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

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Michiel van StratenUNICEF Netherlands

• Senior Data Analyst

• UNICEF Netherlands:

• € 48 M fundraising (b-t-c & b-t-b)

• 350K donors

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The playing field

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

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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

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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

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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?