The Design and Applications of Dashboards Used in Electrical and Power Systems

There are numerous ways of displaying data to be analyzed and interpreted professionally, but few are well-shaped with the process, the key indicators, and the needs of the users. In this paper, the following will be presented: the different ways in which data can be visualized, the main elements which constitute a modern dashboard, the impact of data visualization on the users of the dashboard, and the decision-making process. A dashboard can be described as a tool that incorporates different indicators used by its designated users to aid them in the process of taking appropriate actions toward the achievement of the performance goals of a company. It is a tool that measures performance but can also predict imminent risks and impact the safety levels of the company workers and assets. The following are some of the main characteristics that are going to be presented in this paper: including key process indicators, callings attention to important results and findings, using a data representation model based on the grouping of different relevant indicators, guiding the user to be user-friendly and intuitive, creating different visualization models (for example graphs, pie charts, and icons) to help the user understand the data presented. The most favorable role of a dashboard is to impact its user decision-making action positively. The design, placement, and functionality of the different elements of a dashboard, for example, the graphs, icons, and indicators, must be carefully considered and planned. In this paper, each element that comprises a dashboard, and the different ways of creating it will be surveyed. In the final chapter, a compelling design philosophy for creating such a tool will be summarized.