Power BI
Power BI dashboard design that survives review
A dashboard is a decision surface, not a gallery of charts. The design work is mostly subtraction.
Updated September 20, 2026
Decide the decision first
Write the sentence the dashboard should let someone finish: "Because of this screen, I will …". If no sentence exists, the dashboard is a report, and a report should be a table with context.
A layout that works on one screen
- Top row: three to five headline numbers with a comparison, not bare totals
- Second row: one trend chart covering enough periods to show seasonality
- Third row: one breakdown by the dimension people act on
- Bottom: a detail table, sorted by the thing that needs attention
Chart choices
| Question | Chart | Avoid |
|---|---|---|
| How did it change over time? | Line or area | Pie |
| Which category is biggest? | Horizontal bar | Donut with many slices |
| How do two measures relate? | Scatter | Dual axis bar and line |
| What is the current level vs target? | Bullet or KPI card | Gauge with no target |
Review before publishing
- Every number has a comparison or a target
- Nothing needs scrolling to make the main point
- Titles state findings, not field names
- Every visual would change someone's action if it moved
Frequently asked questions
How many visuals should a Power BI dashboard have?
Usually four to seven. Beyond that, attention splits and the page becomes a browsing surface rather than a decision surface.
Can GridMind build a dashboard from my data?
Yes. Load a sheet or Power BI query result, ask for a dashboard, and you get KPI cards and charts built from the columns in that data.
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