Data Quality Dashboards

Reporting within Aperture Data Studio was highly technical and challenging for the average business user, often leading to reliance on third-party tools for data visualisation and reporting. Additionally, the onboarding experience was lacking, as users were greeted with a blank screen, making it difficult to get started.

To address these challenges, I developed concepts for a new dashboard experience tailored to both designer and consumer users. We leveraged an internal hackathon to secure buy-in and additional investment. Winning the hackathon provided the momentum to conduct further user research and proceed with iterative design and development.

The result was a reimagined homepage experience and a new dashboard creation tool. This tool enabled users to create customised charts and assemble them into dashboards, significantly improving the product's impact for business consumers.

This transformation not only enhanced the user experience for our customers but also empowered our sales team. With the new features, they could showcase the product's value far more effectively, moving beyond purely functional demos to compelling, impactful presentations.

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The challenge

Creating reports in Aperture Data Studio was more complex than it needed to be. Report generation required users to create individual charts through workflow steps and nest these within report steps to achieve the desired layout. Building a multi-chart dashboard involved manually combining these steps, making the process time-consuming and unintuitive. Furthermore, consumer users accessed reports via a basic list of links, limiting usability and engagement.

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The Hackathon: Creating a technical proof of concept

Recognising the need for a more user-friendly landing page and reporting features, I developed initial concepts for a dashboard catering to three user groups:

1. Designer Users: Technical users who built workflows and charts.
2. Consumer Users: Decision-makers who needed high-level insights.
3. Hands-On Consumer Users: Users interested in drilling down into data issues.

These concepts were brought into a 2021 internal hackathon aimed at creating a technical proof of concept. Our team of four (two developers, a QA, and myself) worked intensively over two days, progressing through regional and global judging rounds. The proof of concept won the hackathon, demonstrating clear business value and securing funding for further development.

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Discovery and Validation

From Hackathon to Funded Development

Post-hackathon, we conducted user interviews with customers across various sectors—civil service, manufacturing, and more—to validate the need for improved consumer reporting. Customers highlighted the importance of securely visualising and sharing insights directly within the platform, eliminating reliance on third-party tools like Tableau or Power BI. Positive feedback on our initial designs enabled us to move forward confidently.

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Design and Development: Crafting a Flexible Dashboard Experience

Building on user insights, we designed a versatile dashboard with the following features:

• Custom Charts: Users could tailor visualisations to their needs.
• Personalised Dashboards: Drag-and-drop widgets allowed flexible layouts.
• Stakeholder Reports: Business users and executives accessed high-level insights, enhancing decision-making.

Key Design Decisions

1. Charting Library Selection
   We needed a robust library to meet technical requirements (e.g., integration with our stack) and user needs (e.g., customisable colours and labels). After evaluating several options, we selected AM Charts, balancing flexibility and brand consistency. For example, we provided a custom colour picker to align with our branding while offering meaningful options to users.
2. Dashboard Layouts
   Through workshops and usability testing, we refined the layout options:
   • Fluid Layouts: Too complex for users to align widgets visually.
   • Preset Layouts: Limited flexibility, requiring users to make destructive changes later.
   • Responsive Layouts: The final solution, which automatically adjusted the number of columns based on screen width (e.g., three columns for desktops, two for tablets).
3. Widget Placement
   Early prototypes allowed widgets to auto-adjust when inserted or deleted, but testing revealed this was unintuitive. Instead, we allowed users to manually resize or insert widgets, which proved more predictable and user-friendly.

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Tailored Homepage and improved onboarding

We introduced a customisable homepage as the starting point for all users. Widgets—ranging from data grids to charts—could be added and resized within a responsive three-column grid. For new users, the homepage featured onboarding elements to guide them until they created their first workflows or objects.

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Charting with impact

To replace third-party visualisation tools, we implemented key charting capabilities:

• Users could select chart types, assign data columns, and apply filters.
• Popular options like scoreboard and gauge charts enabled high-level KPI tracking.
• Brand consistency was maintained through a fixed palette.

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Testing and Iteration

Prototypes in Figma focused on chart creation and dashboard customisation. Early testing revealed friction in widget placement and chart setup. Iterative refinements improved usability, and follow-up tests confirmed the effectiveness of our adjustments. Continuous collaboration with developers ensured technical feasibility without compromising user needs.

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Launch and Impact

The new dashboard launched to widespread acclaim, delivering measurable improvements:

• Efficiency Gains: Eliminated reliance on external tools, enhancing security and reducing costs.
• Increased Adoption: Improved usability drove a 20% increase in adoption rates.
• Sales Enablement: Dashboards showcased the product’s value more effectively, replacing overly technical demos.

This project showcased the value of user-centred design, iterative development, and cross-functional collaboration, creating a transformative solution for customers and internal teams alike.

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