Jumpstart Tableau ― A Step-by-step Guide to Better Data Visualization

This book simplifies the use of Tableau software functionality for novice users so that they can create powerful data visualizations easily and quickly. Since it is often very difficult and expensive to provide external training on BI tools, this book aims to equip the reader with the resource they need to do it themselves.

Tableau Jumpstart covers the basic reporting and analysis functions that most BI users perform in their day-to-day work. These include connecting to a data source, working with dimensions and measures, developing reports and charts, saving workbooks, filtering, swapping, sorting, formatting, grouping, creating hierarchies, forecasting, exporting, distributing, as well developing various chart types.

Each exercise in Tableau Jumpstart provides screenshots that cover every step from start to finish. The exercises are based on a comprehensive sample Excel-based data source that Tableau Software (version 9) has provided, which makes it very easy to duplicate the exercises on the real software.

In addition, the book:

• Enables readers to develop reports, queries and visualizations
• Perform data analysis
• Execute each function in a step-by-step manner
• Provides the basic hands-on ability which can enable users to work up to more advanced and complex Tableau functionality
• Shows how to integrate individual development of content, such as tables/charts and visualizations., onto a dashboard for an effective presentation

• How to connect to data sources
• How to develop reports
• How to develop visualizations
• How to perform analysis functions (e.g., filtering, drilldown, sorting, grouping, forecasting, etc.)
• How to save visualizations in different formats and distribute them
• How to develop dashboards and their content

Arshad Khan is a versatile IT business intelligence and SAP software professional with over 30 years of experience. He has extensive consulting experience in business intelligence/analytics and SAP. He has consulted for such leading companies as Accenture, PWC, Deloitte Consulting, Pacific Gas & Electric, Bose Corporation, Daimler Chrysler, Home Depot, Genentech, Chevron, Textron, PepsiCo, Polycom, Unisys, and Hitachi-America. Since June 2014, Mr. Khan has been consulting for the US Navy as the Business Intelligence Architect. At Juniper Networks (a $4 billion dollar company), he led the Tableau-based analytics development team.

Mr. Khan, who has 15 books to his credit, on diverse subjects, previously authored five books on BI/data warehousing. He has also taught at seven universities, including the University of California (Berkeley, Santa Cruz, and San Diego), where he developed the first data warehouse course in 1995. Mr. Khan has a graduate degree in engineering as well as an MBA.