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From Clunky to Clean: Best Practices for Stunning, Functional Tableau Dashboards

  • katrocha49021
  • May 15
  • 5 min read

Kat Rocha | May 15, 2025


Have you ever had such a great dashboard idea for the process to just look…. well… pretty much like the horse in this drawing? Yeah, me too…

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Creating a dashboard is both an art and a science. It’s not just about displaying data; it’s about making it clear, interactive, and engaging. A well-designed dashboard invites users to explore and quickly grasp insights to make informed decisions. It should be so intuitive and visually appealing that users want to interact with it. 


Whether for executives, analysts, or anyone else, getting the design, layout, and interactivity right is key to creating something functional and visually stunning.


⚠️ BLUF (Bottom Line Up Front): In this post, I’ll share some top tips from the DataFam that will help you create dashboards that not only deliver powerful insights but also captivate your audience from the moment they start using it. Ready to level up? Let’s go!



Table of Contents:



  1. Clear and Simple Layout 📉

Nobody has time to decode a cluttered dashboard. The layout should make sense, be easy to navigate, and focus on delivering insights at a glance.

  • Hierarchy: Prioritize your most important metrics at the top. Your KPIs should take center stage, while more detailed visualizations can take a backseat further down or on separate tabs.

  • Whitespace: Less is more. Avoid cramming everything into one space. Use whitespace to reduce cognitive overload and make your dashboard easier to digest.

  • Consistency: Align elements on a consistent grid for balance and harmony. Think of it like organizing your desk—neat, functional, and easy to work with.


💡 Quick Tip: 

  • Try creating your layout in Figma first and use the Figma to Tableau plug-in by LaDataViz for easy integration. It’ll save you loads of time. 

  • You can also copy and paste templates from other Tableau Public dashboards to your dashboard after downloading it.


  1. Choose the Right Metrics 📊

Your dashboard is a storyteller. Don’t overwhelm your audience with unnecessary data.

  • Key Metrics: Stick to the KPIs that matter most to your users. For a sales team, focus on sales growth, lead conversion, and customer satisfaction, for example.

  • Top-Level Overview: Provide a quick snapshot of the crucial data points right away—think of this as your “headline” view.

  • Drill-Down Capability: Allow users to explore deeper insights by adding filters, parameters, or links to other dashboards.


💡 Quick Tip: Need inspiration? Check out Andy Kriebel’s video on building 10 Actionable and Impactful KPIs in Tableau and/or Sebastine Amede's '20 KPI Cards Using Only Table Calculations' on Tableau Public.


  1. Color Palette 🎨

Color is more than just eye candy—it’s a powerful tool. But like any tool, it needs to be used carefully.

  • Contrast for Readability: Make sure your text stands out. Light backgrounds with dark text are easier on the eyes.

  • Use Color to Guide Users: Use color to highlight key metrics and trends—green for positive, red for negative, but keep it to a palette of 3–5 colors. Too many will overwhelm.

  • Accessibility: Keep color blindness in mind. Tableau offers built-in colorblind-friendly palettes, or check out ColorBrewer for options.


💡 Quick Tips: 


  1. Interactivity: Filters, Actions, and Parameters 🎮

Engagement is key. Users should be able to tailor their dashboard experience to their needs.

  • Filters: Let users slice the data based on dimensions like time, location, or category. Make them easy to access but not in the way.

  • Actions: Use dashboard actions (like filter and highlight actions) to let users click on elements for more details or to navigate to other views.

  • Parameters: Parameters allow users to adjust aspects of the dashboard, like switching between different metrics or setting a custom date range.


💡 Quick Tip: Andy Kriebel and Ojoswi Basu's Interactive Dashboard is a fantastic example of how interactivity can be used to boost engagement. Go check it out for some serious inspiration!


  1. Navigation and User Flow 🧭

Ensure users can easily follow the path from one data point to the next.

  • Navigation Buttons: Use buttons or tabs to help users move between different views or more detailed data. Don’t make them too flashy, though—keep them prominent but not overwhelming.

  • Clear Labels: Labels are your best friend. Be as intuitive as possible so users never have to guess what a button or chart does.

  • Tooltips: Add tooltips where necessary. They help users understand what’s going on without leaving the dashboard.


💡 Quick Tip: Check out one of my dashboards, Bridging Academics and Careers, to see how I’ve used navigation buttons, tooltips, and clear labels to improve flow and usability.

  1. Legends and Icons ℹ️

These tiny elements can make a big difference in making your data easy to digest.

  • Legends: Always include legends for color scales, size variations, or other visual elements, especially if you're using gradients or diverging color scales.

  • Icons: Use icons sparingly to guide users or reinforce specific actions—think simple, clear, and not too over-the-top.


💡 Quick Tip: Kevin Wee’s resources on using images, icons, and infographics in dashboards (especially with Figma) are gold. Check them out!


  1. Effective Use of Visualizations 📈

Choosing the right chart for your data can make or break your dashboard.

  • Bar and Column Charts: Perfect for comparing quantities across categories.

  • Line Charts: Ideal for showing trends over time.

  • Pie Charts: Only use them when showing parts of a whole, and preferably with fewer than 5 categories.

  • Maps: Great for geographic data—just keep them clear and simple.

  • Heat Maps and Scatter Plots: Best for spotting patterns or correlations.


💡 Quick Tip: 



🏁 Conclusion


When building a Tableau dashboard, the goal is simple: make it intuitive, insightful, and fun. Keep things clear, functional, and interactive, and use color, layout, and design elements thoughtfully to create something that’s not only effective but enjoyable to use. Following these best practices will ensure your dashboards are ones that users will not only appreciate but rely on.


So, the next time you design a Tableau dashboard, remember: it’s not just about the data; it’s about how you present it. Make it beautiful, make it intuitive, and above all, make it something your users can’t wait to interact with.


Ready to create the ultimate Tableau dashboard? Take these tips, play around with your designs, and make it your own. Your users will thank you!




📎 Resource Links:



 
 
 

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