# Dashboard comprehension survey

Check whether readers can interpret a report without guessing.

If nothing was unclear or difficult, say so. Skip questions about steps you did not experience; use not applicable where appropriate.

## 1. What question did you expect this dashboard to answer?

Answer: ____________________

## 2. Which label or chart is unclear?

Answer: ____________________

## 3. What conclusion can you support from the information shown?

Answer: ____________________

## 4. Which context is missing?

Answer: ____________________

## 5. What decision still needs more evidence?

Answer: ____________________

## Author notes / illustrative keys where applicable

1. The reader's intended question establishes whether the dashboard supports the right decision. Compare that need with the measures shown before adding charts or judging the report by appearance.
2. An unclear label or chart identifies where interpretation breaks down. Investigate units, grouping and visual encoding separately so a redesign addresses comprehension rather than decoration.
3. Supported conclusions reveal how readers connect displayed measures to a claim. Look for overinterpretation or missing qualifications; a plausible explanation does not verify the underlying data.
4. Missing context may concern time periods, sample coverage or measurement definitions. Add the relevant qualification beside the display instead of making readers infer it from unrelated documentation.
5. An unresolved decision shows the limits of the report's evidence. Identify the additional observation or comparison required rather than treating a complete-looking dashboard as a complete analysis.

Interpretation caution: A visually attractive dashboard is not necessarily understandable.


## Illustrative finding and follow-up

Observation: Illustrative readers notice a trend but cannot tell which period or audience it covers.

Action to test: Add the relevant context and test whether readers interpret the same measure correctly.

Follow-up: After testing the action, revisit this original observation: Illustrative readers notice a trend but cannot tell which period or audience it covers. Repeat the relevant experience prompts with people who encountered the change. Compare specific explanations and sample differences; do not claim causation from the before-and-after responses.