{"id":35257,"date":"2022-05-31T08:37:00","date_gmt":"2022-05-31T15:37:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.uxpin.com\/studio\/?p=35257"},"modified":"2026-02-22T21:53:57","modified_gmt":"2026-02-23T05:53:57","slug":"prototype-dashboard","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.uxpin.com\/studio\/blog\/prototype-dashboard\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Prototype a Dashboard?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"512\" src=\"https:\/\/www.uxpin.com\/studio\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/How-to-prototype-dashboard-1-1024x512.png\" alt=\"How to prototype dashboard 1\" class=\"wp-image-35258\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.uxpin.com\/studio\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/How-to-prototype-dashboard-1-1024x512.png 1024w, https:\/\/www.uxpin.com\/studio\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/How-to-prototype-dashboard-1-600x300.png 600w, https:\/\/www.uxpin.com\/studio\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/How-to-prototype-dashboard-1-768x384.png 768w, https:\/\/www.uxpin.com\/studio\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/How-to-prototype-dashboard-1.png 1200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:20px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>We often associate dashboard design with enterprise products. But dashboards are everywhere, including social media applications, games, and even our mobile devices. These dashboards show users critical information in a succinct visualization that&#8217;s easy to digest.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Let&#8217;s explore dashboard UI design and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.uxpin.com\/studio\/blog\/advanced-prototyping-features\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">prototyping<\/a> plus some best practices to ensure you create amazing dashboard user experiences for your customers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>UXPin is an advanced code-based design tool allowing you to create accurate dashboard prototypes for meaningful, actionable feedback from usability participants and stakeholders. UXPin&#8217;s Merge technology helps bring teams together by allowing them use a single source of truth in the product development process. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.uxpin.com\/merge\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Learn more about UXPin Merge<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<section class=\"discover-merge\">\n    <div class=\"discover-merge__container\">\n        <div class=\"discover-merge__left\">\n            <p class=\"discover-merge__heading\">Reach a new level of prototyping<\/p>\n            <p class=\"discover-merge__text\">Design with interactive components coming from your team&#8217;s design system.<\/p>\n            <a href=\"https:\/\/www.uxpin.com\/merge\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">\n                <button class=\"discover-merge__button\">Discover UXPin Merge<\/button>\n            <\/a>\n        <\/div>\n        <div>\n            <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/uxpin.com\/studio\/wp-content\/themes\/uxpin-juggernaut\/img\/cta-banner-merge.png\" class=\"discover-merge__image\" alt=\"\">\n        <\/div>\n    <\/div>\n<\/section>\n\n<style>\n.discover-merge {\n    margin: 40px 8px;\n}\n\n.discover-merge__container {\n    display: flex;\n    max-width: 690px;\n    height: 200px;\n    padding: 20px;\n    padding-left: 24px;\n    border-radius: 4px;\n    background-color: black;\n    box-shadow: 10px 10px #9999ff;\n    align-items: center;\n    justify-content: space-between;\n}\n\n.discover-merge__left {\n    width: 50%;\n}\n\n.discover-merge__left p {\n    margin: 10px 0px !important;\n    color: white !important;\n    font-size: 18px !important;\n}\n\n.discover-merge__heading {\n    font-weight: bold !important;\n    color: white !important;\n    font-size: 18px !important;\n}\n\n.discover-merge__text {\n    margin: 0 !important;\n    line-height: 22px !important;\n}\n\n.discover-merge__button {\n    width: 174px;\n    height: 44px;\n    margin: 10px 0px;\n    border: none;\n    border-radius: 2px;\n    background: white;\n    color: black;\n    font-size: 16px;\n    text-align: center;\n}\n\n.discover-merge__button:hover {\n    cursor: pointer;\n}\n\n.discover-merge__image {\n    max-width: 320px !important;\n    height: 200px;\n    margin-right: -19px;\n}\n\n@media (max-width: 760px) {\n    .discover-merge__container {\n        height: auto;\n        margin: 10px;\n        align-items: left;\n    }\n}\n\n@media (max-width: 500px) {\n    .discover-merge__container {\n        flex-direction: column;\n    }\n\n    .discover-merge__left {\n        width: 100%;\n        align-items: normal;\n    }\n}\n\n<\/style>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:20px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-what-is-a-dashboard\">What is a Dashboard?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>A dashboard is a user interface element that allows users to visualize important information (like analytics, status, statistics, reports, etc.), complete administrative tasks, and tweak settings.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The user interfaces for your mobile phone or desktop settings are dashboards. If you&#8217;ve ever used WordPress, Shopify, or another CMS (content management system), the admin UI is a dashboard. Your online banking user interface is a dashboard.