Are you new to visualizing data using Tableau? Are you looking for a solid starting point with a few getting-started resources summarized in one document? Then this is the post for you.

Before we dive in, let’s talk about what Tableau is in 2023. It’s worth acknowledging that Tableau has evolved and expanded its territory of the data space a lot since its inception in 2003. While at one time, Tableau was primarily a desktop application focused on the visual representation of data, today, the Tableau platform encompasses multiple aspects of helping people see and understand their data at various stages of the analytics lifecycle.

Tim Ngwena aka “Tableau Tim” created an excellent video where he explains the components of the Tableau platform in under 10 minutes. I highly recommend watching it. This post is focused on addressing how to get started with the data analysis and exploration part of the platform: Tableau Desktop.

It’s likely that you’re starting on your Tableau journey because your employer has asked you to. Or you could be exploring it because you’re job-hunting and you keep seeing Tableau as a desired skill on job advertisements… or maybe you’re just curious about what it is! Regardless of your reasons for getting started, my key suggestion around learning Tableau Desktop is to resist the temptation to dive straight into data from your job. Instead, start playing with data that is not related to your job at all. Find some public data that’s in an Excel or CSV file, or use the sample data file from an official Tableau training session (for example Superstore Sales) – this is the best way to really learn Tableau Desktop functionality. 

Why?

  • When you’re learning – particularly in the beginning – it can be frustrating if you run into trouble with your connection to the data, authentication, performance, etc. Remove that possibility from the equation completely by working with a simple Excel or CSV file. You’ll have more control and can focus on the learning rather than getting bogged down with passwords and spinning balls.
  • Data sources from your job could be comprised of data from multiple places which can make it challenging to truly understand what it contains at the most granular level, which is necessary to understand about any data set. And when there are so many pills (dimensions and measures), it can all get a bit blurry. When you’re learning, go for simple data. Work with only a few dimensions and measures that you can actually keep track of… not a source that has 60 columns and millions+ of rows. When you do this, you’ll go back to your data from work with a potentially different approach to it.
  • Some functionality (renaming pills, setting aliases, creating hierarchies, etc.) is different when you are connected to a live database (such as a SQL Server database, or OBIEE / Oracle) or a Tableau Server data source versus connecting to an Excel or CSV file. This nuance can be frustrating when you’re just getting started. Again, start small and learn how Tableau works with a simple file that you have more control over. You can adapt your learning to your work environment down the line.

The Resources

Tableau’s Starter Kit Page – An excellent starting point is the Tableau Starter Kit. It’s a combination of articles, videos, and practice activities to get started on your journey. It’s free and you can work through it at your own pace: https://www.tableau.com/learn/starter-kits

Tableau’s Start Your Learning Journey Page – If you’re looking for other content produced by Tableau specifically, check out this page: https://www.tableau.com/learn/start-your-journey

  • eLearning: Some of the eLearning options are free or are free for a period of time and then change to a low monthly subscription fee. The eLearning options offer different ‘paths’, depending on your learning needs. Some of these include Analyst, Designer, Data Scientist, and Consumer paths – there are more, but you can have a click around the site to find what might be relevant for you: https://www.tableau.com/learn/training/elearning
  • Free training videos: These are good to get started as well. You’ll need to set up a profile at tableau.com and be logged in to access them. The relevant data sources you’ll need to follow along in the videos is normally available in the notes below the video once you’ve logged in. Videos are categorized into groups based on the type of user you might be (Creator, Explorer, Viewer, or Admin): https://www.tableau.com/learn/training
  • Instructor-led training: Some folks prefer to have an instructor and there are plenty of options for this: https://www.tableau.com/learn/classroom

Tableau Training Pass – Virtual learning through Salesforce’s Trailhead Academy – this gives you 3 months of unlimited access to virtual training content that is instructor-led – this option has great flexibility.

Individual Classes – These may be virtual or in-person, but are instructor-led and for a specified date and time. Some but not all individual classes are also available via the Tableau Training Pass option.

Free Trailhead Modules – Trailhead is Salesforce’s free gamified online learning platform. It has a variety of training options with topics ranging from AI, business and tech (broad topics) to topics like Tableau, Slack, and CRM Analytics (product-specific topics), to a number of other training modules related to soft skills and change management, to name a few.

