Data Visualization with Microsoft Power BI

The sheer volume of business data has reached an all-time high. Using visualizations to transform this data into useful and understandable information can facilitate better decision-making. This practical book shows data analysts as well as professionals in finance, sales, and marketing how to quickly create visualizations and build savvy dashboards.

Alex Kolokolov from Data2Speak and Maxim Zelensky from Intelligent Business explain in simple and clear language how to create brilliant charts with Microsoft Power BI and follow best practices for corporate reporting. No technical background is required. Step-by-step guides help you set up any chart in a few clicks and avoid common mistakes. Also, experienced data analysts will find tips and tricks on how to enrich their reports with advanced visuals.

This book helps you understand:

• The basic rules for classic charts that are used in 90% of business reports
• Exceptions to general rules based on real business cases
• Best practices for dashboard design
• How to properly set up interactions
• How to prepare data for advanced visuals
• How to avoid pitfalls with eye-catching charts

Part I. Classic Visuals

Chapter 1. Power Bl Interface and Chart Anatomy

Chapter 2. Visualization Compass: How to Choose Charts Correctly

Chapter 3. Column and Bar Charts

Chapter 4. Pie and Donut Charts

Chapter 5. Treemap

Chapter 6. Timeline Charts

Chapter 7. Tables and Matrices

Chapter 8. KPI Cards

Chapter 9. Slicers and Filters

Chapter 10. Putting It All Together: Dashboard Design Tips

Part I Quiz

Answers

Part II. Trusted Advanced Visuals

Chapter 11. Funnel Chart

Chapter 12. Map

Chapter 13. Tornado Chart

Chapter 14. Waterfall Chart

Chapter 15. Bullet Chart

Chapter 16. Gantt Chart

Chapter 17. Sankey Chart

Chapter 18. Advanced KPI Cards

Part II Quiz

Answers

Part Ill. Risky Advanced Visuals

Chapter 19. Gauges and KPls

Chapter 20. Scatterplots

Chapter 21. Word Cloud

Chapter 22. Decomposition Tree

Chapter 23. Al-Based Visuals

Chapter 24. Radar and Aster Plot

Chapter 25. Chord Diagram

Conclusion

About the Authors

Alex Kolokolov is an expert in Business Intelligence and dashboards. He is CEO and founder of Data2Speak Incorporated, a company providing data analytics services and consulting.

Alex has taught in MBA programs in the USA as part of the Fulbright Program at Florida Atlantic University and Key West University. With over 15 years of practice, Alex has set up hundreds of management reports in production, banks, and trading companies; he’s experienced with software from Microsoft, Qlik, Tableau, and IBM. Based on this experience, he describes universal rules for visualization and working with the requirements of business customers.

Maxim Zelensky, PhD, is a Power BI consultant at Intelligent Business. He is a renowned Microsoft Power BI expert, with a wide range of interests and experience in Microsoft BI and Excel tools. With over 20 years of experience in marketing, sales, and purchasing, Maxim’s knowledge of various business aspects and models allows him to offer solutions that best meet the real needs of the business. Maxim started studying Power Query and Power BI in 2015. He spent a lot of time investigating different aspects of these tools and became one of the most recognized Power BI experts, which led to him being nominated for the Microsoft Most Valuable Professional award. He earned this award in 2018-2022, confirming his level of expertise, community influence, and knowledge sharing