Includes index.

Foreword
Preface
This Book’s Purpose
This Book’s Audience
This Book’s Structure
O’Reilly Safari
How to Contact Us
Acknowledgments
I. Fundamentals
1. How to Learn Tableau: My Top Five Tips
Tip #5: Follow the Community
Tip #4: Take a Training Class
Tip #3: Read Up
Tip #2: Practice
Tip #1: Tableau Public
2. Which Tableau Product Is Best for Me?
Which Tableau Product Is Best for Me?
Tableau Desktop: Personal
Tableau Desktop: Professional
Tableau Reader
Tableau Public
Tableau Online
Tableau Server
3. An Introduction to Connecting to Data
An Introduction to Connecting to Data in Tableau
4. Shaping Data for Use with Tableau
Shaping Data for Use with Tableau
5. Getting a Lay of the Land
Tableau Terminology
View the Underlying Data
View the Number of Records
6. Dimension Versus Measure
What Is a Measure?
What Is a Dimension?
7. Discrete Versus Continuous
8. Five Ways to Make a Bar Chart/An Introduction to Aggregation
Five Ways to Create a Bar Chart in Tableau
An Introduction to Aggregation in Tableau
9. Line Graphs, Independent Axes, and Date Hierarchies
How to Make a Line Graph in Tableau
Independent Axes in Tableau
Date Hierarchies in Tableau
10. Marks Cards, Encoding, and Level of Detail
An Explanation of Level of Detail
An Introduction to Encoding
Label and Tooltip Marks Cards
11. An Introduction to Filters
Dimension Filters in Tableau
Measure Filters in Tableau
More Options with Filters
Macro Filters
12. An Introduction to Calculated Fields
Why Use Calculated Fields?
More on Aggregating Calculated Fields
13. An Introduction to Table Calculations
14. An Introduction to Parameters
An Introduction to Parameters in Tableau
15. An Introduction to Sets
How to Create a Set in Tableau
Five Ways to Use Tableau Sets
16. An Introduction to Level of Detail Expressions
An Introduction to Tableau Level of Detail Expressions
17. An Introduction to Dashboards and Distribution
An Introduction to Dashboards in Tableau
Distributing Tableau Dashboards
Packaged Workbooks
Tableau Public
Tableau Server/Tableau Online
II. Chart Types
18. A Spreadsheet Is Not a Data Visualization
A Spreadsheet Is Not a Data Visualization
Are Text Tables or Crosstabs Ever the Best Choice?
19. How to Make a Highlight Table
How to Make a Highlight Table in Tableau
20. How to Make a Heat Map
How to Make a Heat Map in Tableau
21. How to Make a Dual-Axis Combination Chart
How to Make a Dual-Axis Combo Chart in Tableau
Some Additional Thoughts
22. How to Make a Scatter Plot
How to Make a Scatter Plot in Tableau
23. How to Make a Tree Map
How to Make a Tree Map in Tableau
24. How to Make Sparklines
How to Make Sparklines in Tableau
Final Considerations
25. How to Make Small Multiples
How to Make Small Multiples in Tableau
Final Considerations
26. How to Make Bullet Graphs
How to Make Bullet Graphs in Tableau
27. How to Make a Stacked Area Chart
28. How to Make a Histogram
How to Make a Histogram in Tableau
29. How to Make a Box-and-Whisker Plot
How to Make a Box-and-Whisker Plot in Tableau
30. How to Make a Symbol Map with Mapbox Integration
How to Make a Symbol Map in Tableau
How to Add Mapbox Maps
31. How to Make a Filled Map
How to Make Filled Maps in Tableau
32. How to Make a Dual-Axis Map
33. How to Map a Sequential Path
How to Map Paths in Tableau
34. How to Map Anything in Tableau
Building Custom Background Maps in Tableau
35. How to Make Custom Polygon Maps
36. How to Make a Gantt Chart
37. How to Make a Waterfall Chart
38. How to Make Dual-Axis Slope Graphs
How to Make Slope Graphs in Tableau
How to Make Dual-Axis Slope Graphs in Tableau
39. How to Make Donut Charts
How to Make Donut Charts in Tableau
40. How to Make Funnel Charts
How to Make Funnel Charts in Tableau
