Tableau Desktop Pocket Reference

Chapter 9. How to Make a Scatter Plot

A scatter plot visualizes the intersection of points across two variables, each represented by its own continuous axis. This chart type has at least four major benefits:

• Demonstrates correlations between the two variables

• Creates a four-quadrant segmentation

• Indicates outliers

• Visualizes many data points in a small space

This chapter shows how to make a scatter plot, discusses how aggregations are affected by the visualization’s level of detail, and introduces the Analytics pane.

To start a scatter plot, place a measure on the Rows shelf and a second measure on the Columns shelf. Figure 9-1 shows a default scatter plot in Tableau after placing the Profit measure on the Rows shelf with an aggregation of Average, and the Discount measure on the Columns shelf with an aggregation of Average.

Figure 9-1. The default scatter plot in Tableau with AVG(Profit) on the Rows shelf and AVG(Discount) on the Columns shelf

Tip

It is considered best practice to place your dependent measure on the Rows shelf, which forms the y-axis, and the explanatory measure on the Columns shelf, which forms the x-axis. In this case, we are evaluating profit and seeing whether a correlation exists with the Discount measure that helps explain the profit values.

Another best practice with scatter plots is to make them square (with the height of the y-axis equal to ...