Learning path

This guide lists all the content and resources to learn Power BI over the next 12 weeks. You'll start with the basics of Power BI Desktop, then alternate between learning core concepts and applying them directly to a department project. By the end, you’ll have a first version of a Power BI report ready for user feedback, along with a strong foundation to continue developing your skills.

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Week 1: Intro to Power BI Desktop

1. Intro to Power BI Desktop (CalData course | ~5 hrs): This course introduces Power BI Desktop. It explores the Power Query Editor, a user-friendly interface for cleaning and preparing data for analysis. And concludes with a brief overview of the Report Editor to help you create a simple report.

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Week 2: Dashboard design

1. Dashboard Design with the User in Mind (Tableau Conference - Ridhima Gupta | 45-min): Design thinking is an iterative, human-centered approach to solving problems. There are many frameworks of Design Thinking. These frameworks are often shown as linear processes, but in practice, it is an iterative process and you will often repeat the steps. In this talk, Ridhima Gupta introduces a design thinking framework for building effective dashboards. She demonstrates how to apply user experience (UX) design practices to better understand your audience’s needs, quickly generate ideas, and get early feedback during the dashboard design process. Approach dashboards development with a design thinking mindset. Make the process your own—adapting it to fit your style, your work, and your users.

2. Discovery phase: Use this worksheet as a guide to define your project goals, users, and reporting needs before development begins.

Resources

Human-centered design (CalAcademy course | ~2 hrs): Learn the basics of human-centered design and how it can help government define problems and deliver better services.

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Week 3: Project work time

Begin working on your department Power BI report. Focus on the following steps:

1. import relevant datasets into Power BI Desktop
2. clean and transform your data in Power Query
3. structure your data for analysis

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Week 4: Data modeling

1. Data Modeling overview: Learn the basics of dimensional modeling to organize your data in a way that supports clear, scalable reporting.

Resources

Introduction to Data Modeling for Power BI (SQLBI course | ~2 hrs): An introductory video course about data modeling for analytical systems and reporting. The course introduces core dimensional modeling concepts through practical examples and demos. A proper model simplifies code and improves performance.

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Week 5: Project work time

Continue working on your project. Focus on developing your data model.

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Week 6: DAX

1. DAX overview: Learn the basics of Data Analysis Expressions (DAX) for creating custom calculations in Power BI.

Resources

• DAX cheat sheet (Data Camp)
• DAX Function Reference (Microsoft)
• Introducing DAX (SQLBI course | ~3 hrs)
• DAX exercises (Wise Owl Training): Wise Owl provides a range of hands-on exercises to practice writing DAX code. You can work through the exercises, focus on specific functions, or choose difficulty levels that match your experience. Topics include:
  • Basic measures
  • The CALCULATE function
  • The FILTER function
  • The VALUES function
  • Understanding EARLIER
  • Variables
  • Calendars and dates
  • Advanced date functions
  • DAX queries

  Note: Each exercise includes a solution. Another approach is to download the solution and work through it step-by-step, reengineering the process as you go.

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Week 7: Project work time

Continue working on your project. Create measures, as needed. Refine and finalize your data model.

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Week 8: Dashboard design part 2

1. Power BI Design best practices: Best practices for creating clear, accessible, and user-centered Power BI reports.

2. Navigation and accessibility tools (video tutorials) Enhance usability and user experience with the following features:

   • Sort and filter data
     • Change how a chart is sorted
     • Power BI slicers vs the filter pane
   • Report drillthrough
     • Enabling Drillthrough with Power BI On-Object Editing
     • NEXT LEVEL Conditional Drill in Power BI Desktop with buttons
   • Cross-filter and cross-highlight:
     • How to use the CROSSHIGHLIGHT and CROSSFILTER
   • Buttons and bookmarks
     • How to Switch Visuals with Buttons
     • How to create interactive page navigation
   • Tooltips
     • How to design custom report tooltips
   • Accessibility
     • Design Power BI reports for accessibility
     • Keyboard navigation & tab order

Resources

• Data Analysis and Visualization with Power BI Module 1: Creating Reports (Microsoft course): Explore the different types of visualizations available in Power BI.
• Get started with ArcGIS for Power BI (Esri): Use the ArcGIS data visualization in Power BI to bring mapping capabilities to your reports and dashboards.
• Forecast data in Power BI (SQL Server Central): Use the forecast feature in a line chart.

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Week 9: Project work time

Continue working on your Power BI project.

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Week 10: Power BI Service

1. Power BI Service overview: Get familiar with core features and concepts of the Power BI Service.

2. Continue working on your project.

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Week 11: Data security

1. Data security overview: Learn how Power BI handles underlying data and explore best practices for protecting or limiting access.

2. Continue working on your project.

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Week 12: Project wrap-up

Finalize and share the first draft of your department report for user feedback.