Introduction
In data-driven organizations, business intelligence (BI) dashboards are critical decision-making tools. They help teams monitor performance, spot trends, and take action. But an effective dashboard is more than a collection of charts—it must be intentional, well-structured, and designed with users in mind.
This guide outlines BI dashboard best practices to help you build dashboards that are clear, interactive, and aligned with business goals.
The Purpose of BI Dashboards
Dashboards serve three primary purposes:
Monitoring: Track performance in real-time
Feedback: Provide visibility into progress toward goals
Decision-making: Help users act on insight, not instinct
The type of dashboard you create depends on your audience:
Operational Dashboards offer real-time metrics for day-to-day decisions
Strategic Dashboards summarize performance for executives
Analytical Dashboards support in-depth exploration by data professionals
Understanding the context helps you design for purpose, not just aesthetics.
Which Questions Should Your BI Dashboard Include?
Dashboards should be driven by business needs—not just data availability. Start by defining:
What decisions will this dashboard support?
Who is the primary audience, and what do they need to know?
Which KPIs or metrics directly inform these decisions?
Work backward from the decision points. For example, if a regional manager wants to optimize store performance, design a dashboard that compares sales, foot traffic, and inventory turnover by location.
Does a Similar Dashboard Already Exist?
Before building from scratch, audit what’s already available. You might find opportunities to:
Improve an underused dashboard
Add filters or drilldowns to an existing version
Consolidate redundant dashboards across teams
This not only saves time but also boosts user adoption and consistency.
Tailor Your Dashboard to a Cadence
Your dashboard should match the rhythm of decision-making. Some teams need real-time visibility, while others review insights weekly or monthly.
Examples:
A marketing team tracking campaign engagement may want daily refreshes
A financial planning team might only need monthly trends
Executives may prefer quarterly summaries with high-level KPIs
Choose the right granularity—daily, weekly, monthly—based on how often the data will be reviewed and acted upon.
Prefer GUI Questions to Native Queries
Empower users to explore data without requiring SQL knowledge. Most BI platforms offer graphical query builders that make dashboards more accessible.
Use custom SQL only when necessary—for example, for complex joins or calculated fields—and abstract it away behind user-friendly visuals or templates.
Pay Attention to Context
Dashboards don’t exist in a vacuum. Consider where and how they’ll be viewed:
Desktop: Use more detail and interactive features
Mobile: Prioritize simplicity and vertical layout
TVs or Wall Displays: Use large fonts, bold KPIs, and minimal interaction
Adapt your layout and sizing accordingly to improve usability across all devices.
Related: This blog explores how BI tools must go beyond static dashboards.
Tune Your BI Dashboard for Speed
Performance is part of user experience. A dashboard that takes 20 seconds to load will get abandoned—even if the data is great.
To optimize:
Limit initial data load with smart filters
Pre-aggregate data in the backend
Split large dashboards into focused views with drilldowns
Linked dashboards often outperform all-in-one dashboards in speed and usability.
Use Precise Titles and Descriptions
Clarity is everything. Each chart or metric should have:
A specific, descriptive title
Annotations or descriptions where needed
Labels for units, timeframes, and calculation logic
Never assume your audience knows exactly what a number represents. Context builds trust.
Adding Filters and Making Interactive BI Dashboards
Interactive dashboards encourage exploration and self-service insights. Start with core filters:
Date range
Product category
Region or location
Business unit or user group
Use cascading filters where one selection limits the next (e.g., choosing a country filters available cities).
Create and Link Multiple Dashboards
Rather than overloading one page, break dashboards into logical sections like:
Overview
Sales Performance
Customer Retention
Use clickable KPIs, buttons, or visual drilldowns to link dashboards together. This creates a cleaner experience and faster load times.
Related: This blog shows how dashboards and alerts work together for real-time decision-making.
BI Dashboard Visualization Best Practices
Arrange Items to Communicate Their Relative Importance
Design your layout using a Z-pattern or F-pattern—top-left gets the most attention. Prioritize:
Key metrics (top-left)
Supporting context (middle and bottom)
Related charts grouped together for clarity
Use section dividers or color cues to reinforce the structure.
Look for Opportunities to Add More Useful Information
Dashboards should do more than display raw numbers. Add:
Benchmarks or targets
Conditional formatting (e.g., red/yellow/green indicators)
Trend lines, YoY comparisons, or moving averages
These small touches help users interpret performance at a glance.
Pick the Right Visualizations for the Job
Match your chart type to the insight you want to convey:
Line charts for trends over time
Bar/column charts for comparisons
Tables for detailed data views
Gauges for progress toward a goal
Avoid cluttered visuals. Use whitespace and alignment to support clarity.
Common BI Dashboard Mistakes to Avoid
Even well-intentioned dashboards can go wrong. Watch out for these common design pitfalls:
Too much on one screen: Focus each dashboard on a single purpose
Unclear or missing titles: Always label charts and KPIs clearly
Inconsistent time frames: Don’t mix daily and monthly data without explanation
Visual overload: Avoid flashy 3D charts or excessive colors
Overcomplicated filters: Keep filtering options intuitive
Data without context: Always add benchmarks or trends for comparison
Avoiding these mistakes keeps your dashboards clean, consistent, and decision-ready.
What to Do with Your New BI Dashboard
Set Up Subscriptions
Automate dashboard sharing with:
Scheduled email reports
Slack or Teams integrations
Mobile notifications (where supported)
Organize and Share
Use your BI platform’s organization features:
Pin dashboards to collections or folders
Share via secure links
Embed in intranet tools like SharePoint or Confluence
Maintain and Evolve
Dashboards should evolve with the business. Revisit your dashboards regularly:
Remove unused charts
Update metrics to reflect new goals
Collect user feedback for improvement
Final Thoughts: Build Dashboards That Drive Decisions
Great dashboards don’t just display data—they support real decisions. By following these BI dashboard best practices, you’ll create dashboards that are not only easy to use but deeply valuable to your organization.
Need help designing your next dashboard?
