Continuous Improvement and Power BI - a Snapshot

As leaders and decision makers, you know that current, relevant data about your business is critical to be able to assess where you’re at and what you need to do.

Add in a Continuous Improvement focus and you’re also asking yourself, “What can be done better to get us there more efficiently, more effectively, and with a greater impact to the bottom line?" Equally important to know is how you’re doing compared to your past performance and where that trend line is heading.

Hundreds of saved files and Excel spreadsheets, incongruent data, and processes that require you to clean up and dig around for information is just not going to cut it in today’s business environment. You need to be able to determine how you’re measuring up Now so you can set appropriate direction for your team.

 One solution to all of that is Power BI.

Data visualization can be a total game changer when done right. It can present your numbers in a visually appealing and meaningful way that lets you assess your performance at a glance and provides interactive depth if you need to drill down. Exit stage left the messy data and the colorless spreadsheets.

Now don’t get me wrong, I am a die hard Excel fan, through and through. I continue to use Excel and I stand by its usefulness in both a personal and professional sense. I love to invest in taking my Excel skills to the next level with Pivot Tables, DAX, Macros, and the like. When it comes to Power BI, I find that the program in no way replaces the use of Excel but serves to enhance its value.

However, a shiny new tool does not equate to valuable results, especially if you don’t know how to maximize its benefits. For a learning tool like Power BI to bring value to your organization, you need to be familiar with:

1.  Your current data management processes and where your data originates
2. Your KPI’s and how they impact your bottom line
3. Your end game and the strategy you're using to get there

From a technical standpoint, if you’re wanting to give this tool a shot, I’d recommend “Microsoft Power BI - Up & Running With Power BI Desktop”, a course by Maven Analytics found on Udemy.com. It’s very hands-on and gives you what you need to create powerful, high quality BI visuals and dashboards that you and your team can use to easily navigate the otherwise abstract and bland information many of us are accustomed to.

 To touch on the aesthetics, it’s my experience that the quality of a visual rests upon how easily and quickly the data can be interpreted and used for decision making purposes. A second but equally important consideration is for the data to be presented in a visually appealing way that showcases and compliments the business itself, allowing for immediate brand recognition and congruity with your business’ internal and external style.

So, why give Power BI a try? Mainly because it’s in everyone’s best interest for decision makers to have useful information at their fingertips (without having the added work of going on a search mission to get the data in the first place). If your organization is committed to Continuous Improvement, you have to be able to clearly see the connection between what you’re doing and the results you’re getting. Plan, Do, Check, Adjust, right?

And in today’s climate, if you’re not creating ways to deliver more to your customers and clients, faster and more effectively than your competitors, or than you’ve been able to deliver in the past, you’re missing out on the wonderful opportunity to claim your market value and secure your competitive advantage.

The nutshell: Power BI = Awesome, interactive, beautiful, brand worthy BI visuals that give your leaders the opportunity to focus on what they do best – lead. Not a bad idea!