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-dashboard-types\">Dashboard Types<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Choosing a dashboard design depends on the functionality and information you want to give users. There are four types of dashboard UI designs:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Analytical:<\/strong> Displays data visualizations<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Operational: <\/strong>Shows real-time or short-term data<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Strategic: <\/strong>Visualizes long-term goals with KPIs and status<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Tactical:<\/strong> Displays high-level performance monitoring&nbsp;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-type-1-analytical-dashboard-ui-design\">Type 1. Analytical Dashboard UI Design<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Product designers use analytical dashboards to simplify and display vast amounts of data. These dashboards show a high-level overview of data in single numbers or graphical representations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Analytical dashboards generally look at historical data<\/strong> so users can identify trends to make predictions or decisions. For example, a marketer will use an analytical dashboard to analyze key demographics, user locations, and traffic sources to create a marketing strategy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-type-2-operational-dashboard-ui-design\">Type 2. Operational Dashboard UI Design<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Operational dashboards show real-time or short timeframe data<\/strong> so users can monitor a system or operations. The data on operational dashboards changes regularly, often in real-time, relating to data-source changes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Operational dashboards usually display operation-critical information near the top\u2013where most users&#8217; eyes focus on first. For example, a logistics manager will use an operational dashboard to monitor real-time warehouse activities and respond to potential issues.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-type-3-strategic-dashboard-ui-design\">Type 3. Strategic Dashboard UI Design<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>A strategic dashboard allows users to track performance against KPIs towards long-term goals. These dashboards summarize complex data so users can identify strengths and weaknesses.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Strategic dashboards usually display a goal, current status, and the projections required to meet the target. Strategic data might also include previous periods or years. For example, a sales manager will use a strategic dashboard to view performance on sales targets and compare the previous year, quarter, month, week, and day to track progress.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-type-4-tactical-dashboard-ui-design\">Type 4. Tactical Dashboard UI Design<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>A tactical dashboard is a strategic\/operational hybrid, allowing users to monitor performance towards an objective\u2013like completing a project.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Tactical dashboards allow users to visualize overall and segmented performance to guide strategies and decision-making. For example, a project dashboard shows overall progress and which tasks the team must still complete. The tactical dashboard will also flag potential issues, like missed or upcoming deadlines, for a project manager to follow up.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Check out <a href=\"https:\/\/www.datapine.com\/blog\/strategic-operational-analytical-tactical-dashboards\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener nofollow\">this article from Datapine<\/a> for more information and examples on dashboard UI types.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-dashboard-ui-design-elements\">Dashboard UI Design Elements<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>UI Designers use several key elements to display different types of data. These graphical representations make it easy for users to visualize and compare information.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-data-tables\">Data Tables<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.uxpin.com\/studio\/blog\/dashboard-vs-data-report-design\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Data tables<\/a> (similar to an Excel sheet) are important in dashboard design because we can use them to create other UI elements like charts, gauges, pies, and graphs. Tables usually take up a lot of space, so designers place these on secondary pages where users can analyze the data behind a visualization.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-bar-charts\">Bar Charts<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Bar charts are fantastic for comparing data on a timeline\u2013like monthly revenue. The visualization of varying heights means users can instantly compare different data points.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-pie-charts\">Pie Charts<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Pie charts visualize data distribution across multiple points that make up a whole. We often see pie charts in <a href=\"https:\/\/www.saasadviser.co\/software\/expense-management-software\">Expense Management Software<\/a> and expense tracking applications because they allow users to visualize their expenses and see where they spend the most.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-graphs\">Graphs<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Graphs are most helpful in tracking performance or trends over a specific period. The lines make it easy to see which way a trend is moving and changes at various key intervals (like months of a year).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-gauges\">Gauges<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Designers can use gauges to display progress or status. A progress gauge can include a numerical value\/s, giving the user two visualizations for better clarity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Designers can also use gauges to indicate status when monitoring a specific system. For example, a warehouse management system might use a gauge to display the packer&#8217;s current performance towards meeting a daily target with <em>poor<\/em>, <em>below average<\/em>, <em>acceptable<\/em>, and <em>optimal<\/em>. If the indicator drops below acceptable, the manager can investigate and attend to any performance issues.