Dashboard is perhaps the most important element for aggregating information for users. It is the first interface that all users interact with. For an enterprise software, it is very important to create dynamic dashboards that maximise efficiency of users. The user experience, the way data is presented and ease with which key insights are delivered by the software can create a huge difference to the productivity of its users.

What is a dynamic dashboard? A dynamic dashboard rearranges itself according to the changing data patterns in the system. It presents the most relevant information to its users. For e.g. if there is a high priority proposal for approval, then it highlights it for the user to take the required action.

A dynamic dashboard  provides an overview of the most important information at a glance. The dashboard provides an easy way to navigate directly to various areas of the application that require users attention.

The essential features of a dynamic dashboard are as follows:

• A dynamic dashboard shows useful information in a nutshell. A user can act upon this information, the visual representation of data makes things easy to understand.
• An effective dashboard is able to help its users comprehend, analyze, organise work as well as provides key insights for taking action.
• The dynamic dashboard changes according to the context of the users, role types and also highlights most relevant information to the users.
• A dynamic dashboard places all information for improving users productivity, efficiency and improves teamwork.

In this post, we discuss UI & UX design tips for building effective dynamic dashboards:

1. Organized Information

A dashboard needs to organise information. The design of the dashboard must map the data, graphs and key action items according to the role type of the users. The information is presented in terms of the importance of information to the users. For e.g. key alerts from managers, pending important activities or action items are highlighted.

The information is organised so that key elements stand out, visible clearly and quickly. The design layouts should make drilling down information seamless for the users.

2. Consistency

The dashboard information should be consistent across devices, platforms and screen sizes. The consistency means that the important information should be available to the user irrespective of which screen they are using.

The look and feel of the dashboard are also integral to its functioning. The generic color conventions should be adhered to, the fonts, placement of charts, information grids, navigation etc should be carefully planned. For e.g. red means bad, green means on target, highlighted color for something that needs attention etc.

3. User Mapping & Visualization

Who will use the dashboards? What will the main purpose of the dashboard? Which information elements must stand out? How and which devices will be used for accessing information? Any cultural considerations for designs? What will make your users successful?

Answering these questions will ensure you understand the key needs of your users and can design things according to them.

The font style, size and visual hierarchy of the information can be decided based on the user demographics. The visual presentation should make things visible according to its importance. This can be achieved by placing the key information in the larger fonts and even with different colors and less important things in relatively smaller font size.

4. Timeframe

The usefulness of information is dependent on time factor. The dashboard should consider consistent time frames. For e.g. the information on the dashboard could be displayed weekly, monthly or quarterly depending on the business case.

A consistent time convention can make life easier for the users. The historical data and information can also be accessed with more options. Clear time labelling of information, charts and data makes a dashboard readable. Clarity on dates and time periods serves utilitarian purpose on the dashboard.

5. Iconography

Iconography

Icons are very handy components of the dashboard, they add significance & highlight important information. Icons can be used to indicate action required from the users too.

The icons can be used alongside information, for e.g. a red clock icon can be used to display delay of a task. An icon can be used for better visualisation of data, it should be simple, symmetric, meaningful and work consistently on all devices. Using familiar icons reduce the processing time to summarise data and deliver betters readability.

6. Simple Charts

The data can be represented with clarity using simple charts, graphs, pie graphs etc. These charts can represent information, sort the data and provide a visual comparison too. Fancy representation of the data can clutter and complicate things.

Data can be sorted as per business needs using charts and graphs. For e.g. a sales manager can have monthly closing figures of his sales team, sorted by revenue. Use clear and crisp representation on your charts. For e.g. don’t add big labels that take away the look & feel of the graphs.

The charts can be used to display the Key performance indicators, according to the roles of the users.

7. Inverted Pyramid: Information Layout

Business applications are created to save time, increase efficiency and help users accomplish their tasks. The general rule of thumb is that you display the most important information at the top, stack trends in the middle and display grids and details at the bottom of the dashboard.

The inverted pyramid is a metaphor used by writers and journalists to illustrate how information should be prioritized and structured in a report. It places the most important information at the top.

The key data patterns, analytics and display grids shouldn’t take more than a glance to capture the important elements. The inverted pyramid layout helps designers to achieve that.

8. Interactive & Dynamic

Dashboards represent a sea of information, very often they integrate various data sources and provide a holistic view of organisational data. The data is dynamic and changing rapidly. The priorities in business also change frequently.

