Here are the key characteristics of a dashboard

• ·         All the visualizations fit on a single computer screen — scrolling to see more violates the definition of a dashboard.
• ·         It shows the most important performance indicators / performance measures to be monitored.
• ·         Interactivity such as filtering and drill-down can be used in a dashboard; however, those types of actions should not be required to see which performance indicators are under performing.
• ·         It is not designed exclusively for executives but rather should be used by the general workforce as effective dashboards are easy to understand and use.
• ·         The displayed data automatically updated without any assistance from the user. The frequency of the update will vary by organization and by purpose. The most effective dashboards have data updated at least on a daily basis.