Creating Interactive Tableau Dashboards

Discover how to create interactive dashboards that are informative and compelling using Tableau, the data visualization software.

Introduction

• Design dashboards in Tableau
• What you should know

1. Elements of a Good Dashboard

• The four questions for every dashboard
• Who is the dashboard for?
• Where is the dashboard viewed?
• Why are you making the dashboard?
• What question do you want to answer?

2. Dashboard Structure

• Create a basic dashboard
• Size your dashboard
• Floating vs. tiles layout
• How to use layout containers
• Titles on your dashboard
• Challenge: Create a basic dashboard
• Solution: Create a basic dashboard

3. Dashboard Components

• Apply filters across sheets
• Highlight data with annotations
• Additional information and help
• Collapsible containers to show or hide elements
• Challenge: Modifying dashboards
• Solution: Modifying dashboards

4. Dashboard Design Elements

• Dashboard colors
• Remove chart junk
• Visually group elements with borders
• Challenge: Dashboard design
• Solution: Dashboard design

5. Interaction with Dashboard Actions

• Add interaction with actions
• Filter actions
• Highlight actions
• URL actions
• Go to Sheet
• Proportional brushing using set actions
• Asymmetric drill down using set actions
• Highlight with parameter actions
• Challenge: Dashboard actions
• Solution: Dashboard actions

6. Using Stories to Make Dashboards

• Data viz vs. data stories
• Narrative structure
• Big stories
• Small stories
• Challenge: Dashboard stories
• Solution: Dashboard stories

7. One Dataset: Five Dashboards

• Build an exploratory dashboard
• Build an informative dashboard
• Build a data story
• Build a KPI dashboard
• Design for tablets and mobile
• Challenge: Dashboard styles
• Solution: Dashboard styles

Conclusion

• Next steps