About us
Birmingham Microsoft Data Platform Group - Bringing the West Midlands Microsoft Data Platform Community together.
What?
Free training sessions covering Microsoft Power BI, Azure Synapse, SQL Server, and other Microsoft data related topics, presented by passionate users, MVPs, and you if you have something useful to share!
A virtual meeting is held on the first Thursday of every month @ 1 pm GMT/BST. It's a free-to-attend, informal gathering of like-minded people, with 1-2 speakers presenting an hour-long session including tips, techniques, and information on old, new, and upcoming technology.
The event is kindly sponsored by Purple Frog Systems and Power BI Sentinel
Where?
Anywhere!
All of our meetings are currently held virtually on Microsoft Teams.
We are looking to return to in-person, if you have access to a suitable venue in the centre of Birmingham please let us know!
When?
The first Thursday of every month @ 1pm GMT/BST.
(Note we are not holding a session in January).
Join our group to keep up-to-date with the latest meeting announcements!
Please take a moment to review our Code of Conduct, if you have any issues, please get in touch with any of the leadership team.
[Microsoft Data Platform Group Birmingham Code of Conduct (purplefrogsystems.com)](https://www.purplefrogsystems.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/Microsoft-Data-Platform-Group-Birmingham-Code-of-Conduct-v1.pdf)
Upcoming events
1
Designing Effective and Accessible Reports in Power BI with Matt Mair-Durrant
·OnlineOnlineMicrosoft Data Platform Group Birmingham
Thursday 7th May 2026 at 13:00 GMT
Session Title: Designing Effective and Accessible Reports in Power BI
Speaker: Matt Mair-Durrant
Session Abstract:
In this session, we’ll explore how to create Power BI reports that not only look great but also communicate insights clearly and inclusively.
Attendees will learn practical design techniques, from choosing effective layouts and colour palettes to leveraging visual hierarchy and whitespace to guide user attention. We’ll look at real‑world examples that demonstrate how thoughtful design decisions can improve both comprehension and engagement.
Accessibility is an essential but often overlooked aspect of report design. We’ll cover how to ensure your dashboards can be used by people with diverse needs, including guidance on colour contrast, keyboard navigation, alternative text, and designing for screen readers. Participants will walk away with actionable tips for balancing aesthetics, accessibility, and analytical effectiveness, ensuring every report delivers impact while remaining usable for all audiences.#### Additional notes
Agenda:
12.45 - 13:00 : Speaker Setup and Join
13:00 - 13:05 : Open Lobby to guests and Introductions
13:05 - 14:00 : Designing Effective and Accessible Reports in Power BI
Venue: Wherever you have access to a computer or smart device!
This session will be online only!Other Details:
*** Please note registration on MeetUp is required to gain access to the Teams link!***
Please contact us via email if you are having any issues joining, and we'll do everything we can to help.
Event Organiser Contact Details:
If you need any further details or have any requests for this or future Data Platform Group events, please get in touch.
Email: meetup@purplefrogsystems.com
X: @MSDataGroupBrum
BlueSky: @msdatagroupbrum.bsky.socialSponsors:
10 attendees
Past events
100