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-metrics-or-numbers\">Metrics or Numbers<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Designers can use metrics to show a key value or support a visualization\u2013for example, a number representing the current revenue.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Metrics are most effective when they stand alone, making it easy for users to digest the information and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.uxpin.com\/studio\/blog\/cognitive-psychology-for-ux-design\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">reducing cognitive load<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-dashboard-ui-design-process\">Dashboard UI Design Process<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>The <a href=\"https:\/\/dataschool.com\/how-to-design-a-dashboard\/dashboard-prototyping-and-feedback\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener nofollow\">Data School&#8217;s eBook<\/a>, <em>Dashboard Prototyping and Feedback<\/em>, outlines a four-step dashboard design and prototyping strategy. We&#8217;ve modified this slightly to include a comprehensive six-step end-to-end dashboard <a href=\"https:\/\/www.uxpin.com\/studio\/blog\/stages-design-thinking-process\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">design process<\/a>:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Review<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Sketch<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Feedback<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Prototype<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Test<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Design Handoff<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-step-1-review\">Step 1. Review<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"750\" height=\"300\" src=\"https:\/\/www.uxpin.com\/studio\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/designops-picking-tools-care.png\" alt=\"designops picking tools care\" class=\"wp-image-35247\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.uxpin.com\/studio\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/designops-picking-tools-care.png 750w, https:\/\/www.uxpin.com\/studio\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/designops-picking-tools-care-700x280.png 700w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 750px) 100vw, 750px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>The first step is to review the research to define your dashboard&#8217;s goals and requirements. Designers must align the user&#8217;s needs with the available data to determine how to structure and prioritize the design.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Make a list of the UIs and elements you&#8217;ll need to start sketching. Arranging these elements by importance will help prioritize your dashboard UI.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-step-2-sketch\">Step 2. Sketch<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"750\" height=\"300\" src=\"https:\/\/www.uxpin.com\/studio\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/lo-fi-pencil.png\" alt=\"lo fi pencil\" class=\"wp-image-35476\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.uxpin.com\/studio\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/lo-fi-pencil.png 750w, https:\/\/www.uxpin.com\/studio\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/lo-fi-pencil-700x280.png 700w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 750px) 100vw, 750px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Designing dashboards is complex and time-consuming. It&#8217;s crucial that designers sketch and refine ideas before committing to high-fidelity mockups and prototyping.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Designers use sketches to determine how best to represent the data. If you have multiple graphics on a single UI, sketch them in isolation before combining them on a single paper screen.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>&nbsp;The <a href=\"https:\/\/dataschool.com\/how-to-design-a-dashboard\/dashboard-prototyping-and-feedback\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener nofollow\">Data School&#8217;s eBook<\/a> recommends asking two questions as you sketch:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><em>What decisions does the user need to make?<\/em><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><em>What does the user need to know to make those decisions?<\/em><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Dashboards are busier than most other UI layouts, so keep data to a minimum. If you have lots of critical data, consider categorizing the information and splitting them over two or more pages.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-step-3-collect-feedback\">Step 3. Collect Feedback<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"750\" height=\"300\" src=\"https:\/\/www.uxpin.com\/studio\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/team-collaboration-talk-communication-ideas-messsages.png\" alt=\"team collaboration talk communication ideas messsages\" class=\"wp-image-35470\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.uxpin.com\/studio\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/team-collaboration-talk-communication-ideas-messsages.png 750w, https:\/\/www.uxpin.com\/studio\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/team-collaboration-talk-communication-ideas-messsages-700x280.png 700w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 750px) 100vw, 750px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.uxpin.com\/studio\/blog\/feedback-loops-in-design\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Feedback<\/a> from team members and stakeholders is essential before designers commit to digital mockups and prototypes. This input can help improve designs and iron out issues before the time-consuming digital process.