I was told the best way to get started using tableau and visualizing data, was to find a dataset that really interested me. Well, anyone that knows me knows that I’m obsessed with CBS Big Brother. I even auditioned for the 2018 season! I mean why not right?
I had been following Big Brother Network for the BB19 Season, so I decided to revisualize their houseguest popularity poll results.
Since all I had to go off was the image, I had to create the data source by manually entering the values in an excel file. However, this actually allowed me to learn how Tableau likes to interpret data (generally tall not wide).
From here I dove straight into Tableau design mode. I used Matt Chambers’ Car Color Evolution viz as inspiration and created my first interactive bump chart. I quickly discovered the vast possibilities with dual axes, custom shapes/images, dashboard actions, and more! Most importantly I realized how much fun I was having, even through any frustrations that arose.
Once I felt good about my final product, I look a deep breath and hit publish on my very first tableau public viz. It felt like a huge leap of faith. Who knew if anyone would even care to look at it? I realized in that moment that it didn’t matter because I was proud of it. Regardless of the number of views I had, I thought it was pretty dang cool. I eagerly shared it with my friends who were also into the show and tweeted it out…and then a few days later I got this email…
All I could say was, “AAHHHHHHHH WHATTT!??” I was blown away, humbled, and so excited that my viz was going to be featured. My very first viz? What are the odds??
Now since then, not all my views have gotten such high hits or popularity, but that doesn’t stop me from creating, discovering, and publishing. Find a story in your favorite data and share it! Each new post is an opportunity!