Same panel used in multiple dashboards

Question

I was wondering if there is some best practice describing if to use the same element multiple times on different (element composed) screens. To me, it is information redundancy and having may paths to one goal is confusing. What do you think, do you do that and why or why not?

Answer 1

Information redundancy is fine

Could you imagine an internet that didn't allow anything to repeat ever? Repeating the same information on different screens or pages is perfectly fine as long as it is relevant to the current task at hand.

Information overload is not fine

Having a single page that focuses on a single task or call to action reduces cognitive friction (helps users not have to think so much)

Don't add the same panel from one screen onto another screen unless it will help the majority of users complete the current task at hand.

If adding a panel from one screen will help the user accomplish their task on a different screen then by all means put it in both places. (we are about making people's lives easier after all)

Here are some related answers from similar questions

• Having multiple ways of performing the same action is fine

• Having slightly different ways of doing the same thing on the same page isn't desirable.