# Dashboard Information Architecture

> Designs page hierarchy, navigation, section structure, and drill paths for analytics webspaces and operational dashboards. Use when translating dashboard requirements into page architecture, app shell design, or drill-down flows.

- Skill: `bkjohn2018/dashboard-information-architecture` (Agent Skill)
- Install (CLI): `npx skillmds@latest add bkjohn2018/dashboard-information-architecture`
- Raw SKILL.md: https://api.skillmd.com/api/skills/bkjohn2018/dashboard-information-architecture/raw
- Safety review: pending
- Works with: Claude Code, Claude.ai, OpenAI Codex
- Category: Data & Analytics
- Author: bkjohn2018 (https://skillmd.com/u/bkjohn2018)
- Updated: 2026-09-21
- Page: https://skillmd.com/skills/bkjohn2018/dashboard-information-architecture

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# Dashboard Information Architecture

## When to Use
- A dashboard needs to become a multi-page webspace.
- The team has sections/cards but no page hierarchy.
- Navigation, drill paths, and page responsibilities are unclear.

## Workflow
1. Start from user decisions and define top-level page types.
2. Organize the experience into global nav, local nav, and in-page sections.
3. Assign each KPI card, list, and visual a destination or drill behavior.
4. Separate overview, investigation, transaction/detail, and administration surfaces.
5. Validate that users can move from summary -> diagnosis -> action without dead ends.

## Page Pattern Defaults
- Overview page for status, trends, and exceptions.
- Domain detail pages for workflow stages or governed entities.
- Object detail pages for records like controls, issues, evidence, or metrics.
- Optional admin/config pages for standards, mappings, thresholds, and ownership.

## Output Template
```markdown
# Dashboard IA Spec

## Global navigation
- ...

## Page map
| Page | Purpose | Primary user | Main actions |
|---|---|---|---|

## Section hierarchy
- Top band:
- Middle analytical band:
- Operational band:
- Right rail / support panel:

## Drill paths
- Card -> Detail page
- Trend chart -> Filtered list
- Exception count -> Issue queue
```

## Quality Checklist
- Every top-level page has a distinct responsibility.
- Drill paths are explicit and purposeful.
- Navigation mirrors the operating model, not just the data model.
- Users can get from signal to action in a few steps.