Design Beautiful Dashboards in AI/BI

2026-06-17 · Source: Databricks · Field: Technology & Digital — Artificial Intelligence & Machine Learning, Data Science & Analytics · Depth: Intermediate, medium

Summary

This article details best practices for designing professional and trustworthy dashboards within Databricks AI/BI, emphasizing brand consistency. It covers creating effective layouts using a flexible 12-column grid, adaptable to 3, 4, or 6 columns based on user needs, and leveraging F- or Z-patterns for information hierarchy. The guide also addresses font selection for tone and readability, recommending sans-serif fonts and high contrast colors, with support for local fonts. Furthermore, it explains defining UI colors using the 60-30-10 rule for dominant, secondary, and accent colors, suggesting neutral backgrounds and per-widget customization. Finally, it outlines building an accessible visualization palette, considering color blindness (affecting 4.5% of the global population) and using tools like Adobe Color for harmony and testing.

Key takeaway

For Data Analysts or Directors of AI/ML building dashboards in Databricks AI/BI, consistently applying brand identity is crucial for earning user trust and improving data comprehension. You should utilize AI/BI's theme capabilities to standardize layouts, fonts, and color palettes across your workspace. Prioritize accessibility by testing color contrast and ensuring visualization palettes are color-blind friendly, transforming raw data into trustworthy, professional insights.

Key insights

Consistent, well-designed dashboards build trust and improve data comprehension through thoughtful layout, typography, and color.

Principles

• Align dashboard layout with user needs.
• Prioritize readability with high-contrast fonts.
• Design color-blind friendly palettes.

Method

Design dashboards by first structuring layout for user needs, then selecting readable fonts with high contrast, defining UI colors using the 60-30-10 rule, and finally building an accessible visualization palette.

In practice

• Use AI/BI's 12-column grid for layouts.
• Test font contrast with Adobe Color.
• Check visualization palettes for color blindness.

Topics

• Databricks AI/BI
• Dashboard Design
• Brand Identity
• Data Visualization
• UI/UX Principles
• Accessibility

Code references

• databricks-solutions/aibi-dashboard-wanderbricks

Best for: Data Analyst, Data Scientist, Director of AI/ML

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Editorial summary, takeaway, and curation by AIssential. Original article published by Databricks.