What is a dashboard UI?
Dashboard UI's are designed to provide rapid contextual information regarding some higher task or goal, to which the majority of the user's attention is directed. This stands in high contrast with regular desktop applications, where the UI is (usually) designed to fulfill a specific task or goal in itself.
What is a good dashboard design?
Great dashboards are clear, intuitive, and customizable.
They communicate information quickly. They display information clearly and efficiently. They show trends and changes in data over time. They are easily customizable. The most important widgets and data components are effectively presented in a limited space.