assign up/down arrows, traffic-light indicators to your KPIs, or to develop a dial using an array of images. As with bar-chart indicators, you can use the CSS style block to manage the line-height and placement.

Assets: Download and use them for free
Cookbook: Indicators 1 - Assets
Sample Klip: Dial using Assets

Spy-shots
Hubert Lee, Dashboard Spy

5 Rules for Dashboard Design. A simple and meaningful list of important guidelines when planning your dashboard by Avinash Kaushik. Read more ...

Have questions for the Spy, Masayo or Jeremy? Want to suggest a survey or share your thoughts with Scoreboard? Let us know.

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