Start Right in BI: 5 Valuable Lessons

When I entered the field of Business Intelligence, I thought creating dashboards was all about aesthetics and technique. Choosing the right charts, applying a pleasant color palette, organizing the data neatly — and voilà, success.

But reality hit me fast. After delivering my first dashboard, my manager asked a simple question:

“Okay… and what decision does this dashboard help me make?”

It felt like a bucket of cold water. I had created something visually appealing, but with no real purpose. That’s when I realized: a dashboard isn’t a piece of art — it’s a decision-making tool.

In this article, I share five lessons that would have accelerated my learning curve and saved me months of frustration. If you’re just starting out in BI, read carefully. If you already have experience, you might find a few points worth revisiting and refining.

1. Before opening the tool, understand the business problem

This is, by far, the most overlooked step by beginners — and the most important.

Creating dashboards without understanding the context is like trying to solve a puzzle without knowing what the final image looks like. You might fit a few pieces together, but the result will be confusing and disconnected.

What you need to know before starting:

• What decision does the dashboard need to support?
• What are the key indicators that influence that decision?
• Who will use the dashboard and how often?
• What business rules affect the data?

If you don’t have these answers, stop everything. Talk to stakeholders, analysts, managers. Ask questions. Listen. Understand.

A tool without context is just decoration.

2. Create your visual identity and standardize from the start

Aesthetics matter — but not as an end, rather as a means. A visually pleasant dashboard makes reading easier, reduces cognitive load, and improves user experience.

Here’s the point: you don’t need to reinvent the layout for every project.

A well-defined visual identity includes:

• Purposeful color palette (e.g., green for positive, red for alert)
• Consistent typography
• Standardized chart styles (avoid mixing 3D bars with minimalist lines)
• Modular layout (clearly defined areas for KPIs, filters, analysis)

This not only speeds up your production but also conveys professionalism and consistency. And when working in a team, this standardization is gold.

3. Don’t overload the report — highlight what matters

A common mistake is trying to show everything. After all, you have access to dozens of metrics, charts, and segments. But too much information creates noise, not clarity.

If everything stands out, nothing stands out.

Best practices to avoid overload:

• Prioritize KPIs that truly drive the business
• Use visual hierarchy (size, color, position) to guide the eye
• Avoid redundant or decorative charts
• Leave white space — it communicates too

Remember: the goal of a dashboard is to answer questions, not to impress with complexity.

4. Listen to feedback — and learn from it

Your dashboard isn’t a finished product. It’s a living organism that needs to evolve over time and usage.

And that evolution comes from feedback.

How to handle constructive criticism:

• Don’t get attached to your creation — it’s not about you
• Listen carefully, without defensiveness
• Ask what’s working and what’s not
• Test alternative versions and compare results

The end user knows what they need. You’re the technical translator of those needs. And the more you listen, the sharper you become.

5. Be obsessively organized

This is the tip that seems “boring,” but it’s what separates the good from the great.

Organization isn’t visible to the user — but it’s essential for maintenance, scalability, and collaboration.

What it means to be organized in BI:

• Name measures, columns, and tables clearly and consistently
• Comment on complex formulas
• Document relationships and business rules
• Create logical folders and categories within the tool
• Avoid duplications and redundancies

When you revisit a project months later — or when another analyst takes over — that organization becomes a game-changer. It prevents rework, errors, and frustration.

Conclusion: Dashboards are decision tools, not works of art

The biggest mistake I made early on was focusing on visuals before understanding the purpose. Today, I know the right path is the opposite:

• Understand the problem
• Create with purpose
• Evolve through feedback
• Organize with discipline
• Refine the visuals as a consequence

If you follow these steps, your dashboards will go from simply beautiful to truly strategic.

And you?

What was the biggest challenge you faced when starting in BI? Is there a tip you wish you had received back then?

🗨️ Share in the comments — let’s exchange experiences.