Docs  \  Website  \  Contributing  \ 

Guidelines for Comparisons

These editorial guidelines ensure that comparisons of Power BI custom visuals published on OKVIZ provide clear, unbiased, and practical insights to help users make informed decisions.

Mission and Values

Your goal is to provide honest, objective, and detailed comparisons of Power BI visuals, considering different parameters that matter to end-users and developers, and identify the best visual for specific scenarios. While pricing and other external factors can be considered, they should not overshadow the quality and functionality of the visuals themselves.

The core values are:

  • Honesty: Present a fair assessment of each visual’s strengths and weaknesses based on actual usage.
  • Objectivity: Evaluate visuals without bias, including details on pricing only as one of many factors.
  • Transparency: Clearly explain how each visual performs across different parameters.

Types of Comparisons

There are three main types of comparisons:

  • Single Visual Comparison: Compare a custom visual with a built-in Power BI visual or another custom visual.
  • Multiple Visuals Comparison: Compare two or more custom visuals to identify the best option for specific scenarios.
  • Visual Type Comparison: Compare visuals within a specific visual type, such as bar charts or maps, to determine the best visual for that category.

Parameters for Comparison

When comparing visuals, consider the following parameters:

  • Features: Evaluate the range and quality of features offered by each visual.
  • Design: Assess the appearance, usability, and overall visual quality. Performance can also be included here.
  • Support: Consider the quality of documentation, community support, and vendor responsiveness.
  • Price: Discuss the cost of each visual, including free options if available.
  • Special Factors: This section can include factors such as the developer’s reputation, roadmap expectations, or other distinctive features that may impact the user’s choice.

Note that the comparison rating may differ from the individual visual ratings since additional factors and price can influence the overall recommendation.

Comparison Structure

Each comparison must be structured as follows:

  1. Summary

    Provide a brief executive summary that highlights the key findings and recommendations. This section should be concise and provide immediate value to readers.

    Example:

    This report evaluates six custom calendar visuals available on Power BI AppSource. Calendar PRO by OKVIZ emerges as the best overall option due to its rich features and advanced customization. For users seeking a free alternative focused on event management, Calendar by MAQ Software is recommended.

  2. Introduction

    Introduce the purpose of the comparison, the importance of choosing the right visual, and briefly mention the visuals being compared. List the visuals in alphabetical order.

  3. Quick Comparison

    Present a side-by-side comparison table for each parameter. Put the visuals on the x-axis and the parameters on the y-axis.

  4. Evaluation Criteria

    Clearly outline the criteria used for evaluation. This section may include a brief explanation of each parameter, if not common knowledge.

  5. Individual Visual Analyses

    Provide a brief analysis of each visual using the following structure:

    • Name of the visual
    • A brief description of the visual
    • A screenshot of the visual
    • Key Features: A summary of the key features
    • Pros: A list of the visual’s strengths
    • Cons: A list of the visual’s weaknesses

  6. Built-in Visual Comparison (if applicable)

    If the visuals belong to a visual type with a built-in Power BI alternative, discuss how each custom visual compares to the built-in option.

  7. Recommendations

    Summarize the comparison and provide final recommendations based on the parameters evaluated:

    • Best Visual

      Identify the best visual for most users based on the parameters evaluated.

    • Best Free Alternative (if available)

      If a free alternative is available, highlight it as the best choice for users seeking a no-cost solution.

    • Other Options (if applicable)

      If there are other notable visuals that did not win the top spot, mention them here and explain why they were not selected.

    • Not Recommended (if applicable)

      If there are visuals that performed poorly in the comparison, mention them here and explain why they were not recommended.

  8. Resources

    Provide links to reports created for the comparison or any other relevant resources. You could include links to other OKVIZ content, but avoid external links unless necessary.

Content Guidelines

Please refer to the OKVIZ Content Guidelines for shared principles, including:

 

Comparison Checklist

Use this checklist to verify that all guidelines have been followed:

  • Summary: Provide a brief executive summary that highlights the key findings and recommendations.
  • Introduction: Provide a brief introduction to the comparison.
  • Quick Comparison: Present a side-by-side comparison table for each parameter.
  • Evaluation Criteria: Clearly outline the criteria used for evaluation.
  • Individual Visual Analyses: Provide a brief analysis of each visual.
  • Built-in Visual Comparison: Discuss how each custom visual compares to the built-in Power BI alternative (if applicable).
  • Recommendations: Summarize the comparison and provide final recommendations.
  • Resources: Provide links to reports to relevant resources.
  • Follow the OKVIZ Content Guidelines for media, links, bugs, style, and grammar.
Last update: Nov 01, 2024
In this page