Date Range Picker and Trend Visualization

Oct 13, 2025 by talynt.org 115 views

Feedback from Derek Rodgers: Enhancing the Dashboard Experience

As we continue to develop and refine our dashboard, it's essential to gather feedback from experts and users to ensure that we're creating a tool that meets the needs of our target audience. In this article, we'll delve into the valuable insights provided by Derek Rodgers, highlighting key areas for improvement and suggestions for enhancing the overall user experience.

Larger Points: Enhancing the Dashboard Layout

Derek's feedback emphasizes the importance of a well-designed layout, which can significantly impact the usability and effectiveness of our dashboard. Here are the key points he raised:

Filters: Always Visible and Accessible

Derek suggests that filters should always be visible, rather than being hidden behind an overlay. This approach has several benefits:

Improved accessibility: By having filters in a row across the top of the dashboard, users can easily access and manipulate them without having to click on a button or navigate through a menu.
Reduced loading time: With filters always visible, users won't experience the delay associated with loading the overlay, which can take up to 20 seconds on free accounts.
Enhanced usability: A wider dropdown menu for selecting crime types will prevent text from overflowing and overlapping, making it easier for users to make informed decisions.

Date Range Picker and Trend Visualization

Derek notes that the date range picker indicates the availability of data for different time ranges. To take advantage of this feature, we can create visualizations that show trends over time, such as:

Line charts: A line chart showing a line for each major crime type (e.g., the top 5 types) will enable users to identify patterns and trends in crime rates.
Government administrators' needs: By providing this data, we can help administrators make informed decisions about resource allocation in response to developing trends.

Smaller Points: Refining the Dashboard Experience

Derek's feedback also highlights several smaller points that can further enhance the dashboard experience:

Pie Charts: A Better Alternative

Derek suggests replacing pie charts with a single stacked bar chart, as humans are generally better at comparing lengths than angles. This change will help prevent biases in interpretation and make the data more accessible to users.

Legend: To eliminate the need to hover over items in the chart, we should include a legend that shows what each color corresponds to.
Automatic filter updates: We can improve usability by automatically updating the dashboard as soon as a change is detected in any of the filters, eliminating the need for users to click "Apply."

Customized Webpage Title and Whitespace Management

Derek recommends customizing the webpage title to provide a clear and descriptive title, rather than the generic "Dash." Additionally, we should consider left-aligning the content of the rightmost column to reduce the large whitespace in the middle of the page, which can create a negative impression.

By implementing these suggestions, we can create a more intuitive, user-friendly, and effective dashboard that meets the needs of our target audience. By prioritizing usability and accessibility, we can ensure that our dashboard is a valuable tool for government administrators and other stakeholders.
Q&A: Enhancing the Dashboard Experience with Derek Rodgers' Feedback

In our previous article, we explored the valuable insights provided by Derek Rodgers, highlighting key areas for improvement and suggestions for enhancing the overall user experience of our dashboard. In this Q&A article, we'll delve deeper into the questions and answers that will help us better understand the needs of our target audience and create a more effective dashboard.

Q: Why is it essential to have filters always visible?

A: Derek Rodgers: "Having filters always visible is crucial because it allows users to easily access and manipulate them without having to click on a button or navigate through a menu. This approach improves accessibility, reduces loading time, and enhances usability."

Q: What are the benefits of using a line chart to show trends over time?

A: Derek Rodgers: "A line chart showing a line for each major crime type (e.g., the top 5 types) will enable users to identify patterns and trends in crime rates. This will help government administrators make informed decisions about resource allocation in response to developing trends."

Q: Why should we replace pie charts with a single stacked bar chart?

A: Derek Rodgers: "Humans are generally better at comparing lengths than angles. By using a single stacked bar chart, we can prevent biases in interpretation and make the data more accessible to users. Additionally, including a legend will eliminate the need to hover over items in the chart to see what they are."

Q: How can we improve the usability of the dashboard by automatically updating the filters?

A: Derek Rodgers: "We can improve usability by automatically updating the dashboard as soon as a change is detected in any of the filters, eliminating the need for users to click 'Apply.' This will make the dashboard more interactive and responsive to user input."

Q: Why is it essential to customize the webpage title?

A: Derek Rodgers: "A customized webpage title provides a clear and descriptive title, rather than the generic 'Dash.' This will help users understand the purpose of the dashboard and what they can expect to find within it."

Q: How can we reduce the large whitespace in the middle of the page?

A: Derek Rodgers: "We can reduce the large whitespace in the middle of the page by left-aligning the content of the rightmost column. This will create a more balanced and visually appealing layout, making it easier for users to navigate and understand the dashboard."

Q: What are the key takeaways from your feedback?

A: Derek Rodgers: "The key takeaways from my feedback are the importance of having filters always visible, using a line chart to show trends over time, replacing pie charts with a single stacked bar chart, improving usability by automatically updating the filters, customizing the webpage title, and reducing the large whitespace in the middle of the page. By implementing these suggestions, we can create a more intuitive, user-friendly, and effective dashboard that meets the needs of our target audience."

By addressing these questions and incorporating Derek Rodgers' feedback, we can create a dashboard that is more accessible, user-friendly, and effective in meeting the needs of our target audience.