Most BI implementations fail. Not because the technology is wrong, but because nobody asked the right questions before building.
The 12% Problem
The industry average for dashboard adoption is around 12%. That means 88% of the dashboards built are essentially shelf-ware—expensive, sophisticated tools that nobody uses.
We've seen this pattern dozens of times: a company invests significant resources in a beautiful Power BI implementation, only to find it gathering digital dust a few months later.
If your dashboards aren't being used, the problem isn't your users—it's the approach.
Why Traditional BI Fails
The "Build It and They Will Come" Fallacy
Most BI projects start with technical teams building what they think the business needs. The result? Dashboards packed with metrics that:
- Are technically accurate but operationally irrelevant
- Answer questions nobody is actually asking
- Require context that isn't available at the point of decision
Information Overload
Just because you can show 47 KPIs on a single page doesn't mean you should. Decision-makers need clarity, not data dumps.
The Afer Studio Approach
We've developed a methodology that consistently achieves 90%+ adoption rates. Here's what makes the difference:
1. Start With Decisions, Not Data
Before touching Power BI, we spend time understanding:
- What decisions are being made?
- Who makes them and when?
- What information would change those decisions?
This seems obvious, but it's skipped in roughly 80% of BI projects.
2. Design for Context
A dashboard viewed at a Monday morning meeting has different requirements than one checked on a mobile device mid-afternoon. We design for the actual usage context:
Morning Review → High-level trends, exceptions
Mid-day Check → Action items, urgent flags
Weekly Planning → Comparative analysis, forecasts
3. Make It Actionable
Every metric should have a "so what?" attached. If users can't take action based on the information, question whether it belongs on the dashboard.
The Action Test
For every metric, ask: "If this number changes, what should someone do differently?" If you can't answer clearly, reconsider its inclusion.
4. Iterate Based on Usage
We don't launch and walk away. We track which reports get used, which don't, and continuously refine based on actual behavior—not assumed needs.
Common Objections
"But executives asked for all these metrics"
What executives ask for and what they actually use are often different things. We've found that starting with a minimal, focused dashboard and expanding based on actual requests works far better than overwhelming users upfront.
"Our data isn't clean enough"
Perfect data is a myth. We help identify which data quality issues actually matter for decision-making versus those that are technically imperfect but operationally irrelevant.
"We've tried BI before and it didn't work"
That's exactly why you need a different approach. The tools aren't the problem—the methodology is.
Getting Started
If you're sitting on underutilized Power BI investments, here's a simple diagnostic:
- Check your usage stats - Power BI tracks who views what and when
- Talk to non-users - Ask why they don't use existing reports
- Map decisions to data - Document what information would actually help
Start small. Pick one high-value decision and build a focused dashboard around it. Prove the concept, then expand.
Conclusion
The gap between 12% and 90%+ isn't about better technology—it's about better methodology. It's about understanding that BI success is measured not by technical sophistication but by business impact.
If your dashboards aren't being used, don't blame your users. Rethink your approach.
Need help turning your BI investment into actual business value? Get in touch for a free consultation.