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Note :
To practice making the following charts ,please download the superstore data from Kaggle.com and connect it with tableau.
Text Tables :
Text Tables look like numbers filled in a grid in a spread sheet. Try dragging one dimension to the row shelf and any other dimension to the column shelf. You can add one or more measure into the 'Text' option under the 'Marks' card. For example.
Add order date to columns
Add state to rows
Drag sales to text under marks
Maps :
Maps come in two categories, symbol and filled. Symbol maps are useful in showing granular details. Multiple things in a small dimension can be showed in a symbol map. For example,
Add category into columns
Add Sales into rows
Click the pie chart in show me on the right side.
Add State to rows
You will arrive at the following symbol map charts with pie charts getting displayed in each state.
The second category of map is called a filled map. Filled map displays a single measure using color within a geographic shape. If you are going to work on smaller geographic areas, it gives more granular details like county or postal code. For example,
Add sales to color under marks.
Add state to rows.
Choose the 5th map in show me option
Heat maps :
Heat maps show a kind of visualization comparing 2 measures using color and size. For example,
Add region into columns
Add sub category into rows
Add sales into size
Add profit into colors
Choose the heat chart option(2nd chart) from show me.
Highlight Tables :
Highlight tables can show a kind of visualization with one measure using a color gradient background to differentiate values. For example,
Add region to columns
Add category and sub category to rows
Add sales to text and color under marks
Choose the 3rd chart in show me.
Tree maps :
Tree maps show a kind of visualization with one or more dimension and up to two measures. Tree maps majorly operate on color and size. For example,
Add segment to columns
Add region to rows
Add profit to size
Choose the 10th chart in show me option.
Bar charts :
Bar charts come in 3 varieties namely a simple bar chart, stacked bar chart and a side by side bar chart. A plain bar chart is used to compare the values of different dimensions .The linear nature of the bar charts help us make precise comparisons. For example,
Add profit to columns
Add segment and region to rows
Select the 7th chart in show me option.
The second kind of bar chart is a 'Stacked bar chart'. As the name suggests there are different colors stacked on a bar displaying a comparison. A stacked bar chart should not be used for viewing the values of many different dimensions because it would be difficult to analyze with too many colors plotted on the bar. For example, use the same measure and dimension as the above chart and select the 8th chart in show me option.
The third kind of bar chart is a Side by side bar chart. A side by side bar chart helps us compare measures across and dimensions on a single axis. For example, use the same measure and dimension as the above chart, and select the 9th chart in show me option.
Line Charts :
A simple line chart is the best way to display time series data. A line chart can be divided into two types, a discrete line chart and a continuous line chart. A discrete line chart places breaks between time units such as weeks, years, months etc. whereas a continuous line chart does not have any breaks. To make a simple line chart,
Add order date to columns
Add profit to rows
Choose the 13th chart type in show me option.
The above given graph shows the visualization of the profit made over a period of time.
Synchronized dual line chart :
A synchronized dual line chart provides a better comparison of the values of two measures. For example, to compare relative values of sales and profit
Add order date to column
Add profit and sales to rows
On the second graph's axis right click and select dual axis
You will arrive at the following graph
Note that the profit and sales axis values are different. The show me assumes dual axis charts will be used to present values that are dissimilar and plots the marks using different ranges. To make it synchronize with each other, right click on the profit axis and select 'synchronize axis' option. You will arrive at the following synchronized dual line chart.
Combination Chart :
As the name suggests, a combination chart of both line and bar comparing the relative values of two measures. Note that the following combination chart is not synchronized. For example use the same measures as the above chart and select the bar and line combination chart in show me.
Area fill chart :
An area fill chart shows a kind of visualization where values are displayed as bands. It is possible to misinterpret through an area fill chart because the top most band can be understood as the largest band. Area fill charts should be preferably used with a single dimension to avoid any confusion. For example,
Add order date to columns
Add profit to rows
Add category to colors
Add category to text in marks
Choose the 16th chart type in show me option.
You will arrive at a graph showing the profit gained over the years in each category.
