Problem
A common theme in the Massachusetts Department of Public Health's dashboards was a lack of user engagement and an unclear visual hierarchy. These dashboards often failed to guide users through the data, lacking clear calls to action. They were frequently cluttered with excessive text and lacked sufficient contrast and scale to differentiate key information. Typography was inconsistent and ineffective, failing to utilize whitespace or emphasize important content through font weights. Color usage was similarly ineffective, not aiding in the meaningful communication of data.
The primary users are epidemiologists internal to the bureau seeking to understand needs and assets to guide internal decisions around resource allocation, partnership outreach, and recommendation development.
SOLUTION
The primary goal of the redesign was to minimize cognitive load, thereby improving users' ability to accurately interpret critical health data, ultimately supporting better decision-making and public health outcomes. To address these issues, color was employed strategically as a signifier to communicate an ordinal scale. This approach allows users to immediately identify critical challenge areas affecting the risk assessment score. The same color scheme was applied to graphs, enabling users to quickly assess the "health" of the data at a glance. This consistency in color usage creates a cohesive visual language across the dashboard.
Filtering capabilities were added to offer the user the ability to narrow down data and to surface the most relevant results. This interactivity enhances the user experience by providing flexibility and control over the information displayed, catering to both high-level overviews and detailed analysis.
Social Vulnerability (SVI) refers to the demographic and socioeconomic factors (such as poverty, lack of access to transportation, and crowded housing) that adversely affect communities that encounter hazards and other community-level stressors.
In addition to refining color use, the design eliminated unnecessary visual clutter, often referred to as "chart junk." Gridlines, ticks, and axis titles were removed, as these elements can distract from the core data. Instead, essential information was conveyed through clear and concise main titles and subtitles, guiding the user’s focus directly to the key data points.
Visual hierarchy was further established by prioritizing key metrics and placing them in prominent positions on the dashboard. Important information was highlighted through the use of larger, bold fonts and contrasting colors, while less critical data was displayed in smaller, lighter text. This approach ensures that users can quickly discern the most vital information without feeling overwhelmed. Whitespace was deliberately utilized to separate different sections of the dashboard, reducing visual noise and helping to guide the user's eye through the information in a logical sequence. Consistent spacing and alignment of elements contributed to a clean and organized appearance, making the dashboard more user-friendly.
