Interaction Design: Dashboards and Visualization
Design clearer, accessible dashboards that communicate data effectively
Interaction Design: Dashboards and Visualization distills interaction-design and visual-design principles into a focused course that helps practitioners turn complex data into readable, actionable dashboards. It emphasizes identifying user goals, choosing appropriate chart types, and applying color, layout, and hierarchy so visualizations communicate meaning rather than merely decorate.
Learners receive concise, practical guidance on dashboard interactivity, tabular presentation, and reducing visual noise, with an orientation toward product and business use cases. This makes it a pragmatic choice for UX designers, product managers, and data professionals who want immediately usable heuristics for clearer data visualization.
At a Glance
Interaction Design: Dashboards and Visualization is a concise online course that focuses on applying interaction-design and visual-design principles specifically to dashboards and data visualizations. Taught by Diane Cronenwett, the course walks through identifying user goals, choosing chart types, using color strategically, arranging layout and hierarchy, and planning dashboard interactivity and tabular presentation.
| Level | Intermediate |
| Rating | 4.7 out of 5 |
| Duration | 40+ minutes |
| Languages | English |
| Certificate | Certificate of Completion |
| Access | Access for as long as your subscription is active |
| Course includes |
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| Price | Subscription-based; monthly or annual plans (first-month free trial available) |
What This Course Teaches
This course frames outcomes as applied interaction-design competencies that learners can use to create clearer, more effective dashboards and visualizations in professional contexts.
By the end of the course, learners will be able to translate user goals into prioritized metrics, select and justify chart types, apply accessible color decisions, design clear layout and hierarchy, and plan dashboard interactivity and tabular presentations.
How the Course Is Structured
The course is presented as a compact sequence of short video lessons grouped under an introduction, four themed modules, and a brief conclusion, totaling 21 distinct lessons in the published syllabus.
The full runtime is about 43 minutes overall, and the structure favors short, focused units that can be watched in one session or revisited individually.
Curriculum overview
01 Introduction ▾
Sets up the course goals and frames the role of dashboards and visualization in communicating data effectively.
02 1. Graph Fundamentals ▾
Introduces core graph principles and how to think about displaying the right information for a purpose.
03 Displaying the right data ▾
Covers criteria for choosing which metrics and dimensions to surface to match user needs and goals.
04 Common graph types ▾
Surveys common chart forms and when each is appropriate for revealing patterns or comparisons.
05 More common graphs ▾
Extends the survey of chart types with additional examples and selection guidance.
06 Cautionary charts and elements ▾
Highlights common misleading or noisy chart elements to avoid and how to preserve clarity.
07 2. Color Deep Dive ▾
Introduces color theory and practical rules for applying color effectively in dashboards.
08 Color foundations ▾
Explains basic color concepts and how they affect perception and emphasis in visuals.
09 Color use ▾
Demonstrates practical color choices for highlighting, grouping, and maintaining visual consistency.
10 Color accessibility ▾
Covers accessibility checks and strategies for choosing palettes that remain legible to all users.
11 3. Applied Visual Design ▾
Focuses on layout, hierarchy, and design techniques that make dashboards easier to scan and act on.
12 Layout and hierarchy ▾
Explains composition strategies to prioritize information and guide visual flow across a dashboard.
13 Dashboard interactivity ▾
Introduces interaction patterns that reveal detail on demand and support exploratory analysis.
14 Reducing graph visual noise ▾
Shows techniques to simplify visuals by removing unnecessary elements and sharpening focus.
15 4. Putting It Together ▾
Guides learners through integrating conceptual, layout, and visual decisions into a coherent dashboard plan.
16 Conceptualizing a dashboard ▾
Covers early-stage sketching and framing to align metrics, audience, and intended actions.
17 Layout considerations ▾
Discusses placement, grouping, and spacing decisions that support clear comparisons and workflows.
18 Visual design considerations ▾
Addresses typography, color accents, and visual affordances that reinforce hierarchy and readability.
19 Dashboard interactivity ▾
Shows how to combine interactions with layout to allow users to explore and filter relevant views.
20 Conclusion ▾
Wraps up key takeaways and suggests next steps for applying the course principles to real dashboards.
21 Goodbye ▾
Final closing remarks and encouragement to practice the demonstrated techniques.
Audience & Requirements
The course targets professionals who design or specify dashboards and those who need to communicate data clearly within product or business contexts. It is aimed at UX/interaction designers, data/BI practitioners, and product roles who want practical guidance on chart choice, color, layout, and interaction for dashboards.
- UX and interaction designers refining dashboard and visualization workflows.
- Data analysts and BI professionals responsible for internal reporting dashboards.
- Product managers and designers who define success metrics and reporting surfaces.
- Visual designers and stakeholders who need to present data with clarity and accessibility.
- Basic familiarity with common chart types and interpreting metrics.
- No coding or specialized analytics software required; content is primarily design-focused.
- Access to the platform via a LinkedIn Learning subscription or institutional access.
Final Verdict
This is a compact, design-focused course that delivers clear, applicable guidance for improving dashboard clarity and interactivity. For UX designers, data analysts, and product professionals seeking a time-efficient primer on visual and interaction decisions, the course is a worthwhile, practical investment.
Given its strong learner rating, positive community feedback, and the inclusion of a platform certificate combined with subscription access, it represents good value for professionals who want usable heuristics rather than hands-on tooling or deep analytics training. If you need a short, expert-led overview to sharpen dashboard decisions, this course is recommended; if you require in-depth tool-based instruction or extensive hands-on projects, look for a longer, lab-focused offering instead.
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