Creating Dashboards and Storytelling with Tableau

Overview

In this course, you’ll learn how to create Tableau dashboards that connect data to decision-making. Starting with stakeholder planning and data requirements, you’ll define goals, success metrics, and key questions. Then, you’ll clean and prepare a real-world tech salary dataset using Tableau’s filtering, aliasing, and data type tools. You’ll turn these insights into impactful dashboards using calculated fields, grouping, and interactivity. Finally, you’ll explore how to interpret and present dashboards effectively through Socratic dialogue—critiquing design choices, analyzing KPIs, and refining your data story. By the end, you’ll be able to deliver dashboards that are insightful, persuasive, and tailored to audience needs.

Syllabus

Getting Started & Cleaning and Preparing Data

Welcome to the first module of this course! Effective dashboards begin with clean, reliable data. In this module, you’ll work with a real-world tech salary dataset to clean and prepare data for analysis using Tableau. You’ll filter out problematic records, apply aliases to standardize values, and adjust data types to support accurate visualizations.

Strategic Visualization Planning

Before designing any dashboard, you need to understand your audience and their goals. In this module, you’ll take on the role of a Business Intelligence Analyst working with stakeholders like HR, Finance, and Engineering. You’ll complete a RACI chart and a data requirements template to define objectives, metrics, assumptions, and scope. This foundational work ensures your dashboard delivers the right insights to the right people.

Translating Requirements Into Dashboard Design

Turn your stakeholder requirements into a focused dashboard. In this module, you’ll use Tableau to group data, create calculated fields, and design charts that compare compensation across job roles and companies. You’ll iterate on your design to sharpen the message and surface actionable insights.

Applying Visualization Best Practices

In this final module, you’ll focus on evaluating and improving dashboards using best practices in visual design. You’ll explore how layout, chart selection, and data clarity impact the viewer’s understanding. Through hands-on analysis, you’ll practice identifying effective design elements, spotting potential issues, and refining dashboards to better align with stakeholder goals. You’ll also consider how to present findings in ways that are both accurate and persuasive.