Option 1: The Step Dimension
Option 2: Separate Measures
41. Introducing Pace Charts in Tableau
How to Create a Pace Chart with a Linear Pace in Tableau
42. How to Make a Pareto Chart
How to Make a Pareto Chart in Tableau
43. How to Make a Control Chart
How to Make Control Charts in Tableau
44. How to Make Dynamic Dual-Axis Bump Charts
How to Make Bump Charts in Tableau
45. How to Make Dumbbell Charts
How to Make Tableau Dumbbell Charts
46. How and Why to Make Customizable Jitter Plots
III. Tips and Tricks
47. How to Create Icon-Based Navigation or Filters
How to Make Icon-Based Navigation/Filters in Tableau
48. How to Make a What-If Analysis Using Parameters
49. Three Ways to Add Alerts to Your Dashboards
Alert 1: Date Settings
Alert 2: Dynamic Labels
Alert 3: Heat Map Dashboard with Optional Tableau Server Email
50. How to Add Instructions or Methodology Using Custom Shape Palettes
51. Ten Tableau Data Visualization Tips I Learned from Google Analytics
Use a Maximum of 12 Dashboard Objects
Improve User Experience by Leveraging Dashboard Actions
Allow End Users to Change the Date Aggregation of Line Graphs
Keep Crosstab Widths to a Maximum of Ten Columns
Use a Vertical Navigation in the Left Column
Choose Five or Fewer Colors for Your Dashboards
Stick Mostly to Lines and Bars
Include Comparisons Such as Year Over Year
Bring Your Data Visualization to Life Using Segmentation
Include Alerts of Exceptional or Poor Performance
52. Three Alternative Approaches to Pie Charts in Tableau
Tableau Pie Chart Alternative #1: Bar Chart
Tableau Pie Chart Alternative #2: Stacked Bars or Areas
Tableau Pie Chart Alternative #3: My Recommended Approach
53. How to Create and Compare Segments
This Is Awesome; Please Tell Me Other Ways This Can Be Used!
54. Five Design Tips for Enhancing Your Tableau Visualizations
Color
Typography
Layout
Usability
Details
55. Leveraging Color to Improve Your Data Visualization
The Color Wheel: Where It All Begins
The Psychology of Color
Using Custom Color Palettes in Tableau
56. Three Creative Ways to Use Dashboard Actions
A Primer on Tableau Dashboard Actions
Tableau Dashboard Action #1: Use Every Sheet as a Filter
Tableau Dashboard Action #2: Embed YouTube Videos in a Dashboard
Tableau Dashboard Action #3: Do a Google Search or Google Image Search from a Dashboard
57. How to Conditionally Format Individual Rows or Columns
How to Use Legends Per Measure
How to Conditionally Format in Tableau Like Excel
The Solution: A Calculated “Placeholder” Field
58. Five Tips for Creating Efficient Workbooks
Five Tips for Creating Efficient Workbooks in Tableau
Tip #1: Think Strategically About the Data You Absolutely Need
Tip #2: Limit Filters; Use the “Apply” Button
Tip #3: Reduce the Number of Marks
Tip #4: Boolean → Integer → Float → Date → Date Time → String
Tip #5: Reduce Sheets, Dashboards, and Data Sources
59. Using Level of Detail Expressions to Create Benchmarks
How to Use Tableau Level of Detail (LOD) Expressions to Create Benchmarks
60. Designing Device-Specific Dashboards
61. How to Make a Stoplight 100-Point Index
What Is a Stoplight Index?
Why Do I Have to Use the Fancy Approach You’re About to Share?
How to Set Up a 100-Point Index
Adding Color to a 100-Point Index Table
What If Outperforming the Comparison Is Bad?
62. The Case for One-Dimensional Unit Charts
How to Make One-Dimensional Unit Charts in Tableau
63. How to Highlight a Dimension
How to Add a Reference Line to a Dimension
64. Allow Users to Choose Measures and Dimensions
How to Use Parameters to Select a Measure in Tableau
How to Use Parameters to Select a Dimension in Tableau
65. How to Dynamically Format Numbers
How to Dynamically Format Numbers in Tableau
