I’ve been thinking a lot about the importance of visual appeal in Power BI reports. There seems to be a lot of pressure to create visually stunning reports, but do they really need to be beautiful?
Welcome to the Iamdata Solutions Asset Management Newsletter - April 2023
It is true that aesthetics can play a big role in how well a report is received. People are naturally drawn to things that look nice, and a report that is visually engaging can help keep viewers engaged and interested.
However, it is also true that a report doesn’t need to be beautiful to be effective. At the end of the day, the most important thing is that the report conveys the information that needs to be communicated. If the report is able to provide insight and help decision-making, then the aesthetics are less important.
Examples of how aesthetics can enhance the effectiveness of Power BI visuals
There are some instances where beauty might be as important. I've taken this opportunity to show some of the awesome Power BI reports that others have built.
I really enjoy looking through the Microsoft Data Stories Gallery and I've taken the liberty of showing some of my favourites here in my examples.
Click on the images to go to the Power BI Report in the Microsoft Data Stories Gallery.
Heat maps
Heat maps are a popular visual in Power BI that use colour to represent values in a matrix. While heat maps are effective in communicating data, adding design elements such as gradient colour schemes, labels, and borders can make the visual more aesthetically pleasing and easier to read.
I love this proof of concept heat map example built by ray_ux at Soltuion Sage.
Scatter charts
Scatter charts are great for visualizing the relationship between two variables, but adding design elements such as labels, shapes, and colour can help make the chart more engaging and easier to understand.
Here is an awesome Scatter Chart example built by dm-p.
Gauges
Gauges are a great way to visualise progress towards a goal, but adding design elements such as custom colours, labels, and annotations can make the gauge more visually appealing and easier to interpret.
Here's a great example by Morgan Williams where design elements have been added to a gauge visual.
Maps
Maps are a powerful visual in Power BI that can help identify geographic patterns in data. By adding design elements such as custom colours, borders, and labels, you can make the map more engaging and easier to interpret.
In all of these examples, aesthetics play a role in enhancing the visual appeal and readability of the Power BI visual, making it easier for viewers to understand and interpret the data being presented.
Examples of Power BI visuals where the data itself tells the story without relying on aesthetics
The following examples are in the, 'It's what is on the inside that counts' corner.
The data itself is the primary focus of the visual, and additional design elements are not necessary to effectively communicate the information being presented.
Line charts
Line charts are a simple yet effective visual in Power BI that display data points connected by a line. The data itself is often enough to tell the story, without the need for additional design elements.
Tables
Tables are a basic but powerful way to display data in Power BI. While tables may not be as visually engaging as other visuals, the data itself is often enough to convey the necessary information.
Pie charts
Pie charts are a classic visual in Power BI that display data as a proportion of a whole. The data itself is often enough to convey the necessary information, without the need for additional design elements.
Bar charts
Bar charts are a popular visual in Power BI that display data using bars of different lengths. Like line charts, the data itself is often enough to tell the story without the need for additional design elements.
KPIs
KPIs are a powerful visual in Power BI that display a single metric or performance indicator. The data itself is often enough to convey the necessary information, without the need for additional design elements.
While aesthetics can certainly enhance the effectiveness of a visual, they are not always necessary, and the data itself can often tell the story without relying on additional design elements.
Ultimately, I think the answer to this question depends on your specific situation and audience. While aesthetics can certainly enhance the effectiveness of a report, they are not always necessary. The most important thing is to make sure the report is well-designed and effectively communicates the information it needs to convey.
A Power BI Story
I'll share this story with you. Here is a situation where the look of the report was as important to the client as the data.
I was tasked with designing a Power BI report for one of my clients. There were many disparate data sources and it was quite a complex task bringing in the data and building relationships between the various data sources and datasets in Power BI. After a few days I had built some nice visuals that presented their data clearly and the reports were well organised, and to my eyes, it seemed like a job well done. I presented the Power BI report to my client and they were very happy with the design, level of detail, the data was correct, and they liked the visuals I had used. However, they had one small request. They wanted the colours of the charts to be more inline with their organisation's branding.
I thought this would be an easy fix, there were not that many colours in the company's branding. I quickly made some changes. But when I presented the report to the client again, they were still not happy with the colours. I was feeling at a bit of a loss and quite disheartened. On this particular day, it was nearly lunchtime and my puppy was asking me to take him for a walk so I thought I'd give myself a break from the computer and we were soon walking along the local beach. It was while we were walking that I realised Oscar's lead had a couple of colours that were identical to my client's logo colours. I had a light bulb moment. I took a picture of Oscar's lead and used that as my colour pallet for the Power BI Theme colours and made the adjustments accordingly.
I presented the reports to my clients again and this time they were very happy! This was definitely an occasion where the look of the report was just as important as the data it was reporting.
This story also calls out my philosophy to always find the time to get up from your desk and go for a walk. It really does recharge the brain cells. If you ever find yourself struggling with a problem, get yourself outside, walk in the fresh air and just breath. I have found more often than not that allowing myself to step away from the computer and take a break is the quickest and easiest way to figure out the problem.
Here is my beautiful boy, who is always so helpful and great company 💕🐕 💕
What are your thoughts on this topic? Do you think Power BI reports need to be beautiful, or is functionality more important? Let me know!
I have worked on many different projects with my Local Government clients, from designing and developing Power BI Reports, to building SQL Server databases for spatial data, to managing and maintaining the GIS and the Asset Management systems. If you'd like to discuss how we might work together, then please email me at ➡️ jill.singleton@iamdata.solutions
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