Category: Data Visualisation

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Data plays a critical role in making informed decisions in today’s rapidly changing world. With mobile devices becoming an inseparable aspect of our daily lives, we are increasingly dependent on them for conducting business-related tasks. As a result, it has become essential to create mobile dashboards that provide easy access to critical data on the go. Power BI mobile apps allow your end users to access any Power BI report page on their device. But reports designed for use on a computer can be difficult to read and interact with on mobile phones.

Therefore, I would like to share some of the best practices that I follow in Power BI to create professional-looking mobile dashboards.

Keep it simple

The first and most important rule of creating a mobile dashboard is to keep it simple. Mobile screens are smaller than computer screens, so it’s essential to focus on the most critical information. Avoid cluttering the dashboard with too many visuals, charts, and tables. Use only the necessary elements that convey the data story.

Plan your dashboard layout

Before you begin creating your dashboard, it’s important to plan out the basic layout. Think about what information you want to present and how you want to present it. You should also consider the target audience and what devices they are likely to use. With this in mind, you can design the dashboard to be mobile-friendly from the beginning.

Use a grid layout

A grid layout is an effective way to organize your dashboard. It helps to maintain a consistent look and feel throughout the dashboard.

Use mobile formatting options

In Power BI, use mobile formatting options to style and format visuals in a mobile-optimized layout without affecting their formatting in a web layout.

Optimize visualizations for mobile

Power BI offers a variety of visualizations; however, not all of them are responsive and suitable for mobile devices. Avoid using visualizations that are too complex or require too much interaction, as they can be difficult to use on a small screen.

Use drill-through navigation

Drill-through navigation allows users to click on a data point to see more detailed information. This feature is particularly useful on mobile devices, as it reduces the need for users to navigate through multiple pages to find what they need.

Test your dashboard

Before publishing your dashboard, test it on multiple devices to ensure that it is mobile-friendly. Make sure that the visuals are easy to read and interact with on a small screen and that the layout is optimized for mobile devices.

Publish your dashboard

Once you’re happy with your mobile-friendly dashboard, you can publish it to the Power BI service. Users can access the dashboard from any device with an internet connection, making it easy to stay up-to-date on the go.

In conclusion, creating a mobile-friendly dashboard in Power BI requires careful planning and consideration of the target audience and device. By following these practices, you can create a professional-looking dashboard that is easy to use and provides valuable insights on any device.

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As a business intelligence analyst, one of the most critical aspects of your job is communicating data insights effectively. To do that, you need to make sure that the data visualizations you create are not only accurate but also engaging and easy to understand. And one of the key factors that can make or break a visualization is the colour scheme.

Colour selection for data visualization is not just about making things look pretty. It’s about making sure that the message you want to convey is clear and easy to understand.

Following are some best practices for colour selection for data visualization.

1. Consider the audience

The first thing you need to consider when choosing colours for your data visualization dashboard is your audience. Who will be looking at your dashboard? What are their preferences? What do they expect to see? For example, if you’re designing a dashboard for a business audience, you may want to use more conservative colours like blues and grays.

2. Use colour to highlight important data points

One of the main goals of data visualization is to draw attention to the most important data points. You can use colour to help you do that. For example, you might use a different colour to highlight a data point that is outside of a normal range or that represents a significant change.

3. Be consistent

Consistency is key when it comes to colour selection for data visualization. You want to make sure that the colours you use are consistent across your dashboard. This not only makes it easier for your audience to understand the information but also makes your dashboard look more professional.

4. Consider colorblindness

It’s important to consider colorblindness when choosing colours for your data visualization. It’s important to make sure that your colour scheme is still easily understandable to those with color vision deficiencies. You can do this by using colour schemes that have high contrast or by using patterns or textures in addition to colour.

5. Use colour sparingly

Colours should be used sparingly in data visualization. Using too many colours can make your dashboard look cluttered and confusing. Stick to a few key colours that work well together, and use them consistently throughout your dashboard.

In conclusion, colour selection for data visualization is a key aspect of developing successful and engaging data visuals.

• Consider your audience
• Use colour to emphasize important data points
• Be consistent
• Consider colour blindness
• Use colour wisely

to create data visualizations that are not only accurate but also visually appealing and easy to understand.