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I came across many websites that use 14px for the content in the dashboard and outside i.e Website's homepage tends to use a bigger font size.

So the question is a) What is the ideal font size for the dashboard? Is there any standard rule? b) Why do many websites opt for even font sizes?

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From a pure usability perspective, I believe the ideal size will be the smallest size that is perceived by your users to be easily scannable and legible. Consider that:

  1. Different fonts will render at different pixel sizes. See this artice on x-height.
  2. Color contrast will determine legibility as well. White on yellow will be less legible than black on white. Even if you present your fonts at 24px. The WCAG provides a set of guidelines for this, among which specific articles on contrast.
  3. Visual impairments are more prevalent among older users. See this article on presbyopia. Do you cater to a younger demographic? Then you can 'get away' with smaller text and fainter contrast.

If you want a quick and safe option, I'd recommend that you visit Google Fonts and pick one that actually renders at 16px minimum. Then stick to the rest of the WCAG recommendations.

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Fair question!

  • a) It is generally agreed that 16px is a good minimum size for body text (Source). Body text refers to a continuous long text, like this answer here. So this does not mean that all text ever needs to be 16px, but it gives you a hint that your smallest font should probably be 14px or 12px or maybe 10px but not like, 4px. Dashboards often have the pragmatic need to wedge a lot of data into the view port, so something's got to give. Making text smaller is one of those compromises. As dashboards are usually expert tools, this is alright: As long as it is possible to zoom in (for initial understanding for people users with visual impairments), user will memorize axis labels and legends they look at often anyways. That said, if you don't have the need to make text small, bigger is generally better (within reason).
  • b) Anyone feel free to correct one, but I am pretty sure it's the same reason we put our stereo volume on even numbers. Our weird brains like it. Would be cool to find out why, but I don't think the reason will be very UX-related ;)
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1 - I suggest you determine what type of dashboard you want to build.

  • Operational dashboards.
  • Strategic and executive dashboards.
  • Analytical dashboards.

Each of these contains more or less data and is intended for a different use and display (computer, mobile, TV?) For example, dashboards for the sales team displayed on a TV need to use larger fonts, some of which can be read at 50 feet...

2 - I recommend 16px and 14px min, but it depends on your font. The best advice is to create a user interface that allows the user to find their data in less than 5 seconds.

3 - Find a good monospaced font with no variable heights.

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