Uncover the Secrets of Mastering Tableau with Zach & Sarah

Whether you are an experienced Tableau user or are just starting your data visualization journey, this episode will provide valuable insights and inspiration. So sit back, relax, and join us for an exciting conversation where we will discuss everything about Tableau with Sarah Bartlett and Zach Bowders. In this episode, we will dive into the Tableau ecosystem, explore the vibrant community surrounding the tool, and discover how to learn more about Tableau.

Sarah Bartlett is a Tableau Visionary with over 12 years of experience partnering with clients to deliver analytical solutions to solve complex data challenges. She is passionate about data community building, user enablement, data strategy, and helping organizations embrace a modern data culture. Sarah is a Tableau Public Ambassador, a Tableau Desktop Certified Professional, and has experience working with other BI tools. She is the founder of the famous #IronQuest community project and co-leads the London Tableau User Group. In 2020, she was recognized as a Tableau Visionary and served her fourth annual term.

Zach Bowders is a Business Intelligence Specialist at Jones Lang LaSalle, passionate about data visualization and storytelling. He has a background in data analysis and holds an MBA degree. He is particularly interested in understanding businesses and using data to drive change and improve processes. Zach is skilled in various data tools and technologies, including Tableau, SQL, and Excel, and is always looking for new ways to innovate with data.

Throughout today’s episode, Sarah and Zach converse about various topics related to Tableau and data analysis. They outline what Tableau is and share how they got into the Tableau world. They also emphasize the importance of Tableau Public, where users can download the tool and access the Viz Gallery, including the “VIZ of the Day” selection that highlights exciting and cool visualizations made by the community. Moreover, they suggest downloading Tableau Public is a great way to start learning and that sharing work on social media, such as LinkedIn or Twitter, can be valuable. Also, Sarah and Zach encourage users not to be afraid to share their work publicly, as the community is generally favourable. However, they mention that different social networks attract other people and reactions. Sharing work publicly and asking for feedback is crucial for growth and improvement.

Furthermore, we explore the importance of storytelling in creating visualizations, and they predict the future of Tableau and data science for the next few years. They recommend using Tableau Student Guide, Tableau Public, and Viz Gallery as starting points for learning Tableau and emphasize how working with Tableau can help in developing effective communication skills with data. Finally, Sarah and Zach reflect on their life lessons and share the one piece of advice they would give their younger selves if they could turn back time.

00:00 Introduction

03:50 What is Tableau?

10:51 What is Tableau Public?

14:14 Free Learning resources

18:24 Why is Storytelling in Data Important

21:50 The Future of Tableau and Data Science

29:31 How to start learning Tableau

30:35 Why you should Share Your Work

35:17 Tableau Communication Mastery

39:02 Turning Back Time – Reflecting on life lessons

Resources:

Connect with Zach & Sarah: