For Day 2 of Dashboard Week, I chose to redesign an existing dashboard with neurodiversity in mind—focusing especially on dyscalculia, a learning difference that affects how people process numbers.
The original dashboard I worked on... well, I wish I could show it to you. But it contained sensitive data, so I can’t share any screenshots or final outputs. Just trust me—it was bad. But now? It’s way better. Promise 😄
What Went Wrong in the Original Dashboard (The Neurodiverse Nightmare)
As someone who cares about accessibility and making data inclusive, here’s what stood out:
- Numbers were all over the place—some were in “3M,” some in “£4,000,” others in “10K.” There was no consistency.
- Cramped visuals—labels overlapping, charts squashed together, and lines flying in all directions.
- Filters were scattered in between the charts—making it harder to know what you were even looking at.
- Rotated numbers and tiny fonts made it hard to read.
- KPIs weren’t grouped or aligned, making it difficult to interpret what mattered most.
For anyone, this could be confusing. For someone with dyscalculia or other neurodiverse traits, this could be a complete roadblock.
The Fix: Designing for All
So I stripped it back and rebuilt with a focus on clarity and consistency.
Here's what I did:
- ✅ Consistent number formats – full numbers only without additional symbols (e.g., “3,000,000” instead of "£3M), with units clearly labeled in headers rather than repeated in each chart.
- ✅ Simplified layout – KPIs now sit neatly at the top, grouped and aligned, making it easier to read and compare at a glance.
- ✅ Filters pane – moved all filters into one neat dropdown panel to reduce visual noise.
- ✅ Improved readability – no more rotated or squashed numbers. Everything is horizontal, well-sized, and evenly spaced with utilisation of tooltips to display numbers within instead of overloading charts containing dozens of data points with labels.
- ✅ Clean charts – removed excess lines and clutter, relied on color legends and spacing to help guide the eye.
- ✅ Logical grouping – used whitespace and structure to guide user flow from top to bottom.
- ✅ Added padding – gave elements breathing room so nothing feels overwhelming or cluttered. Space helps the brain process.
What I Learned
Redesigning with neurodiversity in mind is about removing barriers so everyone—regardless of how they process information—can engage with the data.
Some golden rules I’ll take forward:
- Don’t assume “shortcuts” like ‘K’ or ‘M’ are helpful—they often just create confusion.
- Keep things aligned, consistent, and uncluttered.
- Design with empathy—not everyone sees or processes data the way you do.
If just a few changes can make a dashboard easier to use for someone with dyscalculia, then it’s a better dashboard for everyone.