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Keep in mind that there might be a few rounds of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.uxpin.com\/studio\/blog\/design-iteration-process\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">iteration<\/a> before proceeding to the next step.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-step-4-prototype\">Step 4. Prototype<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"750\" height=\"301\" src=\"https:\/\/www.uxpin.com\/studio\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/idea-collaboration-design-dev.png\" alt=\"idea collaboration design dev\" class=\"wp-image-32256\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.uxpin.com\/studio\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/idea-collaboration-design-dev.png 750w, https:\/\/www.uxpin.com\/studio\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/idea-collaboration-design-dev-700x281.png 700w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 750px) 100vw, 750px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Use paper prototypes and notes, create your wireframes, digital mockups, and prototypes. We recommend using a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.uxpin.com\/studio\/blog\/ui-component-library\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">component library<\/a> or <a href=\"https:\/\/www.uxpin.com\/studio\/blog\/how-to-use-ui-kits-to-create-quicker-mockups\/\">UI kit<\/a>, so you don&#8217;t have to start from scratch.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>UXPin features <a href=\"https:\/\/www.uxpin.com\/docs\/design-systems\/design-system-libraries#built-in-design-libraries\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">built-in design libraries<\/a>, including Material Design UI, Bootstrap, and Foundation\u2013excellent libraries for dashboard prototypes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>You can also sync your design system or a component library to UXPin using Merge. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.uxpin.com\/merge\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">UXPin powered by its Merge technology<\/a> is an excellent choice for prototyping dashboards because it allows designers to build fully functioning graphs and charts\u2013an impossible task with <a href=\"https:\/\/www.uxpin.com\/studio\/blog\/top-prototyping-tools\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">image-based design tools<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-step-5-test-the-prototype\">Step 5. Test the prototype<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"750\" height=\"301\" src=\"https:\/\/www.uxpin.com\/studio\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/testing-user-behavior.png\" alt=\"testing user behavior\" class=\"wp-image-34886\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.uxpin.com\/studio\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/testing-user-behavior.png 750w, https:\/\/www.uxpin.com\/studio\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/testing-user-behavior-700x281.png 700w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 750px) 100vw, 750px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Prototyping and testing is an iterative process. UX designers must test prototypes comprehensively to ensure usability issues don&#8217;t affect the final product.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>It&#8217;s important to get feedback from end-users and key stakeholders to ensure designs meet users&#8217; needs while maximizing business value.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-step-6-handoff-the-design\">Step 6. Handoff the design<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"750\" height=\"301\" src=\"https:\/\/www.uxpin.com\/studio\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/code-design-developer.png\" alt=\"code design developer\" class=\"wp-image-35038\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.uxpin.com\/studio\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/code-design-developer.png 750w, https:\/\/www.uxpin.com\/studio\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/code-design-developer-700x281.png 700w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 750px) 100vw, 750px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Dashboard design handoffs are complex and tricky. We recommend following this <a href=\"https:\/\/www.uxpin.com\/studio\/blog\/better-design-handoff\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">design handoff checklist<\/a> to streamline the process and improve <a href=\"https:\/\/www.uxpin.com\/studio\/blog\/product-development-and-design\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">collaboration between designers and engineers<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-dashboard-ui-design-best-practices\">Dashboard UI Design Best Practices<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Here are some user interface tips for good dashboard design. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-prioritize-content\">Prioritize Content<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>It&#8217;s important to ask users what data matters most during the research phase to guide the design process. Try to separate data between &#8220;mission-critical&#8221; and secondary, so you know how to prioritize and arrange content. Read about <em><a href=\"https:\/\/www.uxpin.com\/studio\/blog\/ux-content-strategy\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">UX Content Strategy<\/a><\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-less-is-more\">Less is More<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Always look to reduce your dashboard layout as much as possible. Dashboards UIs are busy, which can severely <a href=\"https:\/\/www.uxpin.com\/studio\/blog\/good-ui-design-characteristics\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">impact cognitive load<\/a> and usability.