After Tableau Desktop the next most commonly used application on my computer is probably Notepad++. I use Notepad++ to take notes, edit HTML and XML files and to have a larger screen to review the logic from Tableau Calculated fields. I often get asked to help figure out why a calculated field is not producing the desired result. Sometimes, it's not feasible to review multi-line logic in Tableau, so I leverage Notepad++ for a larger window and some additional help...MORE
Disregarding the difficulty in visualizing a spherical representation or Earth on a flat screen, when we look at a map of the United States (or any map), the projection looks 'correct' to us because of the aspect ratio. The same goes for some types of data visualizations. If you struggle with manipulating axes and worksheet sizes when creating a dashboard, I've got a quick tip for you...MORE
On Thursday of this week, I published my 100th (visible) Tableau Public visualization. Over the course of creating these vizzes, I’m sure I’ve invested well over 300 hours of effort. That leads to the question of why...MORE
In 2018, I made a concerted focus on pushing myself to be more active in the Tableau Community. In all honesty, this ‘resolution’ was a holdover from attending my first Tableau Conference in October 2017. I set some very modest goals, and am pretty pleased with the results...MORE
I've had several people ask me where I get the inspiration for the vizzes that I publish to Tableau Public. The answer is easy, as well as complicated. Each viz that I create is a sum of many parts - distilled down to the basic three, there are the dataset, the data story and most obviously the visual. While all interconnected, I draw from different sources for the inspiration for these three pieces. This is the first of a series of three posts delving into where I find my inspiration - let's dive into the People of Tableau, or where I get my 'vizspiration' for my visuals....MORE
Over the past few weeks, I’ve had multiple ancillary conversations with friends about time and how we use it. The first was on a walk from my hotel to the convention center during Tableau Conference. A friend and I were discussing the new Screen Time feature in iOS 12.0 that tracks and conveniently displays how much time the user has spent on his or her iPhone. He mentioned that the results and insights were both shocking and slightly depressing at the same time. Fortunately, he’d used that data to make some changes in his life, and was happy with the results to date. After making a mental note that I probably needed to review my usage too, I filed the conversation away...MORE
On Friday, November 2, I received a notification on my phone that I’d been tagged in a tweet by Tableau Public. I tapped on the alert and was super excited to see that my viz looking at the most common last names in the United States had been selected as the Viz of the Day. In addition to my excitement, I also had a bit of a “Wow, I can’t believe they chose that" moment...MORE
I've been home from TC18 just over a week, and came back full of energy and enthusiasm to continue building my online Tableau presence. This is similar to how I felt after attending my first conference in 2017, but now I’ve got a base to build upon. In 2017, I returned home excited about the Tableau Community and how open and helpful the community is. With that in mind, I set out with the goal to become a part of that community...MORE