The world of statistics is not immune to the rise and fall of fashionable trends. Every few years a shiny new toy emerges that will solve all of our problems…or so we think.
One example of such a trend is dashboards. Brought to public fame during the Covid pandemic, the dashboard aims to provide information in a clear and easy-to-use format. The success of the UKHSA Covid dashboard in conveying data to the public during the pandemic demonstrated how effective this method can be for data dissemination.
Dashboards also have other benefits, such as acting as good early warning indicators that show data changing as part of a wider picture. I like to imagine this much like the control panel in the cockpit of a plane where each button and light serves a specific function, allowing the pilots to address issues and ensure a safe and efficient flight.
However, it is important to remember that dashboards also have some drawbacks. For example, the format often makes it harder to communicate uncertainty and can result in complex data being oversimplified.
Whilst the initial hype of dashboards has diminished somewhat, especially now that there is a surge in interest in AI, it is clear that they will continue to be used across the statistical system. Over the past few years OSR has provided advice to official statistics producers on dashboards. We have now developed this further and produced our own dashboard guidance, aim to ensure that dashboards are produced to the highest possible standard.
How to get the most out of dashboards
A dashboard can be a great addition to a statistical release alongside a bulletin or article, in order to give users bespoke access to data and to help them visualise trends.
User needs should be put at the forefront of any decision about whether a dashboard is needed and for how long it will be updated and maintained. Our ‘dashboard questions’ target the most prominent issues and challenges with dashboards and are intended to help statistics producers to consider the value of a dashboard for any statistical output.
It is important that statisticians and analysts work closely with dashboard developers and data visualisation teams to ensure that the final product is produced to a high standard.
Visual space can be limited within dashboards, and so there is a balance to consider between the level of information that should be included upfront and not overwhelming the user. To help with this, we have developed a three-layered communication framework that we encourage producers to adopt which is outlined in our guidance.
Dashboards are also often used to bring together multiple sources of data into one place. A dashboard can be a useful communication tool where there is a clear user need for a dashboard as a product. Understanding how the statistics are used, and by whom, is therefore important.
The importance of TQV
Many of you will be familiar with the principles of the Code of Practice for Statistics: Trustworthiness, Quality and Value (TQV). We consider that these principles are universal and can be applied to almost any circumstance, including dashboards.
Dashboards should be trustworthy (T) and present high-quality statistics (Q) that are valuable to users (V). Our new guidance, in line with TQV, is intended to support statistics producers in their development and use of dashboards. It doesn’t have all of the answers, nor cover all scenarios that producers may encounter when a dashboard is requested – but it does set out key principles that producers should adopt when making a public-facing official statistics dashboard.
We want to encourage producers to think about the code and its pillars of Trustworthiness, Quality and Value when they weigh up the advantages, disadvantages and risks of using a dashboard to disseminate data. This, combined with data visualisation guidance from the Government Analysis Function, should give better clarity on best practice.
We would like to thank everyone who provided their views and feedback that helped to shape this work. We are open to feedback on this guidance so please get in touch with us if you would like to discuss via regulation@statistics.gov.uk.