A dashboard can become a wall of numbers when it starts with available data instead of the work people are trying to do. Operational screens work better when they reflect the decisions a person needs to make today.
Begin with the work, not the widget
What needs attention now?
Who can act on it?
What context is needed before action?
What can wait until later?
Make status meaningful
Labels such as pending or complete only help when they are connected to a clear state of the work. The screen should reveal what changed and what a person should do next.
A dashboard is an operational surface, not a report with buttons.
— Nimble editorial note
