City Health Dashboard’s 2026 Revamp: Website Updates Guided by Users, for Users

Since the City Health Dashboard launched in 2018, we've been committed to centering users’ interests and needs. We consider user experience in every decision, from metric selection to feature development. This year, we’ve taken our commitment to responding to user input one step further – and we are thrilled to announce a major update to the Dashboard’s website design!

While the Dashboard has evolved steadily over time, its basic interface has remained fairly consistent since the site's launch. We've added features, content, and metrics – but have not refreshed the framework that guides users through the Dashboard. As our audience has grown and our understanding of users' experience has deepened, we sought to improve their experience by updating the site’s appearance and design. This latest website update therefore reflects our ongoing commitment to centering users’ input in the continued development of Dashboard.

The changes we've made are more than a visual refresh. We have updated the layout and design of the homepage, side menu, visual icons, and metric detail page. In this blog, we'll walk you through the changes and the thinking behind them.

A Two-Part Approach

In early 2025, we launched a dedicated initiative to better understand the data needs of people who use the Dashboard and where improvements were needed.

1. Accessibility Audit – First, we conducted a comprehensive review of the site to ensure the Dashboard is easy-to-use for as many people as possible. As part of that, we also considered the perspective of users with color blindness or visual impairments- including color contrast on maps, font readability, and iconography. This drove updates to the website such as:

   • More accessible icons and symbols

   • Consistent style across pages

   • Improved headers

   • Clearer navigation cues

2. Usability Testing – Next, we recruited participants to engage in moderated virtual sessions. Users were asked to complete a variety of tasks on the Dashboard while sharing feedback about the ease or difficulty of the tasks. We emerged from these sessions with a better understanding of the website’s strengths as well as where potential barriers exist for users as they navigate the site.

A Reimagined Homepage Users resoundingly asked for more context when they land on the Dashboard homepage. So, we made changes to the homepage intended to help visitors more quickly understand the Dashboard's mission, partners, and offerings.

The main shifts include:

• Descriptive text on the homepage to explain what the Dashboard is and how it can be used. Visual elements and easy-to-navigate pathways guide users to the About page for more details.

• Greater visibility for our partners, funder, and for the Dashboard team to establish its expertise and to provide additional context.

• A simplified and modernized site menu with more intuitive dropdown navigation.

• Making it easier to find out what’s new on the Dashboard, including Impact Stories, Blogs, Take Action resources, and upcoming events.

Metric Detail Page Improvements

The metric detail page was another area where user feedback drove significant changes to make the information easier to access.

Key updates include:

• Relocated “View City Overview” link at the top of the metrics list.

• Added a “Contact Us” option to every metric page to make it easier for users to reach out to our team with questions or feedback.

• Modernized design elements like page headers and reduced whitespace.

• Replaced “chevron” design elements with buttons for a smoother, more intuitive user experience.

Down the line, we intend to improve the demographic detail page, and the Take Action page is also being overhauled to enhance the resources we offer users. User-informed improvements are ongoing!

Please reach out to our team at [email protected] with questions or comments, we'd love to hear from you.