Introduction
When designing reviews with Energy BI or another instrument, it’s important to observe particular tips.
IBCS offers a really useful ruleset for this goal.
Nonetheless, whereas some guidelines could be simply carried out utilizing Energy BI options, others can’t.
There are some customized visuals, reminiscent of Zebra BI, which have options to adjust to all IBCS guidelines when visualizing knowledge.
Some guidelines could be carried out with the native characteristic set of Energy BI.
Nonetheless, when visualizing knowledge, the native characteristic set of Energy BI should be utilized in a selected approach to adhere to the IBCS ruleset.
However first, let’s look at the IBCS ruleset.
IBCS Guidelines
The IBCS guidelines consist of seven guidelines:
S (ay) What’s your message?
U (nify) Use a constant notation
C (ondense) Improve data density
C (heck) Make sure that the visualizations observe a typical rule (integrity)
E (xpress) Don’t use fancy visuals — Use easy visuals
S (implify) Take away pointless stuff
S (tructure) Observe a logical construction
In brief: SUCCESS.
I’ve already written an article on this subject. You may get it right here: https://medium.com/cloud-workers/three-simple-rules-for-information-design-52db54864b47
You may go to the IBCS webpage right here: https://www.ibcs.com/ibcs-standards-1-2/.
Sadly, this can be a industrial entity, and you should pay to acquire the entire rule set, together with its accompanying documentation.
I’ll do my greatest to information you on following the principles with out requiring you to know the entire rule set.
Let’s dig into the totally different features of the ruleset.
1. Content material of titles
The titles should describe the content material of a report.
Customers should be capable to perceive what they’re taking a look at by studying the title.
Due to this fact, the title(s) should include the next data:
- Matter
- Enterprise unit
For which enterprise unit are the introduced numbers? - The unit and the scaling
For instance, EUR, USD, Quantity of Models, and so on., and if a scaling is utilized, for example tEUR, if the numbers are for 1000’s of Euros (Divided by 1’000). - The timeframe and the comparability state of affairs
For instance, for the 12 months 2024 and PY or 2025 and FC (Forecast)
As we work with dynamic content material, which adjustments by the person’s choice within the slicers, we should implement dynamic titles.
I recommend setting the primary title for the subject, the enterprise unit, the subtitle for the unit, the scaling, and the timeframe:
I omitted including the scaling to the subtitle, because the slicer to pick it’s instantly beneath. It is a frequent trick to keep away from too prolonged titles or subtitles.
As you possibly can see, I’ve added a lightweight gray background to the report. I take advantage of this to spotlight the visuals and the slicers.
You may increase the trick for decreasing the title size by including slicers for the 12 months and month to the highest of the report. On this method, the chosen interval is seen along with the web page title, and we will keep away from redundancy and complexity for the dynamic title:
1.1. Dynamic Titles
As described earlier than, it’s important that the customers can see what they’re taking a look at from the title or subtitle.
We should create dynamic titles with DAX expressions to show the person’s collection of the slicers within the title or subtitle.
I already wrote an article about this subject: https://medium.com/microsoft-power-bi/creating-dynamic-texts-based-on-hierarchies-in-power-bi-97ff6cf3517e
There, I described the best way to deal with totally different situations, together with creating dynamic titles from hierarchies.
2. Keep away from Redundancy
Usually talking, redundancy is a nasty thought.
Why duplicate what you have already got?
The one motive is for safety or operational causes.
It’s a good suggestion to retailer knowledge in redundant storage. This ensures that if the information is broken in a single location, it stays accessible in one other.
However within the realm of reporting, redundancy stays a nasty thought.
A number of concepts:
- If the report’s title is “Gross sales report”, why would you add “Gross sales over time” within the title of a visible on the identical web page?
- If a line or column chart reveals the months’ names on the X-axis, why add the sentence “over time” or “per thirty days” to the title?
- Why maintain the axis title seen if the content material is comprehensible with out it?
- Should you show gross sales per location, take away any redundant mentions of location, reminiscent of within the reviews and visible title.
These are only some examples of what may cause redundancy on a report web page.
My Tip: After finishing the design of a report, verify it for redundancy. Ask the report shoppers in the event that they perceive what you’re exhibiting on the report, after eradicating the redundancy.
Keep in mind: Shoppers are clever people who can work out what they’re taking a look at with out prolonged descriptions.
Let’s have a look at a nasty instance:
You may see that the “Gross sales” time period is repeated thrice
- In the primary title
- Within the visuals title
- Within the title of the X axis
The identical applies to the nation label.
Once I take away all of the redundancies, it will probably appear to be this:
Now you possibly can see what it appears like after eradicating the redundancies.
Word that I added “Quantity” to the visuals title to make sure that the buyer understands that it’s about cash. If essential, add the foreign money.
I’d add “Amount” if it have been in regards to the amount of offered articles.
By the best way, you may need observed that one thing is lacking from the report proven above. Have you ever seen what?
.
.
.
I didn’t embrace the title and subtitle as described within the first chapter.
This was due to time constraints. Sorry for that.
3. What’s the message?
A message ought to be on the middle of every report (web page).
What might be a message?
- The distinction within the gross sales quantity versus the earlier 12 months
- Or versus the deliberate quantity, just like the forecast or another planning quantity
- The conversion price of a area versus the identical measure over your entire firm
Ultimately, it’s all about evaluating a worth with a reference worth to present that means to a quantity.
One in all my purchasers needed to match the speed of worker turnover by division with the identical price throughout your entire firm.