A dashboard should have the dynamism to capture the essence of the business functions it addresses. It should aggregate information, key metrics and graphs etc into a single page.

Dashboards elements like grids, tables, graphs etc. can also have filters, sorting features for the users to interact with the data. The users can also customise information according to their needs to reorder and rearrange information according to their dynamic business needs.

Conclusion

Data dashboards for business applications and enterprise software products can make a huge difference. The way the application interacts with its users through its dynamic dashboards can improve the day to day lives of its users.

If you want to discuss your enterprise software product design, you may get in touch with us.

The post 8 UI & UX Design Tips for Dynamic Dashboards appeared first on Kreyon Systems | Blog | Software Company | Software Development | Software Design.

1. Strong Brand Differentiation with compelling Designs :

The renowned ecommerce companies provide options for businesses to sell through their platforms. However, businesses have a distinct advantage in creating their own customised ecommerce websites. With a custom ecommerce portal, these businesses can express and their brands. They can create strong differentiation from their competitors. The visual appearance & design of the ecommerce site creates an impact on how the brand is perceived by the users. The personality of the business, its core values and differentiation can be communicated effectively with a designer portal. The internet has changed the rules of the game; today brands built on internet are ruling the world. An ecommerce website can bring tremendous ROI for a business, especially when the brand offers great products.

2. Multi Device Optimisations :

The multi device optimisations are a must have functionality for all the corporate websites. It becomes even more important for an ecommerce site to ensure that users are able to browse and buy products from their mobile devices. The multi device optimisation should ensure that users have a consistent experience of your portal across devices, browsers and platforms. The designs should keep in mind the usability aspects and offer app like experience for the mobile users. The designs of the buttons, layout and overall visual look & feel should make it seamless for the user to purchase products.

3. Shopping cart, Purchases & Payments :

The ecommerce portal with a very simple navigation offers intuitive and seamless shopping experience. The objective of an ecommerce portal is to increase sales for the products. A minimalist design with shopping cart, multiple payment options makes it easier for the users to purchase products. The choice of multiple payment options increases the probability of transactions on the site. The secure checkout and multiple payment options are key drivers that prompt people to purchase on ecommerce sites. Once the payment is done, all the orders can be tracked from the admin panel. The total number of orders, their delivery status, payments collected and other details are available for the administrators.

4. Special Offers & Discounts :

One of the key aspects of an ecommerce portal is its unique offerings and deals offered to the customers. The ecommerce portal should have provisions to create the deal of the day, offer discounts on selected products and have bulk booking offers. These offers can be regulated from the admin panel of the portal. The special offers and discounts on the products have an impact on the sales of products. The volume of sales generally increases with deals, discounts and special offers. The designated authorities can analyse the impact of offers on sales and overall business.

5. International taxation & Shipping :

Running a global business can be complicated with various international taxations and regulations. The ecommerce portal can be configured to handle these complexities for the business. The operations can be simplified where all invoices and purchase orders are configured to charge the taxes according to the locations of the clients.

For shipping, the businesses can charge additional costs for delivery based on the package size, package weight, departing country, destination country, insurance & custom costs etc. The charges can be calculated based on customers delivery address. Some international courier providers offer APIs and services for dynamic calculation of the shipping costs for these parcels. They can be integrated to the ecommerce site to offer complete solution for the customers. The delivery process for the products can be tracked through the admin panel. Customers can also track the status of their orders online.

6. Products Galleries, reviews & other details:

The product galleries should be compelling for the visitors. Beautiful images of the products with trendy layouts add to the look & feel of the site. The complete product specifications and details should be provided to the users. The customer reviews and feedback are also helpful to build credibility. Options for zooming effects, different colors and sizes are also popular for ecommerce sites. Brands are also experimenting with innovations using technology. Some of the retail stores provide virtual tools where users can try various dresses and picture themselves in those outfits.

7. Manage Inventory, categories & online store :

The number of products that can be sold through the online store can be organised through categories and subcategories. These categories and subcategories can be managed through the admin section of the portal. Businesses can also evaluate the demand for products in various categories. The decisions to add new line of products, categories can be driven by their demand. The online inventory management helps an organisation to build a demand driven operational model. The realtime availability of stock and pricing for various products can also be managed through the online store.

