The Mailbox Dashboard syndrom.

design process pitfalls

Let's talk about this Mailbox dashboard below.

I created this dashboard using fake Gmail data. It includes indicators like:

  • total emails received
  • total contacts emailed
  • average response time
  • email classification by category
  • date (day of the month and week)
  • region and country of opening

However, something is off with this dashboard. The way it looks is fine, far from perfect, but ok.

I'm curious to know, after a moment of reflection, what you would improve about this dashboard.

Is there something that stands out to you? Something that seems off?

Join the game: spot at least two things that could be improved.

** Elevator music **

Now that you’ve looked at this dashboard, you’re probably among the majority who focus on aesthetics or features when giving feedback.

But the real issue with this dashboard is:

Who’s actually going to give a flying goat about this dashboard?

The answer : no one.

An email provider should help us access our emails quickly, reply easily, and check them anytime during the day.

Personally, I wouldn't want a page summarizing numbers before accessing my emails.

That's not the purpose of an inbox.

It's the same with your team's data. Some projects or tasks don't need a dashboard just because we have data.

This dashboard is a trap we all fall into sooner or later, creating something that looks fine but ultimately serves no one.

The Mailbox dashboard syndrom is a common issue I see in my work creating dashboards and training data teams.

I always try to bring a critical eye to ensure we only create solutions when they are necessary, useful, and add value to the company.

 

The Dashboard Design Brief

A series of sharp visuals that decode common mistakes in Dashboard Design.

Built for real-world Analytics & BI teams, not design agencies