Career: Mindset & Psychology

Question: What techniques can be used to reduce the file size of a Power BI report? Suggested Answer: Reducing the file size of a Power BI report (.pbix) improves performance, reduces load times, and makes sharing easier.  Key techniques to reduce file size 1. Optimize Data Sources Import Mode vs. DirectQuery/Dual Mode: Use DirectQuery or Live Connection for large datasets instead of importing. If importing, filter unnecessary data at the source. Use Query Folding : Ensure Power Query transformations are pushed to the source (SQL, etc.). Limit Rows : Load only necessary historical data (e.g., last 3 years instead of 10). 2. Clean & Transform Data Efficiently Remove Unused Columns : Delete unnecessary columns in Power Query. Use Appropriate Data Types : Smaller types (e.g., integer instead of text for IDs) reduce size. Replace High-Cardinality Text with IDs : Use numeric keys instead of long text labels. Avoid Complex Columns : JSON / XML columns bloat size—parse them in Po...

What is the difference between a heat map and a filled map in Power BI? Suggested Answer: Difference Between a Heat Map and a Filled Map in Power BI Both visualizations represent geographic data but serve distinct purposes. 1. Heat Map Purpose: Visualizes density/intensity of data points using color gradients. How It Works : Represents individual data points (e.g., cities, stores) as colored circles. Color intensity (e.g., light to dark) or size indicates magnitude (e.g., sales, population). No geographic boundaries—just points on a map. Use Cases : Show clusters of high/low activity (e.g., sales hotspots, crime incidents). Compare relative values across locations. Example : A map with red (high sales) to blue (low sales) circles for each store. Power BI Setup : Use the "Map" visual (not "Filled Map"). Drag: Location (e.g., city, latitude/longitude) to the "Location" field. Metric (e.g., sales) to the "Size" or "Color saturation" field....

  Question: State all the commonly used DAX Functions in Power BI. Suggested Answer: Data Analysis Expressions (DAX) is the native formula and query language for Microsoft PowerPivot , Power BI Desktop and SQL Server Analysis Services (SSAS) Tabular models. DAX includes some of the functions that are used in Excel formulas with additional functions that are designed to work with relational data and perform dynamic aggregation. DAX data types Integer Real Currency Date (datetime) TRUE/FALSE (Boolean) String Variant Note: The BLOB (binary large object) data type is managed by the Tabular model but cannot be directly manipulated by DAX expressions. Most Common  DAX Function Types with examples 1. Aggregation Functions Calculate sums, averages, counts, etc. SUM() : Total Sales = SUM (Sales[Amount])  // Sum of sales amounts AVERAGE() : Avg Price = AVERAGE (Products[Price])  // Average product price COUNTROWS() : Order Count = COUNTROWS (Orders)  // Number of orde...

Question: How do you create a gauge chart in Power BI? Suggested Answer: A gauge chart (also called a speedometer or radial gauge) visualizes a single metric’s progress toward a goal.  Here’s a step-by-step guide: Step 1: Enable the Gauge Visual Open your Power BI report in Power BI Desktop. In the Visualizations pane, click the Gauge icon (resembles a speedometer). If you don’t see it, click ... (More options) → Get more visuals → Search for "Gauge" and import it. Step 2: Add Data to the Gauge Value : Drag your KPI (e.g., Sales Amount ) to the "Value" field. Target (Optional) : Add a goal (e.g., Sales Target ) to the "Target" field. Minimum/Maximum (Optional) : Manually set the gauge’s scale range by typing values in the " Minimum " and " Maximum " fields under Format → Gauge axis . Or, drag columns to " Minimum Value " and " Maximum Value " (e.g., 0 to 100%).

  What is the role of the M language in Power BI? Suggested Answer: The M language (also called Power Query Formula Language) is a critical component of Power BI, primarily used for data extraction, transformation, and loading (ETL). Here’s a detailed breakdown of its role: 1. Primary Role: Data Transformation M is the backbone of Power Query Editor, where it: Cleanses (e.g., removes duplicates, fixes errors). Reshapes (e.g., pivots/unpivots, splits columns). Enriches (e.g., merges tables, adds custom columns). Filters (e.g., removes irrelevant rows/columns). Example: m = Table.SelectRows(Source, each [Sales] > 1000) // Filters rows where sales exceed 1000 2. Key Features of M a) Declarative & Functional M scripts describe what to do (not step-by-step how), making it intuitive. Uses functions (e.g., Table.ReplaceValues, Text.Trim) and nested expressions. b) Query Folding Pushes transformations back to the source system (e.g., SQL Server) to improve performance. Example: A WH...

While the idea of a general increase in knowledge among the population sounds promising, is this knowledge truly benefiting us? I enjoy reading articles about the latest technological advancements and the leaps the tech world is making (not that I understand all of it). The rise of behemoths like OpenAI and the AI systems derived from it has rendered much of our knowledge redundant. Take, for example, someone aiming to master a programming language like Swift , Ruby , or Kotlin . Who can guarantee that these languages will still be relevant in 10–15 years? A decade or so ago, our parents and grandparents could retire after excelling in one or two specialized areas. But now, the race is non-stop—it’s on nitro-boost; it’s on steroids. Online platforms have made acquiring knowledge and basic skills easier than ever. But these skills are transient. If you don’t use them, you lose them. Everything on the internet is already accessible to AI models. Skills you pick up from an AI assistant ma...

Many of us celebrate small and big successes in our careers, but do we ever pause to reflect on the struggles that often accompany these achievements? Impostor syndrome —a persistent feeling of inadequacy—is surprisingly common. At times, it can make us feel worthless, as though we’ve hit rock bottom in our personal or professional lives. This emotional weight is magnified when we plan for career transitions but lack clarity on how to navigate them effectively, leaving us trapped between the crevices of knowing and doing. Coming from a non-technical background, I’ve made strides in understanding coding fundamentals in languages like Python, SQL, HTML, and C++ . But am I skilled enough to create and design a website using HTML and CSS? Certainly not! However, I think I can create a simplistic website in WordPress using AI tools, with minimal coding effort. The tech world evolves at breakneck speed. It is moving fast and expects you to be fastidious . Its demands grow increasingly rigoro...