Left to right, top to bottom

Sounds simple.  We all read this way.  Books, posters, signs, and emails all use this format.  Have you ever tried to read something starting at the bottom right?  It’s pretty tough.

If this is such a simple concept, why is it ignored by so many software apps?  The most important stuff should be in the top left of the screen and the least important stuff should be in the bottom right of the screen. 

Dashboards are no different.  There may not be a bunch of words on the screen, but the human eye still processes information this way.  Put the most important metrics first and work from there.

You’d be amazed at how much more your users process and retain.