Dashboards

Name:

Date:

Class:

Quick Questions

Shade in the A or B circle for each question.

1. Which best describes a dashboard?

A A single screen combining charts, tables and key figures to monitor data at a glance

B A long document that explains one idea in many paragraphs

2. Where do key figures (like total sales or attendance today) usually go on a dashboard?

A Hidden at the bottom after all the charts

B At the top, where they are seen first

3. A school dashboard shows attendance rate, a line chart by week and a table of absences, all on one screen. Is this a dashboard?

A Yes, it combines key figures, a chart and a table on one screen

B No, a dashboard can only contain one chart

4. Which is the main purpose of a dashboard?

A Telling a long story with a beginning, middle and end

B Monitoring data at a glance, such as daily sales

5. Several linked charts on a dashboard means that:

A Choosing a value in one chart can update the other charts

B Every chart must show a completely different data set that never changes

Match the Pairs

Draw a line connecting each item on the left to its match on the right.

Left column		Right column
1dashboard		ADashboard = monitor \| Infographic = storytelling
2key figure: Total sales = $12,450		BKey figures should be at the top of a dashboard, and the dashboard should fit on a single screen rather than spread over many pages.
3A dashboard shows several linked charts that update together when the viewer filters the data		CA headline number placed at the top of a dashboard so the viewer sees the most important value first
4A dashboard is for monitoring data at a glance, while an infographic is for telling a story		DThis describes storytelling, not a dashboard. A dashboard combines charts, tables and key figures on one screen for monitoring.
5Dashboard layout: key figures at the bottom, hidden below 5 pages of text		EA single screen that combines charts, tables and key figures so a viewer can monitor data at a glance
6Dashboard = one long story with a start, middle and end, read page by page		FSlicer: Year 10 -> updates bar chart, line chart and table

Definitions

dashboard

Fill in the Blanks

Complete each line of code by filling in the missing parts.

=___(Data!C2:C50)

=_______(Data!C2:C50)

=_______(Data!D2:D50,"Late")

=___(Data!C2:C50)

=__(B1<50,"Low","OK")

Spot the Error

Shade in the letter of the line that contains an error.

Question 1

A Purpose: tell one long story

B Key figures: total, average

C Chart 1: sales by store

Question 2

A Dashboard: Canteen sales

B Total: =SUM(B2:B31)

C Average: =COUNT(B2:B31)

D Highest: =MAX(B2:B31)

Question 3

A Hide key figures on page 5

B Place charts below them

C Keep it all on one screen

Question 4

A Data: Sales table

B Slicer: Region

C Chart 1 uses Staff table

D Chart 2 uses Sales table

Question 5

A Dashboard: Daily temperature

B Chart 1: pie for trend

C Chart 2: table of readings

Answer Key

Dashboards

Section A: Quick Questions

A — A single screen combining charts, tables and key figures to monitor data at a glance

B — At the top, where they are seen first

A — Yes, it combines key figures, a chart and a table on one screen

B — Monitoring data at a glance, such as daily sales

A — Choosing a value in one chart can update the other charts

Section B: Match the Pairs

dashboard → A single screen that combines charts, tables and key figures so a viewer can monitor data at a glance

key figure: Total sales = $12,450 → A headline number placed at the top of a dashboard so the viewer sees the most important value first

A dashboard shows several linked charts that update together when the viewer filters the data → Slicer: Year 10 -> updates bar chart, line chart and table

A dashboard is for monitoring data at a glance, while an infographic is for telling a story → Dashboard = monitor | Infographic = storytelling

Dashboard layout: key figures at the bottom, hidden below 5 pages of text → Key figures should be at the top of a dashboard, and the dashboard should fit on a single screen rather than spread over many pages.

Dashboard = one long story with a start, middle and end, read page by page → This describes storytelling, not a dashboard. A dashboard combines charts, tables and key figures on one screen for monitoring.

Section C: Definitions

dashboard — A single screen that combines charts, tables and key figures so a viewer can monitor data at a glance, such as sales or attendance.

Section D: Fill in the Blanks

=SUM(Data!C2:C50)

=AVERAGE(Data!C2:C50)

=COUNTIF(Data!D2:D50,"Late")

=MAX(Data!C2:C50)

=IF(B1<50,"Low","OK")

Section E: Spot the Error

A — A dashboard is used to monitor data at a glance, not to tell a long story. Line 1 should say the purpose is to monitor weekly sales.

C — COUNT only counts how many cells hold numbers. The average key figure needs =AVERAGE(B2:B31).

A — Key figures belong at the top of the dashboard where the viewer sees them first. Hiding them on another page defeats the point of an at-a-glance view.

C — Linked charts must use the same data so a slicer updates them together. Chart 1 should use the Sales table, like Chart 2.

B — A trend over time is best shown with a line chart. A pie chart shows parts of a whole, so it should be a line chart.