Contents

1 What Power BI Training Looks Like in London Today
2 Training Needs of C-Suite Executives
3 Training Needs of Operational Staff
4 Key Differences Between Executive vs Operational Training
5 Which Track Is Right for Your Team?
6 ROI: Why Role-Based Training Pays Off
7 How to Implement Role-Based Power BI Training in London
8 How Acuity Training Delivers Role-Based Power BI Training in London
9 Conclusion & Next Steps
10 FAQs

Microsoft Power BI has become the analytics platform of choice for UK organisations of all sizes.

Yet the training requirements of a C-Suite executive differ significantly from those of operational staff who work with data every day.

In London, with its concentration of financial services, professional firms, and global headquarters, the question is no longer:

“Should we adopt Power BI?” but rather, “How do we tailor Power BI training to the right people at the right level?”

This guide explains:

The different learning paths for executives vs staff.
The skills each group needs to use Power BI effectively.
How London training providers position their courses.
The ROI and business impact of role-based training.
Where to find the best Power BI training in London for your needs.

What Power BI Training Looks Like in London Today

Power BI training courses in London typically fall into a few categories:

Introduction / Fundamentals – aimed at beginners or casual business users.
Advanced / DAX & Data Modelling – focused on technical staff and analysts.
Fast-Track / Bootcamps – intensive 2–3 day formats for rapid upskilling.
Role-specific courses – e.g., Power BI for Business Users, Data Analyst track, or Executive overview workshops.

Most providers still market by level of difficulty. Few explicitly market role-based tracks, which is where organisations can miss opportunities: an executive may not need to learn DAX, while an analyst does.

Training Needs of C-Suite Executives

Why Executives Need Power BI

Executives need enough knowledge to:

Interpret dashboards and reports with confidence.
Ask the right questions of analysts and managers.
Identify data blind spots in strategy.
Use real-time KPIs to make informed business decisions.

They do not need to write DAX formulas or build complex models. Instead, training should focus on:

Dashboard literacy – understanding how reports are built and what they mean.
Strategic KPIs – identifying and monitoring the right metrics.
Data governance awareness – knowing how data accuracy is ensured.
Adopting a data-driven culture – leading by example.

Example Modules for Executive Workshops

Navigating Power BI Dashboards for Decision-Making
Identifying the Right KPIs for Your Role
Asking the Right Questions of Your Data Teams
How Executives Drive Data Culture from the Top Down

Training Needs of Operational Staff

Why Staff Training Matters

Operational staff are the frontline users who:

Import, transform, and clean data with Power Query.
Build models, relationships, and measures with DAX.
Create dashboards and publish them to the Power BI Service.
Share insights across departments and with leadership.

Example Modules for Operational Training

Loading and shaping data with Power Query
Designing effective visualisations
DAX for calculated measures and KPIs
Best practices for sharing and publishing reports

Staff training is more hands-on and technical, aiming for efficiency and consistency.

Key Differences Between Executive vs Operational Training

Dimension	C-Suite Executives	Operational Staff
Primary Goal	Strategic decision-making, interpreting insights	Producing reports, cleaning data, technical modelling
Training Focus	Dashboard literacy, KPIs, governance, strategy	Power Query, DAX, visualisation, sharing
Format	Short, focused workshops (half-day / 1-day)	Multi-day intensive courses
Depth	High-level, conceptual, outcome-driven	Detailed, task-driven, technical
Outcome	Confident use of dashboards for decisions	Self-sufficient report builders and data analysts

Which Track Is Right for Your Team?

Executives should attend a strategic Power BI overview workshop.
Operational staff need hands-on technical training with practical exercises.
Hybrid teams may benefit from custom programmes that combine both elements.

London organisations often choose to run parallel tracks: executives in a short session, staff in a 2-day technical course.

ROI: Why Role-Based Training Pays Off

Executives make faster, better strategic decisions when confident in data.
Staff save time and reduce reporting errors.
Organisation-wide alignment – executives and staff speak the same “data language”.
Cost efficiency – avoid paying for unnecessary technical depth for executives.

Studies suggest that companies with strong data culture adoption outperform peers by up to 30% in revenue growth.

From Our Experience Rolling Out Power BI:
In our experience, executives often don’t need more than a half-day workshop to gain confidence using dashboards and KPIs.
Operational staff, on the other hand, benefit most from multi-day training where they can practise building reports, writing DAX, and managing data models.
Separating these tracks ensures both groups get exactly what they need – without wasting time or budget.

Cartoon showing successful Power BI Training for Executives & Operational Staff

How to Implement Role-Based Power BI Training in London

Assess your teams – identify executives, analysts, and staff.
Define training objectives – decision-making vs technical capability.
Choose the right format – short executive sessions, hands-on staff courses.
Select a London provider – weigh provider strengths.
Measure ROI – pre/post-training KPIs, adoption rates, executive usage.

How Acuity Training Delivers Role-Based Power BI Training in London

At Acuity Training, we know that executives and operational staff have very different needs when it comes to Power BI.

That’s why we design role-based training programmes that give each group the skills that matter most.

Executives get short, focused workshops on KPIs, dashboard literacy, and driving a data culture – without being buried in technical detail.

Operational staff, on the other hand, receive in-depth, hands-on sessions covering Power Query, DAX, and report publishing.

With over 10 years of Power BI training experience, our tailored approach ensures organisations see rapid adoption, measurable ROI, and teams aligned around a shared data language.

Conclusion & Next Steps

Role-based Power BI training ensures everyone gets the right depth of learning.

Executives gain strategic clarity.
Staff gain technical proficiency.
The organisation benefits from a shared data culture.

Ready to design a role-based Power BI training programme in London?
Contact us today to discuss executive vs operational tracks tailored to your organisation.

FAQs

Q: How long does Power BI training take?
A: Executive workshops are often 1 day or less, while operational staff courses usually run 2–3 days.

Q: Do executives need to learn DAX?
A: No. Executives need literacy in dashboards and KPIs, not technical formula writing.

Q: Is certification required for Power BI training?
A: Only for staff who want formal recognition (e.g., PL-300 exam).

Q: Can one provider cover both executives and staff?
A: Yes. Some London providers design custom programmes with parallel tracks.