*From the “Data but Make it Personal” series – Part 4
Why Less is More
Starting with Intention
One of the most satisfying feelings of the past few weeks has been getting a Tableau dashboard to just work. When the filters respond the way you expect, the layout holds together, and the charts do what they’re supposed to – it feels like everything clicks into place. Music to my eyes.
But early on, I had a very predictable instinct: More is more. More KPIs. More charts. More interactivity. More insight.
If we can show it, why not put it on the dashboard? Except… that’s not how clarity works. And it’s not how people think.
Just like in life, where too many choices can leave you overwhelmed and exhausted, too much information on a dashboard leads to confusion, not insight. That’s what’s known as decision fatigue – and it applies whether you’re choosing what to cook for dinner… or what to click on in Tableau.
The Power of Focus – In Dashboards and in Life
In the same way we prioritise in life – deciding which tasks actually matter, which inputs we need, which distraction to filter out – a dashboard needs curation. Thoughtful, intentional design that doesn’t just show data, but shows what matters.
Not everything needs to be visualized.
Not every filter needs to be visible.
Not every KPI needs to be in your face.
A good dashboard is not a data dump. It’s a decision-making tool. The goal isn’t to impress – it’s to empower.
And the same is true in life: the best decisions come when we focus on the essentials.
The Technical Bit: Containers, Hierarchy and Layout
Let’s get practical.
In Tableau, one of the most powerful, underrated and –perhaps annoying – tools for reducing clutter and structuring dashboards are containers.
I’ve developed a sort of love-hate relationship with them and still struggle to get them right at the first try, but when I do they make my dashboarding life a lot easier. If you’ve worked with Tableau for more than five minutes, you know layout can get messy fast. That’s where horizontal and vertical containers come in.
Here’s why they’re so useful:
- Structure: Containers help organize charts, legends, filters and titles in a way that respects hierarchy and space.
- Responsiveness: When building dashboards for multiple screen sizes, containers help elements reseize proportionally.
- Clean Interactivity: You can group items logically (like placing all filters in a single horizontal container), making it easier to show/hide sections or format them consistently.
- Design Intent: Containers let you control how users move through a dashboard. Are they meant to read top-down? Explore section by section? Containers help you define that journey.
Think of containers like emotional boundaries: they create order. They tell your layout where things begin and end – so your dashboard doesn’t become a chaotic blob of floating objects.
Less is More (But Not by Accident)
When we build dashboards, we’re not just designing visualizations. We’re designing decisions.
Every extra chart is asking the user to spend a little more energy. Every redundant filter is a micro-question: Do I need this? Should I click it?
Every misaligned label is a cognitive bump in the road.
Over time, these small interruptions add up to fatigue. The user walks away not smarter, but more drained.
The same thing happens in life. When your day is overrun with inputs – news, tasks, noise, people’s opinions – your brain can’t find the signal. You’re operating on autopilot.
What helps in both cases? A good layout. Clear priorities. And containers that hold what matters.
Minimal dashboards don’t happen by chance – they’re the result of smart design choices:
- Choosing your KPIs before you open Tableau
- Using parameters instead of overwhelming filters (where possible)
- Grouping insights into logical sections
- Leaving space for the user to breathe
The same goes for life: focusing your energy doesn’t mean doing less. It means being more strategic about where you apply it.
Because when everything is ‘important’, nothing is. When everything is shown, nothing stands out.
The Final View
What I’ve learned building dashboard – and learning to manage my own decision fatigue – is this:
Clarity isn’t just about knowing what to show. It’s about having the confidence to leave things out.
In data. In dashboards. And definitely in life.
So next time you’re building dashboard – or your to-do list – remember:
Design it like a good decision.
Structure it with purpose.
Use containers.
And leave some space.
