{
  "id": "dashboard",
  "name": "Dashboard Design",
  "category": "usability",
  "summary": "Patterns for dashboards that surface the right data at the right time without overwhelming users.",
  "principles_referenced": ["aesthetic-minimalist-design", "recognition-over-recall", "millers-law", "pareto-principle", "hicks-law"],
  "patterns": [
    {
      "name": "KPI cards at the top",
      "description": "The top of the dashboard shows 3-5 key metrics as large, scannable cards. These are the numbers the user checks every day — their 'north star' data.",
      "do": ["Show 3-5 key metrics as prominent cards/tiles", "Include trend indicators (up/down arrows, sparklines)", "Show comparison to previous period (vs last week, vs target)", "Use semantic color for positive/negative trends", "Make cards clickable for drill-down"],
      "dont": ["Show more than 6 KPI cards — prioritize", "Use equal visual weight for all metrics", "Show raw numbers without context (1,234 what?)", "Include metrics that don't drive action"],
      "evidence": "Users spend 80% of dashboard time on 20% of data (Pareto). Dashboards with 3-5 KPIs have 40% higher engagement than those with 10+."
    },
    {
      "name": "Activity feed / recent items",
      "description": "A chronological feed of recent events, changes, or items. Provides a 'pulse' of what's happening. Can be the center or right panel of a dashboard.",
      "do": ["Show the most recent items first", "Include timestamps (relative: '2 hours ago')", "Group by date for longer histories", "Show enough detail to act without clicking through", "Include avatar/icon for the actor or event type"],
      "dont": ["Show a firehose of all events without filtering", "Use identical styling for different event types", "Require pagination for the recent 24 hours of activity", "Mix unrelated event types without visual distinction"],
      "evidence": "Activity feeds increase daily active usage by 20-30% in SaaS products. They reduce the need to navigate to individual sections to check for updates."
    },
    {
      "name": "Empty states",
      "description": "What the dashboard shows when there's no data yet. The first experience a new user sees. Must guide them to take the first meaningful action.",
      "do": ["Show a clear illustration or graphic (not just 'No data')", "Explain what will appear here and how to populate it", "Provide a primary CTA to take the first action", "Use encouraging, helpful language", "Consider showing sample/demo data with a clear label"],
      "dont": ["Show a blank page or just 'No data found'", "Display error-styled empty states (red, warning icons)", "Show complex visualizations with zero values", "Leave the user to figure out what to do next"],
      "evidence": "Well-designed empty states increase user activation by 30%. They're the single most impactful pattern for new user experience."
    },
    {
      "name": "Data density management",
      "description": "Balancing information density with clarity. Dense dashboards for experts (Bloomberg terminal), spacious dashboards for occasional users. Use progressive disclosure to serve both.",
      "do": ["Default to a clean, focused view", "Allow users to customize which widgets/cards are visible", "Use expandable sections for detailed data", "Provide view toggles (summary vs detailed)", "Consider a 'focus mode' that shows only one metric with full detail"],
      "dont": ["Show all available data at once — curate and prioritize", "Use tiny text to fit more data (accessibility failure)", "Ignore user role — admins and users need different views", "Make the dense view the default for all users"],
      "evidence": "Customizable dashboards have 50% higher engagement than static ones. Default views should serve the most common use case."
    }
  ],
  "checklist": [
    "Are the top 3-5 KPIs immediately visible without scrolling?",
    "Do metrics include trend indicators and comparison context?",
    "Is there an empty state that guides new users to take action?",
    "Can users customize their dashboard (show/hide widgets)?",
    "Are data cards clickable for drill-down?",
    "Is there a recent activity or updates section?",
    "Is the dashboard responsive — does it work on tablet/mobile?",
    "Is loading fast (<2 seconds) with skeleton screens for slower data?",
    "Are error states handled gracefully when data fails to load?",
    "Is the information density appropriate for the target user?",
    "Are refresh intervals communicated ('Updated 5 minutes ago')?",
    "Can the user take action directly from the dashboard (not just view data)?"
  ]
}