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-mobile-first-ui-design\">Mobile-First UI Design<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>It&#8217;s easy to make a dashboard look great on a desktop. The real challenge is creating a mobile-friendly dashboard. Adopting a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.uxpin.com\/studio\/blog\/data-content-innovation-5-design-patterns-mobile-ui\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">mobile-first dashboard design<\/a> strategy can help solve two problems:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Making your dashboard accessible for mobile users<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Reducing UI elements<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-be-consistent\">Be Consistent<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.uxpin.com\/studio\/blog\/importance-of-design-consistency\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Consistency<\/a> is essential for any UI, but for complex dashboard designs, it&#8217;s vital! A <a href=\"https:\/\/www.uxpin.com\/create-design-system-guide\/\">design system<\/a> can help keep typography, colors, spacing, layouts, and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.uxpin.com\/studio\/blog\/design-workflow-with-code-components\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">other UI elements<\/a> consistent throughout your design.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-double-margins\">Double Margins<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>In <a href=\"https:\/\/uxplanet.org\/10-rules-for-better-dashboard-design-ef68189d734c\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener nofollow\">10 Rules for Better Dashboard Design<\/a>, designer Taras Bakusevych recommends using double margins and white space to separate content. It&#8217;s difficult to read when content touches the margins or is too close together.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-don-t-scroll\">Don&#8217;t Scroll!<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Taras also says one of the biggest design mistakes is making dashboards scrollable. Summarize as much as possible, move it to a new screen or create tabs so users can switch between content.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-be-flexible\">Be Flexible<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>It&#8217;s impossible to create a one-size-fits-all dashboard layout. Users will have different needs and priorities even within an organization or individual project.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Providing the functionality for users to arrange their dashboards to meet their needs creates a positive user experience while solving the one-size-fits-all challenge.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-design-dashboards-using-uxpin-merge\">Design Dashboards Using UXPin Merge<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.uxpin.com\/merge\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">UXPin Merge<\/a> will allow you to design dashboard UI accurately. Instead of prototyping static designs, designers can assemble dashboard UI using pre-made functional components that will behave like a real dashboard that was built by a developer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Build your first dashboard UI using true components that come from your dev&#8217;s library. Simply drag and drop ready-made elements to build fully functioning dashboards and other user interface elements.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-buttons\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-button is-style-fill\"><center><a class=\"btn btn-flat btn-large btn-content-width\" href=\"https:\/\/www.uxpin.com\/merge\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Discover Merge<\/a><\/center><\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>We often associate dashboard design with enterprise products. But dashboards are everywhere, including social media applications, games, and even our mobile devices. These dashboards show users critical information in a succinct visualization that&#8217;s easy to digest. Let&#8217;s explore dashboard UI design and prototyping plus some best practices to ensure you create amazing dashboard user experiences<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":35258,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[3,442,199,172,11,4],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-35257","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-blog","category-component-driven-prototyping","category-design-systems","category-product-design","category-tutorials","category-ui-design"],"yoast_title":"How to Design a Dashboard UI Prototype?","yoast_metadesc":"Learn how to create a prototype of dashboard UI. Get to know best practices and elements of well-designed dashboards. Learn more.","acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v27.4 (Yoast SEO v27.4) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-premium-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>How to Design a Dashboard UI Prototype?<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Learn how to create a prototype of dashboard UI. Get to know best practices and elements of well-designed dashboards. Learn more.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.uxpin.com\/studio\/blog\/prototype-dashboard\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"How to Prototype a Dashboard?\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Learn how to create a prototype of dashboard UI. Get to know best practices and elements of well-designed dashboards. 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