Database Reference
In-Depth Information
3. Don't steal the spotlight from the data. The data should still take center stage and be
the focal point of the dashboard.
With those rules of thumb in mind, let's consider two similar dashboards shown in
Fig-
ure 14-13
that show CCTV (closed-circuit television) camera locations as provided by the
city of
Glasgow's Open Data site
.
Figure 14-13. A Dashboard with and without a custom header image
The basic text box header on the left does the job, but it certainly doesn't draw in any read-
ers. In contrast, let's consider the Dashboard with the custom header image on the right:
▪ The custom header image on the right is created using a custom “spy” font to convey the
sense of surveillance, and it includes an image of a security camera to add additional
context.
▪ For readers who are unfamiliar with the acronym “CCTV,” the camera image provides
useful information about the topic of the Dashboard at a glance.
▪ The camera doesn't occlude (cover or block) any data points, and it actually points direc-
tly at the data, such that the eye bounces from the camera to the map itself.
