Data Visualization And Analytics  – Tableau 

Audience:

This course is designed to provide you with the skills required to become a Tableau power user. The course is designed for the professional who has solid working experience with Tableau and wants to take it to the next level. You should have a deep understanding of all the fundamental concepts of building worksheets and dashboards, but may scratch your head when working with more complex issues.

 7.1 Learning Objectives: At the end of this class, the student will be able to:

• Build advanced chart types and visualizations
• Build complex calculations to manipulate your data
• Work with statistics and statistical techniques
• Work with parameters and input controls
• Implement advanced geographic mapping techniques and use custom images to build spatial visualizations of non-geographic data
• Implement all options in working with data: Joining multiple tables, data blending, performance considerations and working with the Data Engine, and understand when to implement which connection method.
• Build better dashboards using techniques for guided analytics, interactive dashboard design and visual best practices
• Implement many efficiency tips and tricks
• Understand the basics of Tableau Server and other options for sharing your results

7.2 Introduction and Getting Started

• Why Tableau? Why Visualization?
• The Tableau Product Line
• Level Setting – Terminology
• Getting Started – creating some powerful visualizations quickly
• Review of some Key Fundamental Concepts
• What is Tableau?
•  What does the Tableau product suite comprise of? How Does Tableau Work?
• Tableau Architecture
• Connecting to Data & Introduction to data source concepts

• Understanding the Tableau workspace
• Dimensions and Measures
• Data Types & Default Properties
• Tour of Shelves & Marks Card
• Using Show Me
• Saving and Sharing your work-overview

7.3 Filtering, Sorting & Grouping

Filtering, Sorting and Grouping are fundamental concepts
when working with and analyzing data. We will briefly review these topics as they apply to Tableau

• Advanced options for filtering and hiding
• Understanding your many options for ordering and grouping your data: Sort, Groups, Bins, Sets
• Understanding how all of these options inter-relate

7.4 Working with Data– In the Advanced class, we will understand the difference between joining and blending data, and when we should do each. We will also consider the implications of working with large data sets, and consider options for when and how to work with extracts and the data engine. We will also investigate best practices in “sharing” data sources for Tableau Server users.

• Data Types and Roles
• Dimension versus Measures
• Data Types
• Discrete versus Continuous
• The meaning of pill colors
• Database Joins
• Data Blending
• Working with the Data Engine / Extracts and scheduling extract updates
• Working with Custom SQL
• Adding to Context
• Switching to Direct Connection

7.5 Working with Calculated Data and Statistics– In the Fundamentals Class, we were introduced to some basic calculations: basic string and arithmetic calculations and ratios and quick table calculations. In the Advanced class, we will extend those concepts to understand the intricacies of manipulating data within Tableau

7.6 A Quick Review of Basic Calculations

Arithmetic Calculations

String Manipulation

Date Calculations

Quick Table Calculations

Custom Aggregations

Custom Calculated Fields

Logic and Conditional Calculations

 Conditional Filters

7.7 Advanced Table Calculations

Understanding Scope and Direction

Calculate on Results of Table Calculations

Complex Calculations

Difference From Average

Discrete Aggregations

Index to Ratios

7.8 Working with Parameters– In the Fundamentals class, we were introduced to parameters – How to create a parameter and use it in a calculation. In the Advanced class, we will go into more details on how we can use parameters to modify our title, create What-If analysis, etc

Parameter Basics

Data types of parameters

Using parameters in calculated fields

 Inputting parameter values and parameter control options

Advanced Usage of Parameters

Using parameters for titles, field selections, logic statements, Top X

7.9 Building Advanced Chart Types and Visualizations / Tips & Tricks– This topic covers how to create some of the chart types and visualizations that may be less obvious in Tableau. It also covers some of the more common tips & tricks / techniques that we use to assist customers in solving some of their more complex problems.

• Bar in Bar
• Box Plot
• Bullet Chart
• Custom Shapes
• Gantt Chart
• Heat Map
• Pareto Chart
• Spark Line
• KPI Chart

7.10 Best Practices in Formatting and Visualizing

• Formatting Tips
• Drag to Legend
• Edit Legend
• Highlighting
• Labeling
• Legends
• Working with Nulls
• Table Options
• Annotations and Display Options
• Introduction to Visualization Best Practices

7.11 Data Analysis And Reporting

• Data Analysis using Pivot Tables – use of row and column shelf, values and filters
• Difference between data layering and cross tabulation, summary reports, advantages and limitations
• Change aggregation types and summarisation
• Creating groups and bins in pivot data
• Concept of calculated fields, usage and limitations
• Changing report layouts – Outline, compact and tabular forms
• Show and hide grand totals and subtotals
• Creating summary reports using pivot tables

7.12 SQL: Data Manipulation (DML Commands)

• Insert, Update & Delete statements
• Select statement – Subsetting, Filters, Sorting. Removing Duplicates, grouping and aggregations etc
• Where, Group By, Order by & Having clauses
• SQL Functions – Number, Text, Date, etc
• SQL Keywords – Top, Distinct, Null, etc
• SQL Operators –  Relational (single valued and multi valued), Logical (and, or, not), Use of wildcard operators and wildcard characters, etc

7.13 SQL: Accessing Data From Multiple Tables Using SELECT

• Append and JoinsUnion and Union All – Use & constraints
• Intersect and Except statements
• Table Joins – inner join, left join, right join, full join
• Cross joins/cartesian products, self joins, natural joins etc
• Inline views and sub-queries
• Optimizing your work

7.14 Tableau: Data Handling & Summaries

• Date Aggregations and Date parts
• Cross tab & Tabular charts
• Totals & Subtotals
• Bar Charts & Stacked Bars
• Line Graphs with Date & Without Date
• Tree maps
• Scatter Plots
• Individual Axes, Blended Axes, Dual Axes & Combination chart
• Parts of Views
• Sorting
• Trend lines/ Forecasting
• Reference Lines
• Filters/Context filters
• Sets
  • In/Out Sets
  • Combined Sets
• Grouping
• Bins/Histograms
• Drilling up/down – drill through
• Hierarchies
• View data
• Actions (across sheets)

7.15 Tableau: Building Advanced Reports/ Maps

• Explain latitude and longitude
• Default location/Edit locations
• Building geographical maps
• Using Map layers

7.16 Tableau: Calculated Fields

• Working with aggregate versus disaggregate data
• Explain – #Number of Rows
• Basic Functions (String, Date, Numbers etc)
• Usage of Logical conditions

7.17 Tableau: Table Calculations

• Explain scope and direction
• Percent of Total, Running / Cumulative calculations
• Introduction to LOD (Level of Detail) Expressions
• User applications of Table calculations

7.18 Tableau: Parameters

• Using Parameters in
  • Calculated fieldsBins
  • Reference Lines
  • Filters/Sets
• Display Options (Dynamic Dimension/Measure Selection)
• Create What-If/ Scenario analysis

7.19 Tableau: Building Interactive Dashboards

• Combining multiple visualizations into a dashboard (overview)
• Making your worksheet interactive by using actions
  • Filter
  • URL
  • Highlight
• Complete Interactive Dashboard for Sales & Services

7.20 Tableau: Formatting

• Options in Formatting your Visualization
• Working with Labels and Annotations
• Effective Use of Titles and Captions

7.21 Tableau: Working With Data

• Multiple Table Joins
• Data Blending
• Difference between joining and blending data, and when we should do each
• Toggle between to Direct Connection and Extracts