2022 Week 17 | Power BI : Create a Custom Theme

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Introduction

Welcome back to color month! It’s our 4th color-focused challenge and in stark contrast to Kerry’s week 14 challenge, we’re using loads of bright colors!

This week we’re creating a custom theme using the color palette of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. This challenge was inspired by a Makeover Monday challenge – take a look at their gallery if you need some inspiration!

I’ve spent a lot of time reading through Lisa Charlotte Muth’s A detailed guide to colors in data vis style guides – if you’re looking to implement or update a style guide for your org, I highly recommend giving it a read!

 

Requirements

Get Data 

This week’s challenge uses 3 datasets. If you want to challenge yourself I recommend you use only the SDG indicator dataset!

  1. the first is the indicator data for the SDGs
  2. the second is the color palette and image info
  3. you’re welcome to use an optional third dataset, the json file I created

Visualize Data

  1.  Create a custom theme for Power BI.
  2.  Import your json theme file into Power BI desktop
  3. Customize the theme a bit more, paying attention to font selection and font size
    • You can customize the theme in your json file if you’re comfortable, or alternatively, you can use the UI in Power BI Desktop to further customize your theme
  4. Gather URLs for images you’d like to use in your report
    • If you’re starting with the color palette and image info file provided, I’ve already done this step
    • I got the URL for each of the SDG icons for the primary image, and then I grabbed a secondary image directly from the PDF annual report
    • I used postimages.org to turn screenshots into image URLs
  5. Set the data type of your image columns to Image URL
  6. Design your report!
    • as always, I encourage you to be creative! Design your report in any way that tells a story with the SDG data.
    • I used the Collage by Cloudscope custom visual for my Goal selector and the Simple Image custom visual for my secondary image (the large image associated with each goal)
    • I used custom formatting to make the background colors match the color associated with the SDG goal. Play around with that if you like!

Dataset

This week’s challenge uses data from the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals, specifically focusing on the indicators they are measuring.

  1. SDG Indicator Data
  2. Color palette and image info
  3. json theme file

Share

After you finish your workout, share on Twitter using the hashtags #WOW2022 and #PowerBI, and tag @JSBaucke, @MMarie, @shan_gsd, @KerryKolosko, and @NerdyWithData. Also make sure to fill out the Submission Tracker so that we can count you as a participant this week in order to track our participation throughout the year. 

Solution


Here’s the solution .pbix file.

4 thoughts on “2022 Week 17 | Power BI : Create a Custom Theme”

  2. David

    hello. i tried doing this, but the collage wasn’t showing the images. it’s just blank. but whe you click on it, it works. Any idea on how to fix it?

  3. Shannon Lindsay

    Hi David,

    I’m not sure if I understand the problem. The image does display when you select the collage visual?

    My first tip would just be to ensure the data type of your image urls is set to Image URL. You could also try a different image viewer custom visual as well. Let me know if you need more help!

  4. Pingback: 2023 Week 21 | Power BI: Create a Theme – With a Twist! – Workout Wednesday

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