8. Customer login & registration :

Online merchants that require the users to fill too much information end up losing many of them. When a customer is expected to make the purchase, things should be very easy. The customer sign-up options can be facilitated via google, FB, Twitter logins to reduce time and efforts. A one or two step sign up process is all it should take the customer to make a purchase. Once the customer creates the account, they should be able to see the order history, delivery details and other recommendations based on their preferences. The ecommerce portal should be backed by the strong analytics platform for studying the buying patterns of its customers.

9. Search, Sort & Filter options :

With so many categories, products and choices, it is easy for the user to get lost on an ecommerce website. However, the best ecommerce portals ensure that they have an intuitive search, which helps the users to locate the products they’re looking for. The searching and sorting options are one of the most crucial aspects of the online store for improving the user experience. The site should allow the user to search products, sort them by categories, color, size, price etc. When products or items are not available, users should be able to request items on the portal. These requested items can be tracked by the back end or the admin interface of the portal.

10. Bestsellers & featured items :

The bestsellers and featured products section highlights the key items offered by the business. In a dynamic environment, the most popular products & items can be featured. The online merchant can decide to highlight some of their premium products as featured listings on the home page itself. The number of the featured items can be configured from the admin panel. The bestsellers can be generated automatically based on the sales volumes of the products. The demand for the products is likely to be higher when they’re featured on the home page. The trending products or recommendations can also be highlighted on the portal based on users browsing history & purchases.

11. Customer Loyalty & Discounts :

An online portal allows the business to track the details of their customers. For every customer, the ecommerce site maintains a distinct user profile. All their previous purchases, transaction history and most frequently visited pages can be stored for each customer. This feature is extremely useful for offering personalised recommendations and also offer discounts to loyal customers. The customer loyalty, lifetime value and discount details are immensely useful for business. The administrator has access to all these details. Businesses can figure out their most valuable customers, their locations, age groups, spending habits and other details with this data.

12. Dynamic Content Manager :

High quality content differentiates and provides authenticity to a brand. The top businesses use content to build rapport with their users. The content represents the voice of the brand. The ecommerce site with capabilities for dynamic content management helps to establish trust. Images, videos, blog articles, lists, how to articles, animations, audio podcasts are pieces of contents that can be published on regular basis. The ecommerce sites can create content in tune with their brand image to engage users. The content also helps the site to rank higher on search engine listings.

13. Returns & Refund Policy :

When customer makes a purchase and finds an issue with the product, they should be able to return the product & get refunded. The returns and refund policy should be transparent & hassle free. The reputation of an online brand is crucial for its success. The process to return the product should be seamless for the customer. The refund or the replacement of the product should be done promptly. The ecommerce website should take care of all this with utmost ease. The administrator can track the percentage of returned products. Online store makes it easy for the analysis of returned goods & ensure proactive steps to circumvent this.

14. Order Management :

An online store not only provides an avenue for additional sales, but also organises information. When a new purchase is made, the administrator gets notified about the order on their mobile or email. The order management can be done through this portal to manage parameters like total number of orders, orders delivered late, turnaround time for delivering products, average number of orders per week, total value of the orders, orders by location etc. When the customer completes the purchase, the order status is reflected on the back-end. The businesses can track the status of the orders and close them upon successful delivery.

15. Customer Care & Support :

People are used to shopping from the brick & mortar stores. They find people to guide them through their purchasing. They can ask questions, get personalised attention and recommendations during the purchase. The online stores should also offer similar experience for the online buyers. The users should be able to ask questions related to the product, get personalised recommendations and be able to interact with product experts as per their needs. A good ecommerce portal ensures that it provides interactive support options via live chat, toll free numbers and personalised attention for faster resolutions. An ecommerce portal automates actions taken for product returns, refunds or delayed delivery for faster resolutions.

Forrester says the number of consumers browsing and buying online will hit 270 million by 2020, driven largely by activity on mobile devices. As per US commerce department, online sales in US alone was $335 Billion in 2015 & expected to be $523 Billion in 2020. The ecommerce represents one of the biggest opportunities for businesses to expand their sales globally. An ecommerce platform for your business can help you to create global visibility, improve your reputation and sales.

Kreyon Systems ecommerce development services is helping clients manage their online stores and business digitally. Please reach out for any assistance or query.

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Running a business can be a tough job. It can become even more exhausting if things are not well organised. Chasing new business, getting the best folks to join your company, giving personalised attention to customers, retaining talent, managing ever changing dynamics are just a few responsibilities to mention. Businesses cannot afford to lose time in the increasingly competitive marketplace. Organisations today are looking at easy solutions that can organise stuff for them, while they can focus on core areas & growth opportunities. Dynamic website is one solution that can organise your business. Some of the best organisations around the globe use dynamic websites to simplify their day to day work.

