Innovative Tableau

Chapter 69. 3 Innovative Ways to Use Parameter Actions: Tip 1

There’s no better topic to bridge Parts III and IV than parameters. Parameters link authors and their audiences because they allow the author to design inputs but then transfer the control of those inputs to the user. When an author can harness the power of parameters, it leads to almost infinite applications and user-friendly experiences.

When parameter actions were introduced in Tableau 2019.2, parameters became even more powerful because instead of being limited by parameter controls, the inputs can be changed when users interact with a dashboard. This chapter series shows you how to implement three of my favorite tactics with the Change Parameter dashboard action.

How to Highlight Dimension Members Using Parameter Selections

One of my favorite user experiences to provide is a drop-down box that allows the audience to choose the dimension member that is most relevant to them. I then highlight their selection on all the charts throughout the dashboard. It’s like a good map that includes a You Are Here sticker to help the viewer orient themselves within the context of the rest of the visual.

The tactic is achieved through the use of parameters and a Boolean formula that identifies which dimension member matches the parameter value and which do not. For more, see Chapter 40.

Before parameter actions (explained in Chapter 2), I would have to display a parameter control to allow the user to select the dimension ...