377: Power BI Core Visual Updates & The Future of Visuals
Dec 3, 2024
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Delve into the exciting new updates in Power BI's core visuals, introduced by the team behind them. Discover the enhancements to standard visuals like the Slicer and Card, and how they could impact user experience. The hosts navigate the balance between innovative design and user training, while discussing the newly unveiled tech slicer feature. There’s an intriguing exploration of the community's role in supporting these updates, alongside aspirations for future improvements in visual integration.
The Power BI Core Visuals Team's new updates, particularly with the matrix and card visuals, significantly enhance user experience and functionality.
User hesitation in adopting new visuals stems from their complexity, highlighting the need for comprehensive training and resources for effective implementation.
Deep dives
Focus on Power BI Core Visuals
The discussion centers on the advancements that Microsoft's Power BI Core Visuals team, led by Miguel Myers, is making to enhance standard visuals within the software. A key point raised is the introduction of new visuals marked with a lightning bolt, signaling their upgraded capabilities. The hosts emphasize the importance of understanding when and how to implement these core visuals, especially compared to traditional visuals that users are accustomed to. They note that while the standard visuals have undergone significant refinement, the question remains about the timeline for broader adoption and deployment of these new features.
Exploring New Visual Features
Recent updates to visuals, especially the matrix and card visuals, are highlighted as transformative enhancements that can greatly improve user experience. For instance, the improvements to matrix layouts address long-standing user frustrations, providing better functionality and ease of use. Similarly, the new card visual supports small multiples and allows multiple measures to be displayed succinctly, reducing the overhead of managing individual visuals. The speakers express intrigue about the practical applications of these updates and how they can impact reporting workflows, although they acknowledge a learning curve associated with the new settings.
Adoption Challenges and User Training
A notable challenge mentioned is the hesitation among users to fully embrace the new features due to their complexity and the expectation that extensive training will be required. The hosts discuss the importance of providing proper training and resources to ensure that teams are confident in utilizing these visuals effectively. Additionally, skepticism remains about the need for two versions of the same visual—the classic and the new—which complicates decision-making for teams implementing reports. This ultimately leads to the consensus that while new visuals are promising, they require strategic integration into training and workflows to gain traction.
The Future of Core Visuals
The team expresses optimism regarding the longevity and evolution of the new core visuals, believing they will eventually replace outdated standards. Their hope is that Microsoft will provide clearer documentation and a roadmap, ensuring that these visuals transition from preview to fully supported features. They agree that while the features are powerful, user adoption will depend on the clarity of their educational resources and community engagement. The overarching desire is to see these visuals become essential tools in Power BI reporting, enriching the data visualization landscape.
Mike, Seth, & Tommy discuss the influx of new updates the PBI Core Visuals Team has been making and if we how inclined to move forward with the updated features.
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