A dynamic website can help you to manage your business activities smoothly. It can make your office paperless. Your business is pretty managed with an online portal that is not tied to a particular location or place, helping you do things on the fly. There are two major components of a dynamic website one that is visible to the visitors and the other part which is the driving engine for the functionality. For e.g. in portals like Amazon, visitors get to see the list of products, get personalised recommendations and are able to buy the goods. There is a back-end engine which drives these listings, algorithms that help the users with recommendations and so on. The top businesses are relying on dynamic websites to power their operations. Following are some of the aspects that can be automated with a dynamic website:

1. Virtual Office:

A dynamic website creates a virtual office. It can be used to manage the operations from any place or location.  It provides integrated Interface for business administration. The key parameters governing performance can be monitored online with triggers for new business enquiries, total visitors, employee activity, escalations and other important events.

2. Publish Vacancies and manage careers:

The web is a great place to attract young talent and also showcase your business. A dynamic website can be used not only to create a compelling & attractive careers page, but can also manage online hiring process. The open vacancies can be published on the vacancy page and candidates can submit online applications. The shortlisted candidates can be notified & then interviewed as per the needs of the business.

3. Maintain information about your Products & Services:

One of the most important aspects of a website is to generate sales for a business. The products and services page can highlight the unique selling proposition to visitors. Apart from that the portal can also manage terms & conditions, quotations for products/services, which can be sent to prospective customers.

4. Publish Press Releases and News:

A business can post press releases and news on their website. Once these press releases are published, its impact on the visitors can be analysed and measured. The press releases that generate maximum traction for the business can be tracked. The message for the target market can be refined with real time tracking of these press releases. Organisations can make their PR efforts more focused, impactful & appealing with this.

5. Feedback:

The dynamic portal can facilitate easy interactions with visitors, prospective & existing customers for an organisation. The feedback page on the portal can be used to connect with them. When a new customer enquiry or feedback is posted, relevant authority is notified with automated messages etc. The action pertaining to feedback can also be tracked & assessed for improving customer satisfaction.

6. Digitised Document System:

Documents are pivotal to running a business. Organising them can be fairly complex though. An online document management system can be integrated with a dynamic portal. Documents can be shared to relevant staff and also made accessible at a centralised location with a company portal. Important documents for expenses, budget & project related documents etc. can be maintained using a digital document system.

7. Manage a blog to create awareness about your products & services:

Content management is a necessity for online reputation & branding. A business can create a blog which can be used to create awareness about its products & services. Companies can add content, images, videos and stories dynamically to keep their website fresh & updated. The traction of the blog can be measured and assessed with a dynamic website. For e.g. the popularity of an article can be gauged with the number of shares on social media channels like LinkedIn, Twitter, and FB etc. At the same time, the web leads & business generated from these efforts can also be tracked with a dynamic website.

8. Unleash business and networking opportunities:

Web can bring visitors from all around the world. These visitors also have the potential to create new opportunities for a business. The dynamic portal can help a business to manage such opportunities. These opportunities can be related to channel partners, franchise options, partner enquiries etc. The website can be used to manage these opportunities centrally, qualify them and then take actions as per business priorities.

9.  Events Calendar & Milestones:

The website acts as an important tool for publicising the key events for a business. These events can be notified to subscribers, prospective customers & even staff. The events calendar, meetings and milestones can be managed with a web interface. Businesses can also manage offers, discounts, and announcements using this feature. For e.g. a retail store may publish an event related discount on their website to attract visitors & business.

10. Manage Customers:

A dynamic website can personalise interactions with customers. Companies like Netflix use business intelligence to personalise suggestions for each user. Amazon sends personalised suggestions for product purchases based on user’s history. Your business can also manage customers and their history on their dynamic website & create a personalised service or experience. Businesses are also automating their invoice systems and collecting payments online from their customers. Customer management with best in class technology tools is a sure fire way to grow a business.

Internet is by far the most powerful growth engine for businesses today. Traditional brick and mortar companies are looking at ways to tap into the magic of internet.  A dynamic website offers them a potent combination of functionality not only to attract new customers but also enhance operations, management & growth. It allows an organisation to create an optimised strategy for maximising business performance management with a single integrated view of data.

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