Data visualization is the effort to help people understand data by placing it in a visual context. Your Power BI reports are a communication tool. Before designing a report, it is important to consider:
- Who is the intended audience?
- What data (measures, categories, time periods, etc.) are important to them?
- What level of detail do they need to see?
Visualization Types
Certain visualizations are better suited for different scenarios. Below is a list of data visualization types with a few, non-exhaustive list, of examples:
Type | Purpose | Examples |
Categorical | Comparing categories and distributions of quantitative values | Bar chart, column chart |
Hierarchical | Charting part-to-whole relationships and hierarchies | Donut chart, pie chart, treemap |
Relational | Graphing relationships to explore correlations and connections | Chord diagram, heat map |
Temporal | Showing trends and activities over time | Line graph, area graph, calendar |
Spatial | Mapping spatial patterns through overlays and distortions | Dot map, bubble map |
Report Design
When considering report layout, remember that placement is important. Western cultures read from left to right, and top to bottom, so the most important information should be in the top left quadrant of your report page. Slicers and instructional text should occupy this space so consumers can quickly interact with data. The same is true for any legends on a chart.
Report Template
A report template with a built-in color theme can be created. This theme should be used when building your report. If additional colors are needed, shades and tints (darker and lighter colors) from the theme should be selected.
Resources
Books:
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