Power BI's defaults exist for a reason. They're safe. They're accessible. They work for almost any use case. That's exactly the problem.
Defaults are designed for the lowest common denominator. When your dashboard looks like every other Power BI dashboard, it signals "I didn't think about this." That's not the message you want to send to executives who are deciding whether to trust your analysis.
Default Colors: The "I Didn't Try" Signal
Power BI's default color palette is fine. The blue is readable. The colors have sufficient contrast. But everyone uses them.
When an executive sees the same blue bar chart they've seen a hundred times, they unconsciously categorize your work as "generic Power BI report." Fair or not, defaults signal that you didn't invest effort in the presentation — which makes them wonder if you invested effort in the analysis.
When defaults are fine: Internal technical reports, quick ad-hoc analyses, early-stage development.
When defaults hurt: Executive presentations, client deliverables, anything where credibility matters.
Fix: Apply a custom theme. Use your organization's brand colors. Even a slight variation from defaults — a darker blue, an accent color — signals intentionality.
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Download Free TemplateDefault Spacing: Death by Cramming
Power BI's default visual placement encourages edge-to-edge layouts. Snap to grid. Fill the canvas. Maximize information density.
The result: cluttered dashboards with no breathing room. Visuals compete for attention. Users feel overwhelmed before they process any information.
When defaults are fine: High-density analytical dashboards for expert users who need maximum data per screen.
When defaults hurt: Executive summaries, presentations, dashboards for casual users.
Fix: Add margins intentionally. Leave space between visual groups. Create clear sections with whitespace separating them. A dashboard with breathing room feels more professional and is easier to comprehend.
Default Visuals: Not Always the Right Choice
When you add a chart, Power BI picks a visual type based on your data. Dates get line charts. Categories get bar charts. It's convenient — but not always right.
Default visual choices prioritize technical correctness over communication effectiveness. The "correct" chart type might not be the most useful for your audience.
When defaults are fine: Exploratory analysis, quick data checks, standard reporting.
When defaults hurt: When the default visual doesn't answer the actual business question. When comparison, ranking, or proportion matters more than trend.
Fix: Choose visuals based on the question you're answering, not the data shape. "How has this changed over time?" suggests line charts. "Which is biggest?" suggests ranked bar charts. "What's the composition?" suggests pie or treemap.
Default Fonts: Missed Branding Opportunity
Segoe UI is readable and safe. It's also completely generic. When your dashboard uses the same font as every default Windows application, you've missed an opportunity to reinforce brand identity.
When defaults are fine: Internal reports, technical dashboards, quick deliverables.
When defaults hurt: Client-facing reports, branded deliverables, any context where visual identity matters.
Fix: Match your organization's brand fonts. Apply font changes through a custom theme for consistency. Even using brand fonts for titles while keeping default fonts for data labels makes a difference.
Default Formatting: Inconsistency Risk
Power BI doesn't enforce consistent formatting across visuals. Different charts can have different decimal places, different axis formats, different label settings. You have to apply consistency manually.
The risk: Small inconsistencies accumulate into perceived sloppiness. "Revenue: $1.2M" on one visual and "Revenue: $1,234,567" on another looks like carelessness — even if both are technically correct.
Fix: Establish formatting standards before building. Document your conventions. Use format painter to copy settings between visuals. Audit before publishing.
When to Accept Defaults
Defaults aren't always bad. Accept them when:
- Speed matters more than polish (quick ad-hoc analysis)
- The audience is technical (they care about data, not presentation)
- The report is internal and informal
- You're prototyping and will refine later
The key is intentionality. Choose to use defaults when they're appropriate — don't use them because you didn't think about alternatives.
The Bottom Line
Power BI defaults are a starting point, not a destination. For any dashboard where credibility, trust, or professional impression matters, defaults are a liability. Invest in theming, spacing, and consistency. Small design decisions create outsized impact on perception.
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