Hands On With Google Data Studio

Introduction

I'll confess that when I was initially approached to write a book about Google Data Studio, I was hesitant. At the time, I was building a reputation, and some authority, on the subject. I particularly enjoyed blogging, giving presentations, and collaborating with newfound colleagues. It was exciting to explore the bounds of what was possible with each new release. But write a book on the subject? That was another matter, for sure.

I thought it might be a fool's errand to try to capture all the capabilities of such a quickly evolving platform in book form. After reading and reviewing hundreds of resources about Google Data Studio over the past few years, I had seen many “ultimate” guides published on the web, only to be outdated soon after their release. I seriously considered turning down the opportunity.

What changed my mind was a reflection on why I enjoyed working with Data Studio in the first place. It was the feeling of empowerment. I had found Data Studio to be like the Swiss Army knife of data visualization tools: although it certainly is not the best tool for every job, you can do quite a lot with it, and it is easily accessible.

Developing the ability to make sense of the tremendous amounts of data generated in our society is a challenge as well as an opportunity. Both individuals and large corporations can benefit from increased access to data if the tools to work with it are accessible and approachable. I believe that Data Studio meets these requirements ...