The Aesthetic-Usability Effect in Power BI: Pretty Reports, Ugly Truths

UX Files – Episode 01

This post is part of The UX Files—a new blog series unpacking the design psychology behind dashboards. Today's episode? Pretty Reports, Ugly Truths.

"Yes, aesthetics will get you through the door... but unless you put in the effort and get the analysis right, it’s all for nothing."

So What Is the Aesthetic-Usability Effect Anyway?

There’s this UX law called the Aesthetic-Usability Effect. And it basically says:

People will lean more toward better-looking products—even if they’re not the best-performing ones.

Sounds wild, right? But it’s true. A gorgeous report might win hearts even if a more useful, but less attractive one, is sitting in the corner gathering dust.

And honestly? I agree… to a point.

(This concept was first observed in a 1995 study by the Hitachi Design Center. You can read more about it here.)

The “Wow” Factor Works—Up to a Point

I totally get it. Visual appeal matters. It should matter. A stunning Power BI report can leave you speechless. It catches the eye, pulls you in, and honestly? If you’ve made a small mistake, users might be more willing to forgive you.

Design builds trust. It opens doors.

But here’s the thing…

Looking Good Isn’t the Same as Doing Good

If a report looks amazing but leaves users confused, misinformed, or unanswered… then what’s the point?

I recently judged a Power BI challenge, and I’ll be honest—there was NO “perfect” entry. Not even close. And yeah, I’m a bit of a perfectionist, so design flaws practically scream at me. (Maybe I missed my true calling as a dataviz judge?)

But what do you do when none of the entries are perfect? You still have to choose a winner, right?

The Temptation to Pick the Prettiest One

I found myself drawn to reports that looked really, really good. They had that instant wow factor. But as I started going deeper and scoring the details… things got messy.

• One was beautiful but had zero accessibility.

• Another looked sleek but answered none of the actual questions.

• Some were all fluff but no substance.

And it hit me:

Yes, aesthetics are important. They open doors. They impress stakeholders. They build trust.

But they’re not enough.

What Actually Matters in Power BI Reports?

Here’s what I believe makes a report truly great:

• It looks good and follows UX best practices.

• It answers the right questions clearly.

• It’s accessible to all users.

• It actually solves a problem—not just show off some cool charts.

  
  

Because let’s be real: we’re not designing reports to win art awards. We’re designing to drive decisions.

The Dream? Design Without Distractions

A future where we’ve all nailed the basics—layout, color, consistency, accessibility—and we can finally focus on what really matters:

• Are we solving the right problem?

• Are we giving people the insights they need to make decisions easier?

• Are we measuring success by outcomes, not eye candy?

So yes—let’s design beautiful reports. Let’s wow people. But let’s never forget the reason we build these things in the first place: to drive understanding and action.

To quote Steve Jobs here:

"Design is not just what it looks and feels like. Design is how it works."

And I couldn’t agree more.

Your Turn

What do you think? Have you ever been torn between beauty and brains in a report?

Drop a comment—I’d love to hear your thoughts. And don't forget to subscribe to MoonStory. 🌙

P.S. Yes, I went with the report that answered the questions clearly. It wasn’t perfect—none of them were—but it did what it was supposed to do. And at the end of the day, that’s what matters most.

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If you’re looking for reports that are easy to use, answer the right questions, and look great while doing it—you know where to find me. ☺️