Before/After: Simplifying a SaaS Analytics Dashboard for Non-Technical PMs

Design · 6 min read

The original dashboard presented a dense grid of charts, SQL-like filters, and a sidebar of advanced widgets. Usability testing with PMs found they were overwhelmed by configuration options and often exported data to spreadsheets rather than using insights in-product. Key metrics showed low repeat usage and a high reliance on customer support for simple tasks.

Designers established role-based presets: 'Quick Growth', 'Retention Watch', and 'Performance Ops'. Each preset surfaced five prioritized widgets configured with clear CTA cards (e.g., 'Investigate regression'). Chart complexity was reduced—sparklines and concise trend annotations replaced multi-axis combo charts—and interactive storytelling components explained what changed and why it mattered.

Accessibility and color decisions were intentional: colorblind-safe palettes and semantic color usage for states, not categories. After launching the redesign, weekly active users among PMs rose by 42%, time-on-platform focused on insight pages increased by 28%, and support tickets about basic queries dropped 37%. The lesson: make the dashboard do the curating for users who want recommendations rather than raw power features.