Having completed the music player app for the first part of my project, my next task is to design a dashboard that tracks data from an area of our choice. Data is most useful when it is accessible, visually engaging and insightful and with a well designed dashboard it can transform raw data into more meaningful information, making it easier to identify various trends, being able to compare performance or records over time and making informed decisions based on what data is presented. I have come across various dashboards before however I have personally never designed one myself so I am quite interested and excited to undergo this project and see what I am able to come up with when it comes to visualising data of my own choice.
A dashboard is a visual interface that consolidates and presents critical data through a selection of carefully designed elements such as interactive charts, dynamic graphs, informative images, and other compelling visual representations. These elements have become increasingly essential in various domains, particularly in business intelligence for analysing market trends, fitness tracking for monitoring personal health metrics, as well as other personal and professional productivity applications. When undertaking the creation of an effective dashboard, several crucial considerations must be taken into account:
I will use my dashboard as a tool to track and analyse my data. It will help me see and understand the information I collect from my chosen area in a visual way. This will make it easier for me to spot patterns and trends in my data. By looking at this information in a clear way, I can make better decisions based on what I learn.
Dashboards are highly flexible and can be tailored to different objectives and its audiences. At their core, they can function as a curated interface between users and data. Depending on their purpose dashboards can contain a variety of different charts which can define what type of data you are wanting to present. Choosing the right one depends on what you wanting to communicate with your audience.
Line charts are ideal for wanting to represent trends over a period of time. A line chart works best when you want to demonstrate how a value of some sort increases or decreases such as income, timings or engagement over time. These type of charts are also particularly effective when the time intervals are consistent and when multiple data sets are being compared across the same axis.
Bar and column charts are best used for comparing and contrasting between categories. These charts can be used to show total amounts by producing a bar or column chart to compare performance across different regions. Horizontal bar charts can be especially useful when dealing with long category names or when ranking different sets of data together.
Donut or other wise known as pie charts are used to show proportions, showing a whole broken down into different parts. While they are visually engaging to users, they are best used when you are wanting to represent small amounts of numbers and results within categories and want to emphasise one overall dominant slice of the chart. They are known for the integration of colour in it too.
As I plan out my own dashboard, the key will be matching each chart type to the goal of the results it is representing. If I wanted to highlight an area of growth or impact I may want to use a line chart to present this whilst if I am comparing performance rates and time, bar charts may be a more suitable option as it will give clarity. For engagement or movement activity, a heat map would also be a good option as it’ll be capable of showcasing the peaks and lulls occurring. Rather than overloading my dashboard with every chart available, I mainly focus on purpose, visual hierarchy and clarity as I want to make sure that each chart I include has a reason to be there and adds something meaningful to the story of data I want to tell.
As a rather sporty and athletic person who regularly competes in sports including tennis, I felt it was best that I naturally gravitate towards projects that align with my interests as it is something I can easily relate to. I decided to base my dashboard on sports performance as for me it is more of a personal journey rather than just collecting and reviewing data. Since I am in a wheelchair too, my approach towards sports like tennis and other fitness is different to that of able bodied players but it doesn’t mean I track any less or different data. In fact I feel that from my end I am able to provide a more crucial and informative data run due to having higher endurance rates, performance rates and health factors. I want this dashboard to act as a personal analytics tool which will help visualise how I train, recover and progress through my sports over a certain period of time. By tracking metrics, I can better understand my performance trends and made data decisions to enhance my overall sporting game.
The decision to track my tennis performance data stems from my heavy desire to understand, improve and lock in my athletic performance. As an athlete, I rely on physical activity for both leisure and fitness and by tracking this data it will allow me to gain deeper insights into my movement, energy use and endurance levels. Since I play wheelchair tennis, my approach to the game differs to that of an able bodied player which means I have slightly different stats to take into account and record such as pushes, movement, calories burnt and distance covered as this all plays a crucial role in determining my stamina, fitness and efficiency. My performance is better tracked my pushes, distanced travelled and heart rate which is why I am focusing on collecting the right data points that reflect my specific needs. To create a smart and comprehensive sports performance dashboard, I will be tracking the following key statistics: