Opting for Power BI and successfully implementing it in your company are two different things. Leveraging the massive potential of Power BI is a challenge even for large corporations these days.

This post discusses a successful roadmap that is currently helping companies implement Power BI at a large scale, which directly results in output and revenue growth!

1. Define the overall goal as well as for the departments

This is the first step taught by experts in Power BI training as working without a goal is the first step of creating a data mess.

Power BI can help you improve processes and results in every section of your business, but it is crucial to set priorities initially. A broad level aim like increasing sales in a sales-oriented organization will help you set the priorities.

• Every goal should be quantifiable so you can monitor and track it
• After you are done with the broad level goal, make plans for every department in the company

Make sure to consult the department heads to get to know of the major challenges they are facing. An example can be -

• The HR Department can use Power BI to continuously analyze employee satisfaction by assessing data of surveys and output continuously to track what measures help boost performance. This should be linked to a goal like increasing the salespeople's output by 10% in the next quarter.
• The Sales Department can use Power BI to analyze each step of the conversion funnel and work to improve certain areas. From lead generation to customer onboarding, every step of the process is full of data, and this can be used to increase performance by a specific percentage as a goal.
• Operations Department can use the data related to production to analyze the best performing units and identify the factors that can increase productivity and decrease costs.
• Any many other such examples.

2. Training

Before you allocate responsibilities and start the implementation of Power BI, it is essential to realize that Power Bi Training is what makes all the difference.

Power BI is full of features, and there is no end to what can be achieved with the right approach. You can significantly limit the abilities of the software by giving part training to your employees.

The training should be in line with the goals so that the employees can learn from similar case studies and implement similar strategies in your company.

Ensure that the training is different for every department and teaches the employees to use the effective features to their benefit.

3. Have a data governance strategy from Day 1

Data governance is a crucial step in successful implementation according to Power BI Office 365 experts, and with laws becoming strict by every passing day, you must have a policy in place.

You must have a data governance board that enforces the policy and takes care of data use. The rules of how you can use the data vary from country to country, and you must make sure your policy adheres to all these rules.

Some of the major considerations are -

• Is data stored in your systems, and if yes, for how long?
• The data privacy policy
• Data security policy
• Who has access to specific data
• What steps do you take in case of a data breach?
• And many others

4. Appoint a CDO

Initially, things seem simpler, and the strategy also seems simple when you start the implementation. However, data management and analytics is way complex and brings with them hundreds of tasks and issues.

You must have a CDO who heads all the data operations and takes care of all things, including -

• Compliance
• Governance
• Data Analytics
• Implementation
• Improvement
• Tracking

5. Tracking

The plan of tracking and improvements should be made from day 1 to prevent having issues at a later stage.

The goals you make in the beginning should have milestones that can be easily tracked. These milestones should be evaluated at regular intervals, and problems should be addressed if these are not achieved.

6. Boosting internal communication

Effective internal communication is the key to effective Power BI implementation. Different departments should have a channel for regular and effective communication about data and other things.

We advise building a website for internal communication and collaboration as is done by Microsoft for their internal team.

Another interesting and effective thing done by Microsoft (News - Alert) is the appointment of an SME(Subject Matter Expert) who will have in-depth knowledge of Power BI's implementation and will guide other team members.

The SME must constantly evaluate the progress and take measures in departments that are not using Power BI effectively.

Conclusion

Each of the above-mentioned steps is necessary for effective implementation, so ensure adequate attention to all.

You can simplify your process by using project management tools and a constant evaluation of your initial strategy's progress.

If you have more doubts about Power BI implementation, drop your comments!