Post on 08-Jul-2020
10 fouten die ik maakte met het maken van Power BI rapportages
- die jij nu kunt vermijden
Michiel van Straten
Senior Data Analist
UNICEF Netherlands
MET DANK AAN ONZE PARTNERS
MET DANK AAN ONZE PARTNERS
10 mistakes I made with developing Power BI reports - that you now can avoid
Session objectives:
• To learn about ‘best practices’ with the help of ‘bad practices’
• To help you preparing yourself in preparing reports
• To comfort you
Session Agenda
Introduction
10 mistakes
Comments
Questions
PowerBIWorldTour.com #PBIWorldTour
Michiel van StratenUNICEF Netherlands
• Senior Data Analyst
• UNICEF Netherlands:
• € 48 M fundraising (b-t-c & b-t-b)
• 350K donors
UNICEF Netherlands Marketing
Dimensions:
• 2 businesses (b-t-c & b-t-b)
• 3 drivers (Acquisition, Growth, Retention)
• 6 channels (TLM, DM, EM, Online, FtF, Mobile)
• 10 suppliers (of donors and data)
• 15 Marketers/fundraisers
• 25 years of database-history
• 6K campaigns
• 350 K donors
Our dashboard legacy
PowerBIWorldTour.com #PBIWorldTour
The 10 mistakes(Just ten. I made more.)
10 mistakes I made with developing Power BI reports:1. Start small
Why start small?• Easy• Accessible• (And I was eager to produce)
Why might this have been a mistake?• Well: small• Not much added value• Not spectacular, not appealing• Not a good seller of Power BI?
10 mistakes I made with developing Power BI reports:2. Start big
Why start big?• Complete• Valuable• Different insights, one source• (And I was eager to produce)
Why might this have been a mistake?• A lot of work• A lot of time• Too much of a good thing• Not a good seller of Power BI?
10 mistakes I made with developing Power BI reports:3. Develop according to the needs of users
Why listen to users?• It’s their report• They know what they want• A good seller of Power BI• (And I was eager to please)
Why could this have been a mistake?• Users know what they know• Not every wish is possible• I am an analyst and a consultant• Wishes did not inspire strategy
10 mistakes I made with developing Power BI reports:4. Use reports for strategy-development
Why strategy development?• We want to develop strategy• This is a great opportunity• A good seller of Power BI• (And I was eager to inspire)
Why might this have been a mistake?• This was not on the wish-list• Takes the attention away from KPI• Produces a very large report• A show-stopper for Power BI?
10 mistakes I made with developing Power BI reports:5. Develop definitions along the way
Why develop along the way?• Lack of definitions• It is fast• Good starting point• (And I was eager to progress)
Why might this have been a mistake?• Discussions about definitions• Takes attention away from output• Disbelief in value of all output• A good show-stopper for Power BI
10 mistakes I made with developing Power BI reports:6. Use widespread and well-known definitions
Why use readymade definitions?• It is easy• It is recognizable• It is the core of central
reporting
Why might this have been a mistake?• Discussions about definitions• Can take a lot of developing-time
(specially with the Dutch)• Slows deployment of reports
10 mistakes I made with developing Power BI reports:7. Show spectacular visuals!
Why use spectacular visuals?• They’re spectacular!• They’re fun!• They contain a lot of
information
Why might this have been a mistake?• They take study-time• Do they distribute information?• They can frighten users
10 mistakes I made with developing Power BI reports:8. Avoid manual manipulation
Why avoid manual manipulation?• It is very time-consuming…• … over and over again• Users do understand, don’t
they?
Why might this have been a mistake?• It generates a threshold for users…• … over and over again• Do users understand? Do they try?
10 mistakes I made with developing Power BI reports:9. Assume ease-of-use
Why assume ease-of-use?• Because it is so easy to use!• So you can continue
developing• Users are just like you, aren’t
they?
Why might this have been a mistake?• Users exist in all shapes, kinds and
forms• Some are like you, but not all• Worst case: you don’t spread your
message
10 mistakes I made with developing Power BI reports:10. Use Excel as a data-source
Why use excel as a data-source?• Because it is there• And it is widely used• Users maintain the excel file• Agreements on use
Why might this have been a mistake?• Changes in excel makes PBI fail• This causes time needed for repair• Slows down deployment
PowerBIWorldTour.com #PBIWorldTour
10 mistakes I made with developing Power BI reports - that you now can avoid
1. Start small2. Start big3. Develop according to the needs of users4. Use reports for strategy-development5. Develop definitions along the way6. Use widespread and well-known definitions7. Show spectacular visuals8. Avoid manual manipulation9. Assume ease-of-use10. Use Excel as a data-source
Mistakes?
Maybe the ‘mistakes’ do really represent choices to be made
PowerBIWorldTour.com #PBIWorldTour
10 mistakes I made with developing Power BI reportsHow would I now approach these issues?
1. Start small - Yes, in areas I still have to discover the content/data myself2. Start big - Yes, in subjects I have expertise in and know my way around
- Yes, with reports on datasources that need a lot of preparation
3. Develop according to the needs of users - Ofcourse, if their needs are need-to-have for their daily business4. Use reports for strategy-development - If that is what you think your organization needs
5. Develop definitions along the way - If necessary. Create agreement along the way too.6. Use widespread and well-known definitions - Preferably.
7. Show spectacular visuals - Better create insights.
8. Avoid manual manipulation - I was in favor. But changed my mind.
9. Assume ease-of-use - Do not. Support your users whenever needed.
10. Use Excel as a data-source - Only if unavoidable.
Thank you for your attention.
Do you have any questions?