Ann Jackson - Tableau Strategies: Solving Real, Practical Problems with Data Analytics

by Ann Jackson and Luke Stanke

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• August 2021: First Edition

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If youve picked up this book, chances are we already have something in common. What is it, you may ask? Its that we love dataworking with it, analyzing it, and presenting it. The Tableau portfolio of products, most specifically Tableau Desktop, provides us data enthusiasts the opportunity to get hands-on with our data, interrogate it, and create beautiful charts and outputs.

Tableau as a visualization tool is unique. It takes an analysis-first approach by offering an open canvas where creators can start from scratch and build any chart they imagine. It also provides a fantastic toolkit to create both interactive dashboards and pixel-perfect data displays.

But since were all professionals here, we know the truth: it takes more than just connecting a dataset to Tableau to derive insight and value. Thats where this book comes in. Throughout these pages, youll find an exhaustive collection of use cases and scenarios designed to provide both contextual commentary and technical know-how. Whether youre a data beginner (weve got you covered) or a seasoned Tableau professional, the chapters in this book are designed to guide you through how and why charts are made.

And one of the most exciting parts about this book? It cultivates examples from many industries and includes many types of data. We all know that both the type of data and the contents of a dataset define the direction of analysis, but often in your day job, youre stuck with just one type. Here, youll be able to draw inspiration and gain practical experience working with data that you may be completely unfamiliar with.

In the nearly 20 years that Tableau has been around, neither of your authors has found a visualization tool that provides as much depth, flexibility, and innovation as Tableau Desktop has. Add on top of that a world-class community and free social sharing platform called Tableau Public, and you have the perfect recipe for why we both continue to invest our careers in Tableau and to teach it to learners and classrooms of all sizes and types.