How are dashboards characterized compared to applications?

Dashboards are primarily designed as visual representation tools to summarize and present data efficiently. They are typically consumed in a read-only format, allowing users to quickly assess key metrics and insights without making alterations to the underlying data. This read-only characteristic emphasizes their role in data observation rather than active manipulation, which is a fundamental difference from applications that often allow for data input, processing, or complex interactions.

In contrast, applications may accommodate a broader range of functionalities, including executing operational tasks or enabling user-generated content, while dashboards focus on displaying information clearly and concisely. The other options blur this distinction. For instance, dashboards can offer some level of interactivity through filters or drill-downs, but this does not define their primary characteristic. Also, they are not solely focused on real-time data; historical data and summarized reports can be integrated into dashboards as well. Consequently, the defining feature of dashboards, as seen in option C, is primarily their read-only approach, making it clear that users are assessing data rather than altering it.