Every division supervisor was in a position to see if he fared higher or worse than your entire firm.
Energy BI gives two visuals to point out this:
- The KPI Visible
- The brand new card visible (in preview as of the time of writing)
Let’s see what we will do with the brand new card visible:
I highlighted the 2 reference and element values for the comparability with the earlier 12 months for the product group “Digital Cameras”.
When positioned on high of the web page, the buyer will instantly see how the 2 gross sales channels are performing, with no need to view a line chart with too many particulars.
Typically that is sufficient data for the gross sales director or one other supervisor.
We are able to place detailed charts or tables under these two numbers. The patron can determine whether or not the data on the chart is fascinating or not.
Sadly, the Microsoft documentation isn’t updated, regardless of this visible having been accessible for nearly two years now and remaining in Preview.
Watch this video for an intensive description of the brand new card:
And this one to see the newest characteristic additions:
Nonetheless, you possibly can nonetheless use the basic KPI visible for this goal.
The purpose right here is to not present the best way to use this “new” card visible.
The important thing level now’s to prominently show the numbers that matter most to your viewers in a transparent and easy-to-read format.
Take into consideration the way you learn your information.
You begin with the headlines. If you’re within the particulars, you’ll proceed studying the complete article. If not, you go forward. It is a regular human conduct, and we must always take it under consideration when designing our reviews.
4. Coloring columns and bars
Final however not least, let’s speak about colours.
In keeping with IBCS, columns and bars ought to be coloured with the next guidelines:
- Darkish-grey for the present knowledge (Precise 12 months or interval)
- Gentle gray for the earlier 12 months or the earlier interval
- Diagonally hatched for forecast knowledge
- White with a black border for plan or funds knowledge
Different colours are used as follows:
- Black for textual content, axes, and contours
- Inexperienced for a optimistic deviation
- Blue-green for a optimistic deviation supposed for visually impaired or color-blind customers
- Crimson for unfavourable deviation
- Center-Gray for a impartial deviation (When the deviation is neither good nor unhealthy)
I used this when the deviation is, let’s say, between -3 % and three % - Blue for highlighting one thing
Whereas most of those guidelines make sense, some others don’t.
For instance, which coloration can you utilize when evaluating two classes?
For instance: this, when evaluating the present knowledge from totally different continents:
This manner, whereas it conforms with IBCS, you can not distinguish between the three continents.
This may be one other method:
That is higher, because it permits for a transparent distinction between the continents whereas avoiding utilizing overly brilliant colours.
Now, have a look at the next image, which reveals the identical visible, however in grayscale:
Although it’s more durable to learn, it’s nonetheless doable.
This may be one thing that somebody who’s visually impaired sees.
When contemplating all members of your viewers, this is a crucial check to conduct to make sure that everybody can learn and perceive the information.
It is going to be tougher when evaluating a number of classes.
One challenge stays: Easy methods to show the hatched bars or columns?
As of as we speak, that is presently not doable in Energy BI, and I don’t have an answer for this. Speak to your stakeholders to outline a viable answer for this.
I’d use a gray tone to show forecast knowledge. It’s not normal, however it’s a method to attract consideration to it.
However displaying funds knowledge in the suitable method is feasible:
As you possibly can see, that is very straightforward to do.
One shopper makes use of darkish blue as the first firm coloration. We used this coloration as a substitute of black for the information of the present 12 months.
What’s unclear is the best way to deal with the colour when the person selects a earlier 12 months.
The information will now not show the present outcomes, however as a substitute these of the (chosen) earlier 12 months.
In all circumstances, we didn’t make a distinction between these circumstances.
The present 12 months is at all times the chosen 12 months.
This is smart, as IBCS doesn’t outline which coloration the 12 months earlier than the earlier 12 months may have.
There’s yet one more challenge: The coloring guidelines end in a comparatively boring look of the report. I encountered this a number of occasions when implementing these guidelines.
More often than not, we barely deviate from these guidelines whereas avoiding using too many colours. It’s a high-quality line between doing it in “the suitable method” and going a step too far with the colours.
The principle factor is to outline a coloration normal and stick with it. Be certain that colours are used equally for a similar situations and conditions.
Conclusion
IBSC is a really fascinating ruleset.
It might probably make life simpler, because it offers us a tenet on the best way to design our reviews and guarantee good usability. However Energy BI doesn’t have all of the options required to implement the ruleset totally.
I omitted another particulars, which is able to make life even more durable.
There are IBCS-compliant customized visuals, that are extraordinarily useful as they supply a straightforward approach to show deviations with out the necessity to create measures for them.
The 2 main suppliers are Zebra BI and xViz with their Inforiver Visuals.
There are different customized visuals, reminiscent of these from 3AG, which offer some protection of the usual.
If you wish to embark on the street to full IBCS compliance, you possibly can go to their web site to be taught extra about them.
My objective right here was to show what you possibly can obtain with Energy BI’s out-of-the-box options.
I hope that you simply realized one thing.
References
The IBCS web site could be discovered right here: https://www.ibcs.com/
You may discover the Zebra BI Visuals right here: https://zebrabi.com/
Right here is the web site of xViz, with their product suite: https://inforiver.com/
Like in my earlier articles, I take advantage of the Contoso pattern dataset. You may obtain the ContosoRetailDW Dataset without cost from Microsoft here.
The Contoso knowledge could be freely used beneath the MIT License, as described in this document. I modified the dataset to shift the information to modern dates.
