Gerryson Mehta

There aren't any mandatory classes before you jump into Tableau! Here's what helps:

• Computer basics: Knowing your way around a computer is like having a toolbox for learning Tableau.
• A little data sense: Imagine data as Legos. If you understand how to sort and group Legos, you'll get how to organize data in Tableau. But it's okay to learn this as you go!
• Data curiosity: Want to turn numbers into pictures and see what they tell you? That inquisitiveness is like fuel for learning Tableau.

So, no pressure on needing prior knowledge. Just bring your computer skills, a little data curiosity, and Tableau will teach you the rest!

Tableau is great for reports you want to showcase, like a slide deck for data. It lets you make clear and colorful charts to tell your data story.

But for super official reports, like financial statements, Tableau might not be the best fit. Imagine it as a presentation tool, not a printing press. Reporting tools are like fancy printers with lots of settings - they can format the reports exactly how you want and send them out automatically, but they might not be as good for making those charts shine.

So, use Tableau when you want your reports to be clear and engaging, and use other tools for super strict formatting or automated sending.

A Tableau Developer is like a data magician who uses Tableau to turn numbers and facts into easy-to-understand pictures (visualizations). They need a mix of skills:

• Tableau skills: Knowing Tableau inside and out, like connecting data, making charts, and building dashboards.
• Data tricks: Being able to clean and connect data from different sources, like a detective gathering clues.
• Understanding data: Knowing what the data means so they can turn it into the right pictures.
• Communication skills: Explaining those data pictures clearly, like telling a data story.

Some skills like SQL and scripting are bonus points! Overall, they bridge the gap between data and clear communication using the magic of Tableau.

Think of Tableau and Power BI as tools to turn data into pictures. Here's how they compare:

• Power BI: More affordable, easier to use especially for Microsoft Office users, works well with real-time data updates. Imagine it as a user-friendly picture maker that's good on a budget.
• Tableau: More powerful for complex pictures, handles massive amounts of data better, lets you customize pictures in more detail. Think of it as a pro picture editor with more features, but it can cost more.

Choose Power BI for affordability and ease of use, especially if you use Microsoft products a lot. Choose Tableau for complex data, big datasets, and when you need the most customization options for your data pictures.

Learning Tableau depends on your goals! Imagine it like learning a new language for your data.

Basics (2-3 months): This is like learning greetings and everyday phrases. You can connect data, make simple charts, and understand the core functions.

Proficiency (4-6 months): Now you can have conversations! You can create clear and informative dashboards with different chart types and filters.

Mastery (over 6 months): You're basically fluent! You can use advanced features and tricks to tell complex data stories in the most effective way.

The more you practice, the faster you'll learn. There's no strict timeline, so focus on steady progress and building your Tableau skills!