Tableau Your Data!: Fast and Easy Visual Analysis with Tableau Software

CHAPTER 3

Building Your First Visualization

If we have made this our task, then there is no more rational procedure than the method of trial and error—of conjecture and refutation: of boldly proposing theories; of trying our best to show that these are erroneous; and of accepting them tentatively if our critical efforts are unsuccessful.

KARL POPPER¹

Now that you've learned how to connect Tableau to a variety of datasources you can start building visualizations. In this chapter you will learn about all of the chart types provided by the Show Me button. You will discover how to add trend lines, reference lines, and control the way your data is sorted and filtered. You'll see how creating ad hoc groups, sets, and hierarchies can produce information not available in the datasource. Tableau's discrete and continuous data hierarchies will be explained, and how you can alter Tableau's default date hierarchies by creating your own custom dates.

FAST AND EASY ANALYSIS VIA SHOW ME

Tableau's mission statement is to help you see and understand your data by enabling self-service visual analytics. The software is designed to facilitate analysis for non-technical information consumers. This is the concept behind Tableau's Show Me button. Consider Show Me to be your expert helper. Show Me tells you what chart to use and why. It will also help you create complicated visualizations faster and with less effort. For example, advanced map visualizations are best started via Show Me because Tableau ...