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Next-Level Tableau

How to Learn Tableau in 20-Minute Sessions

Published 2 days ago • 2 min read

Hey Reader,

3 years ago Eva and I had our first child together. Then something crazy happened. I suddenly felt I had less time! Crazy, I know. You’d think I’d be ready since Annika is my 5th child.

I have learned lots of tips to help maximize my time learning Tableau, but the reality is how I saw my time needed to change. Here are some thoughts on time:

1. The 20-minute viz session is real.

You don’t always need a long chunk of time to build that cool dashboard or catch up on that class. A viz built in five 20-minute chunks is still a viz.

2. You’re optimizing the wrong ten seconds.

Opening the workbook takes ten seconds, but finding the data on your computer, hunting for your notes and other workbooks can take much longer. Organize your files on your computer and you will be more productive.

3. Leave Tableau set up for tomorrow.

Future-you walks in with zero memory of where you left off, so spend the last five minutes writing a note describing which step you were on in the project and setting the stage for tomorrow.

4. Not every hour has to produce something.

Some of my best hours produced nothing but a few nice charts, a sketch of a dashboard, or reorganizing the data. Sometimes you just need some time away from the hustle and bustle of life.

5. Some months are slow months, and that’s completely fine.

Right now with a young child I am not as productive as I want to be. And that’s okay. It’s more important to spend quality time with Eva & Annika. I still spend plenty of time learning more about Tableau but I also make sure not to miss this critical time in our lives.

Viz when you can and don’t feel bad when you can’t.

Go create this week, even if it’s only for twenty minutes.

Happy vizzing,

– Andy

P.S. Since You Didn’t Ask

Eva and I just watched Clarkson’s Farm on Amazon about Jeremy Clarkson’s adventures as a new farmer. It was really good and helped me get a much bigger appreciation for what it’s like for farmers these days, the challenges they face, and what the government and local councils are doing to ensure they don’t get the help they need.

ANDY KRIEBEL

I help ambitious Tableau analysts who’ve hit a ceiling

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