What Is a Dashboard?

作者：Coursera Staff • 更新于 Oct 31, 2024

Explore the essentials of data analytics dashboards, including what they are, how they work, and their importance in visualising data for informed decision-making.

[Featured Image] A data analyst looks at a dashboard on her laptop to keep track of live data.

A dashboard is a tool for monitoring and displaying live data. It is typically connected to a database and features visualisations that automatically update to reflect the most current data in the database.

Dashboards are highly customisable and used across many business functions. They feature a design that helps translate data into easily understood visuals like charts and graphs. This enables stakeholders to stay informed about current metrics and key performance indicators (KPIs) at a glance without necessitating individual analysis or complete analytics reports.

People who work in data visualisation commonly create dashboards using programs such as Tableau and Power BI. These dashboards may monitor website traffic, marketing performance, financial metrics, or public health data.

Data analyst
Data visualisation
Power BI

Get started in data analytics

Think of the dashboard as your command centre. You can explore various features from this central location for a comprehensive view of what’s happening.

Learn more about processing and analysing data, using essential analysis tools like R programming, and creating compelling visualisations with the beginner-friendly Google Data Analytics Professional Certificate on Coursera. Develop skills for an in-demand career in data analytics while you learn at the pace that works for you. If you also have experience in the field, you might also consider Google’s Advanced Data Analytics Professional Certificate to deepen your knowledge and abilities.