Practical Tableau

Chapter 51. Ten Tableau Data Visualization Tips I Learned from Google Analytics

Eight years ago, I was fortunate to be introduced to Tableau, a tool for data visualization that has led to personal opportunities and contributions to my clients’ businesses that I didn’t imagine would be possible in such a short amount of time.

Even before that, though, I was introduced to Google Analytics.

It’s no surprise then that some of my inspiration for the design, usability, and analytics of my data visualizations have been drawn from Google Analytics over the years. Sure, the Audience Overview report features an overly large pie chart for new versus returning visitors—a measure that is largely useless in an age of multiple devices, cleared cookies, and anonymous users—but Google tends to get a lot of things right.

What follows is a list of 10 Tableau data visualization best practices I use that I either consciously or subconsciously picked up from Google Analytics. In no particular order…

Use a Maximum of 12 Dashboard Objects

One of the first ideas I remember consciously thinking to myself, “Wow, that’s a good idea, Google Analytics; I should use that…,” was the 12 object limit Google Analytics has in place for its custom dashboards. Many data visualization specialists often remind us that “less is more,” and I have encouraged designers in Chapter 89. In Google Analytics, you have no choice but to keep dashboard objects, or widgets in Google’s words, to 12 or fewer. Here is what you see ...