Dashboard UI Guide

KPI / Stat Card

Presents one important metric with enough context to judge its current value and change.

Where to use it

Place it in the first summary row of a dashboard or at the top of a focused analytics section, close to the chart or table that explains the metric.

When to use it

Use it for one high-priority metric that must be understood in seconds.

When not to use it

Avoid it for secondary numbers that do not influence a decision.

Behavior and rules

Make the value primary; label the period or comparison so the number is interpretable.

Anatomy

Metric icon
A small icon that helps scanning when many cards sit together. Decorative: it never carries the meaning alone.
Metric label
Names exactly what is measured (Monthly recurring revenue, not Revenue). Place it above the value.
Primary value
The largest element on the card. Format it for fast reading ($128K) and keep units attached.
Delta
Shows direction and size of change with a sign and an arrow, not colour alone. Green is not always good (churn up is bad).
Comparison context
Says what the change is compared with (vs. last month). Without it the delta cannot be judged.

All lessons

  1. Bar Chart — Compares values across categories using length on a common scale.
  2. Line Chart — Shows change across an ordered sequence, most often time.
  3. Area Chart — Emphasizes magnitude over an ordered sequence by filling the area under a line.
  4. Pie / Donut Chart — Shows a small number of parts that make up one meaningful whole.
  5. Scatter Plot — Reveals relationships, clusters and outliers between two numeric variables.
  6. Histogram — Shows the distribution of a numeric variable across value ranges.
  7. Box Plot — Summarizes distribution, median, spread and potential outliers compactly.
  8. Heatmap — Uses color intensity across a matrix to reveal patterns and concentration.
  9. Treemap — Shows hierarchical part-to-whole relationships through nested rectangles.
  10. Funnel Chart — Shows how a population changes through ordered stages of a process.
  11. Waterfall Chart — Explains how positive and negative contributions produce a final total.
  12. Sparkline — Shows a compact trend without the full framing of a standard chart.
  13. Gauge — Shows one value within a bounded range when position against a threshold matters.
  14. Combo Chart — Combines compatible visual marks when two related measures need coordinated comparison.
  15. Geographic Data Map — Maps values to locations or regions when geography is part of the question.
  16. KPI / Stat Card — Presents one important metric with enough context to judge its current value and change.
  17. Data Table — Presents structured records in rows and columns, with table-level search, filtering, sorting, selection and pagination treated as parts of the whole component.
  18. Dashboard Card / Panel — Groups one coherent dashboard task, metric or visualization into a bounded region with clear hierarchy.
  19. Filter Bar — Places the most important scope controls close to the data they affect.
  20. Filter Panel — Collects a larger set of filtering controls in a dedicated surface.
  21. Date Picker / Date Range Picker — Lets users choose one date or a bounded time range for reports, filters and analytics.
  22. Sidebar Navigation — Provides persistent access to major dashboard destinations and groups.
  23. Top App Bar — Holds page identity, global actions and high-priority controls at the top of an application.
  24. Breadcrumbs — Shows hierarchy and provides a path back through nested dashboard levels.
  25. Tabs — Switches between peer views inside the same dashboard context.
  26. Alert / Banner — Communicates important contextual or page-wide information that should remain visible until understood or resolved.
  27. Toast — Confirms a brief asynchronous outcome without blocking the current task.
  28. Notification Center — Collects system and workflow updates that users may need to revisit.
  29. Dropdown / Overflow Menu — Moves lower-priority or contextual actions into an on-demand menu.
  30. Modal / Dialog — Creates a focused temporary task that may block interaction with the underlying dashboard.
  31. Drawer / Side Panel — Opens contextual controls or details from an edge while preserving the page behind it.