Understanding foundational design principles
Well-crafted and effective dashboards are built on the foundations of design and visual perception that have been explored and studied for centuries. In contemporary times, Edward Tufte and Stephen Few are recognized as pioneers and the most notable leading experts of modern-day data visualization. Through their prolific work, they have elucidated the many intricacies of visualizing data and information effectively. In this section, we are going to review the following foundational principles and guidelines that form the basis of any good dashboard:
- Simplicity of design
- Organizing the layout
- Accuracy of information presented
Simplicity of design
The single most important guiding principle to building any visual representation of data is simplicity. Achieving simplicity mainly involves removing all distractions away from the data to be represented. In Edward Tufte’s words, it’s avoiding chart junk....