66. How to Change Date Aggregation Using Parameters
How to Change Date Aggregation Using Parameters
67. How to Equalize Year-Over-Year Dates
How to Equalize Year-Over-Year Dates in Tableau
68. How to Filter Out Partial Time Periods
How to Filter Out Partial Time Periods in Tableau
69. How to Compare Two Date Ranges on One Axis
How to Compare Any Date Range to the Previous Date Range on the Same Axis in Tableau
70. How to Compare Unequal Date Ranges on One Axis
71. How to Make a Cluster Analysis
72. Five Tips for Making Your Tableau Public Viz Go Viral
Tip #1: Create “Remarkable” Content
Tip #2: Balance Data and Design
Tip #3: Leverage Search Engine Optimization (SEO)
Tip #4: Network
Tip #5: Use Reddit
73. Three Ways to Make Beautiful Bar Charts in Tableau
Approach #1: Use Formatting Available in Tableau
Approach #2: Use Axis Rulers to Add a Baseline
Approach #3: Add Caps to Bars
74. Three Ways to Make Lovely Line Graphs in Tableau
Approach #1: Use Formatting Available in Tableau
Approach #2: Maximize the Data-Ink Ratio
Approach #3: Leverage the Dual-Axis
75. Three Ways Psychological Schemas Can Improve Your Data Visualization
Schema #1: Spatial Context
Schema #2: Icons/Shapes/Symbols
Schema #3: Color
IV. Framework
76. Introducing the INSIGHT Framework for Data Visualization
77. Identify the Business Question
78. Name KPIs
So How Do You Name the KPIs?
79. Shape the Data
Shaping Data for Use with Tableau
Joining and Aggregating Data
Laying Out Data for Specific Analyses
Shaping Data for the Iron Viz Example
80. Initial Concept
Creating an Initial Concept
81. Gather Feedback
82. Hone Dashboard
83. Tell the Story
V. Storytelling
84. Introduction to Storytelling
85. A Data Visualization Competition—That’s Also an Analogy for the Data Visualization Process
86. Tip #1: Know Your Audience
87. Tip #2: Smooth the Excel Transition
88. Tip #3: Leverage Color
A Few Benefits of Leveraging Color in Your Data Visualization
Customizing Your Use of Color Is Easy with Tableau
89. Tip #4: Keep It Simple
90. Tip #5: Use the Golden Ratio
91. Tip #6: Retell an Old Story
92. Tip #7: Don’t Neglect the Setup
93. Tip #8: Don’t Use Pie Charts
94. Tip #9: Provide Visual Context
95. Tip #10: Use Callout Numbers
96. Tip #11: Allow Discovery
97. Tip #12: Balance Data and Design
98. Tip #13: Eliminate Chartjunk (But Not Graphics)
99. Tip #14: Use Freeform Dashboard Design
100. Tip 15: Tell a Story
Index

Whether you have some experience with Tableau software or are just getting started, this manual goes beyond the basics to help you build compelling, interactive data visualization applications. Author Ryan Sleeper, one of the world’s most qualified Tableau consultants, complements his web posts and instructional videos with this guide to give you a firm understanding of how to use Tableau to find valuable insights in data.

Over five sections, Sleeper—recognized as a Tableau Zen Master, Tableau Public Visualization of the Year author, and Tableau Iron Viz Champion—provides visualization tips, tutorials, and strategies to help you avoid the pitfalls and take your Tableau knowledge to the next level.

Practical Tableau sections include:

Fundamentals: get started with Tableau from the beginning
Chart types: use step-by-step tutorials to build a variety of charts in Tableau
Tips and tricks: learn innovative uses of parameters, color theory, how to make your Tableau workbooks run efficiently, and more
Framework: explore the INSIGHT framework, a proprietary process for building Tableau dashboards
Storytelling: learn tangible tactics for storytelling with data, including specific and actionable tips you can implement immediately. taken from Publisher's site.