Introduction
There is a lot of buzz about data visualization in Tableau these days. This is great for Tableau users and anyone interested in getting started with this tool. However, you may be creating visualizations without realizing it’s not the best way to present your information. Whether it’s because you want your dashboard to be more readable or just easier on the eyes, here are some tips on how to transform your Tableau dashboards into something better than what you have right now:
Get rid of the clutter
As you’re working on your dashboard, it’s important to keep in mind that the goal is to show the most important data. This means getting rid of anything that distracts from or adds visual clutter.
It can be tempting to try and show all of your data on one canvas, but this will make it difficult for users to find what they are looking for and make the dashboard hard to read. If you need multiple visualizations or tables on one page, consider splitting them up into separate pages instead (see below).
Limit axis labels by only showing those that are relevant for each chart type–for example: don’t label each bar in a bar chart with its value if there is already another way of displaying that information elsewhere on the page (e.g., next to each bar).
Remove unnecessary components from your dashboard
When you’re designing your dashboard, make sure to remove any unnecessary components. If a chart is never used or if a filter is never changed, then there’s no point in keeping it on the dashboard.
Remove Unused Fields And Measures
Unused fields are just as bad as unused measures. They take up space and clutter up your dashboards so that they don’t look clean and professional. You should always make sure that you have only those fields which are being used in your report displayed on the canvas of Tableau Desktop (or Tableau Public) before publishing it online or sharing with others who may use this information for their own purposes!
Use color to highlight your data, not to distract from it.
As a general rule, use color to highlight your data, not to distract from it. Try not to use too many colors or shades in one dashboard–you want people’s eyes drawn to the most important information first and foremost.
Using color effectively is also an art form in itself; there are many ways you can incorporate it into your dashboards that go beyond simply using different hues for each column (though this still works great). Here are some other tips:
- Use color change effectively – If you’re looking at data over time or location, consider highlighting changes in these areas with varying shades of the same hue (for example, if a bar chart shows sales growth by quarter over four years). This will make it easier for viewers who aren’t familiar with all aspects of your report structure or methodology to identify trends quickly as they scan through their findings.*
Limit your use of axis labels
Axis labels should be used sparingly. In Tableau, axis labels are a separate object from the chart and can be moved around independently, which makes it easy to hide them behind other elements on your dashboard.
When you do use axis labels:
- Use them only when necessary. If you have multiple charts on one page, it’s best not to label every single one because that would make reading all of these charts difficult for users who want an overview of all their data in one glance (and not just an individual chart). Instead, focus on how many different types of data points there are across each series so users can quickly identify what each graph represents before diving deeper into exploring individual datasets within each group or category represented by those graphs. For example, if you had three different types of sales data–one related specifically towards customer acquisition campaigns over time; another focused on how many repeat purchases were made per month; and yet another showing monthly profits based upon various product categories sold through ecommerce platforms like Amazon or eBay – then labeling only two out five columns would suffice since most people won’t need all five columns’ worth information at once anyway!
Avoid presenting table calculations as measures on the canvas.
There’s nothing wrong with using table calculations as measures on your canvas. They’re great for summarizing data, and they can be used in filters and other places where traditional measures would be applied. However, if you’re going to use them as a measure, you should avoid doing so in dashboards.
Tableau does not currently support “drill-down” functionality for table calculations (i.e., expanding or collapsing detail). Therefore we recommend only using these types of fields as filters since this can provide more flexibility when creating drill-down views later on down the line!
Remove unused fields and measures from Data Source Connections and Measures tabs.
In the Data Source Connections tab, remove any unused fields and measures. In the Measures tab, remove any unused calculated fields that you don’t need to see on your dashboard.
Use default field names if you don’t know what they are. If a table calculation is not necessary for your report, use the default table calculation instead of creating a new one from scratch (this will save time).
Show the right level of detail in charts and maps.
- Show the right level of detail in charts and maps.
- Use the right chart type for your data.
- Use the right map type for your data.
For example, if you have a lot of data on each row of a table, consider using an area chart instead of bar or line charts because they can show more information at once without cluttering up the dashboard with extra elements like gridlines or labels that take up valuable space.
Hide filters that don’t change.
The first tip is to hide filters that don’t change. Filters are an important part of the user experience, but they can be distracting if they’re not needed. You can hide a filter by clicking on the filter icon and selecting “hide.” The filter will still be there, but it will be hidden from the user when they view your dashboard.
Create visual hierarchy with color, size, font weight and other attributes.
The best way to create visual hierarchy is by using color, size and font weight.
Color: Use color to highlight important data. For example, if you have a dashboard that shows sales data for different products over time, you can use red or orange for the product with the highest revenue growth rate and green for one with low revenue growth rate. This will help your audience quickly identify which product has performed better than others without having to read all values on the graph or table (see Figure 1).
Size: Use size as another way of creating visual hierarchy for important information in your dashboard design. Make sure that you don’t just make everything bigger because small details tend not be as useful when compared against large ones; if anything they’ll just add clutter rather than enhance comprehension! That being said though if there are multiple lines/columns showing similar information then increasing their overall size will help differentiate between them more easily while still keeping things neat-looking too 🙂
Reduce clutter by using a few key connectors instead of many lines or shapes.
The key to reducing clutter is to use as few connectors as possible. Connectors should be clear and easy to understand, so avoid using too many of them. The most important connections should be highlighted with a connector, but don’t go overboard; if you need more than two or three lines or shapes on your dashboard, then it’s time to redesign the view!
Connectors can also be used to show relationships between data points (for example, the relationship between sales revenue and marketing costs).
Using these tips will help you create better visualizations that are easier to read
The first tip is to use color as a way to highlight your data, not distract from it. Color is one of the most powerful ways we have at our disposal for communicating with each other. It can be used to highlight important information and even make it more engaging for readers (and viewers).
If you’re using Tableau Desktop, then you’ll find that there are different types of palettes available for you: spectrum (the default), heatmap, sequential etc.. Each of these has its own set of rules regarding how many colors can be used in any given view; however I would recommend sticking within those limits as much as possible so as not to confuse your audience with too much choice!
Another thing worth mentioning here is that when working with multiple groups/measures on one chart – try not mixing them up too much by using different colours across all these measures/groups because then they become hard-to-distinguish from each other which defeats the purpose of grouping them together at all!
Conclusion
Tableau is a powerful tool, but it’s easy to get lost in the details and lose sight of what matters most: your data. These tips will help you create better visualizations that are easier to read and understand. You can also use them when designing dashboards, so they’ll be more effective at communicating key insights from your data!
