Today (Friday, October 27th) marks my 1 year anniversary on Tableau Public!
Makeover Monday is what initially drew me to start publishing things on Tableau Public, and the first data set I published was based on the Pulse Nightclub shooting in Orlando Florida.
Obviously, this wasn’t the first time I used Tableau, but it was a turning point in my Tableau life. The exercise of committing to Makeover Monday has pushed me outside my comfort zone, enabled me to learn new chart types, tricks, tips, visualization tactics, and so much more. It’s gotten me more deeply involved in the Cleveland Tableau User Group, which I now co-lead. It’s gotten me more involved with the larger Tableau Community, including Viz for Social Good and Data for a Cause. Lastly, it’s brought some really awesome people in to my life from around the world. The best part is that I still have so much more to learn and master, and I’m really looking forward to the challenge.
Some of my favorites that’s I’ve done over the last year:
Trump Tweets – I like this one because it was the first time I used Polygon Maps… I never had a reason to learn it before, and now I use it fairly regularly.
Overview of LATAM Youth Unemployment – This was the first thing I did for Viz for Social Good. I love the layout and design of it, especially the transparent image overlay in the middle (thanks Pooja!). This viz also received “Viz of the Day” from Tableau, which was a huge and humbling honor
The Decline of Drinking in the U.K. – I love the simplicity of this one, and the iteration I did with feedback from Andy Kriebel. Ultimately, this one was picked in the Makeover Monday review, another honor. I love the silhouette image on this one so much.
The Demise of the Bee– My first IronViz feeder entry. Special to me because of the process and engagement with the community. I really wanted to make this viz spectacular, so I put out the call for people to critically review and help me iterate through viz. The call was answered from across the pond and you can read all about it here. Big thanks, once again, to Sarah, Lorna, Rebecca, and Dave for all the help and suggestions!
Las Vegas Blackjack – This one was fun because it was a challenge from Ben Jones, leader of Tableau Public. I don’t remember the particulars of how we got there, but he mentioned something about a blackjack dashboard and I felt inspired so I created the dataset and hammered out the viz.
How Rare is Your Indicator Type? – It’s fitting that I feature the latest Makeover Monday submission, as it brings my year full circle. It’s amazing to me to see my personal growth through my Tableau Public profile. I think my vizzes have gotten much cleaner, contain better analysis and insight, and are more engaging than ever before, and like I said before, I still have so far to go…
So what have I learned in a year on Tableau Public? A ton of stuff from a Tableau perspective to be sure… but as I’ve said in previous blogs, the community is amazing and unlike anything I’ve experienced in 20 years of being in technology. Over the last year, I’ve created 72 data visualizations and built quite a portfolio. I dare say that my portfolio helped me secure my current job, and I can say with confidence that the work I’ve done in Tableau Public has contributed to the work I do professionally now from beginning to end.
I can’t wait to see what the next year has in store!