Question

In a nutshell: what sort of applications would be benefit most from the dashboard pattern? And when would you steer clear of the dashboard pattern all together?

Answer 1

It is not possible to provide a definitive answer for this, as it is all based on personal opinion.

I never much liked the dashboard pattern. To quote Juhani Lehtimäki:

The major criticism towards use of dashboards has been that it slows users down on their way to the app’s content. Every time you launch the app you must first tap an icon to get where you want… There might still be use for the dashboard but use for it will be much more limited. In rare cases it might be impossible to select any of the app’s screen as the landing screen. In those cases a dashboard might still be a good option. Also, massively complex apps might make it easier for first time users to get hang of the app by presenting a non-intimidating dashboard instead of an overwhelming screen when they first start the app.

I generally agree with his assessment. The quoted passages come from a post espousing a new pattern, of a side-sliding navigation panel — while this is certainly possible, it is a bit too new for beginner developers in Android IMHO. However, a well-designed action bar can provide similar navigation between major areas of the app without having to route everyone through a dashboard.