Here are some direct links to modules specifically for getting started using Tableau.

Get Your Hands Dirty

While all the above is great, my number one suggestion to learn Tableau is this: Get your hands dirty and play with some data, or jump into a Tableau Community Project

Playing around with data that has nothing to do with your job is possibly the most effective way to learn. Ask just about any regular contributor on Tableau Public and I’m sure they will agree. Find some public data sets, search YouTube videos and start working with some data. Find data that is interesting to you (sports, music, movies, social issues, etc.) so that you’re more likely to stick with it. Practice making a new chart type you’ve never made before. Find a visualization on Tableau Public that you admire, download the workbook, and reverse engineer some of it. While all that might sound intimidating at first, taking one small step at a time is all you need to do… and gradually you’ll see your knowledge begin to accumulate.

Take it one step further and get involved in a Community Project. Many project participants share their work via Tableau Public and may solicit feedback from other participants. Doing this allows you to practice and get feedback easily – all you have to share is the URL to the visual. Nobody has to have anything installed or be logged into anything to click the link and see your work. Whether you’ve set your work to hidden it or left it publicly visible, anyone with the URL can see it. You can also participate without seeking feedback – that is totally fine and plenty of people participate that way, too. 

Participating in a Community Project may also provide some level of accountability in that if you’ve connected with someone in the Community and they’ve given you their time to review your work and offer some suggestions to improve it, you may be more likely to follow through and iterate on their suggestions. This could mean you’re forced to search how to do something you haven’t before, which means you learn something new. 

Many projects running in the community provide the data to you, which means you don’t have to look for it and it makes it a little easier to participate.

However, if you do prefer to find your own data, here are some ideas to get started below: 

Additional Resources

Participate in a Tableau User Group event – There are Tableau users all over the world who meet up periodically – sometimes in-person, sometimes virtually – to connect, build networks, and chat all-things-Tableau. You can find out from others how they got started and how they learned. Everyone’s journey and learning style is different and you might get other ideas by connecting with other users. Find a user group event in your area here: https://usergroups.tableau.com/

Specifically, if you’re just getting started you should check out the Tableau Newbies User Group. They hold regular events virtually, so there’s no geographical barrier to attending. Many of their sessions are recorded and made available online afterwards as well: https://usergroups.tableau.com/tableau-newbies-user-group/

Participate in the Tableau Community Forums – Are you trying to find the answer to a specific question regarding Tableau as you’re learning? Are you stuck on something in particular that’s just not stacking up? Then visit the forums to search the existing Q&A, or ask a new question. The volunteers who monitor the forums are more than happy to help out and provide guidance.

If you decide to contribute to the forums, it’s worth reading through the First Time Here and How to Best Ask a Question pages first to get the most out of your experience.

Resources for Academia – Check out Tableau’s Academic Program. Are you a student who wants to learn Tableau? You might be eligible to get a free license for Tableau Desktop and Prep for one year along with free access to the eLearning mentioned earlier in this post – check this link for more info. Are you an instructor? You may also be eligible for some freebies – check this link for more info.

Maybe you’d like to understand what has been added to the product as the quarters and years have gone by – here are some resources for you!

Analyst-based features – A series of short webinars that demo the latest features that are relevant specifically to anyone working in an Analyst-type of job. You need to be logged into your tableau.com profile to access these on-demand: https://www.tableau.com/learn/series/all-analyst-based-features

New features in the most recent version of the software: https://www.tableau.com/products/new-features

All features by product version – maybe you need to check what version feature XYZ became available: https://www.tableau.com/products/all-features 

Lastly, I’d like to mention the DataFam Roundup blog that I’ve found to be really helpful in having a single place to visit online to stay current with all the great content that is generated and shared in the broader Tableau Community. The team behind the DataFam Roundup capture and highlight some of the most recent visualizations shared via Tableau Public, recent blog posts authored by members of the Community and generally try to collate everything that’s been trending in the Community that week. It’s an excellent resource to find out what’s happening in the Community – worth a bookmark in your browser for sure!

Thanks so much for reading – wishing you the best of luck getting started on your Tableau journey.

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