Don’t go it alone. Participate in fun challenges with the Tableau community, connect with others to learn new tricks and get helpful feedback to improve your Tableau and data viz skills, or just tune into the conversation! The following is an evolving list of some of the most popular initiatives and resources.

Virtual Challenges

Iron Viz

Iron Viz is Tableau’s own data visualization contest which consists of a series of topic-themed virtual qualifier competitions that determine the finalists who advance to a live on-stage championship at either Tableau Conference Europe or Tableau Conference. Find out about the schedule and more here:

Makeover Monday

Get started with Makeover Monday and join a community dedicated to helping you learn and improve your analysis and visualization skills! Every Sunday, a data set is posted for anyone around the world to try their hand at visualizing it. Each following Wednesday, Tableau Zen Master Eva Murray and long-term Makeover Monday members Sarah Bartlett and Charlie Hutcheson host a webinar to discuss participant submissions and what could be done better. See what people are creating on Tableau Public by exploring the hashtag #MakeoverMonday, or start participating by following instructions here:

Workout Wednesday

Every Wednesday, leaders of Workout Wednesday share a viz, challenging anyone around the world to attempt replication and to test and grow their knowledge of useful Tableau techniques. Currently run by Tableau Zen Masters Ann Jackson and Luke Stanke as well as Tableau Ambassadors Lorna Eden and Curtis Harris, see what people are creating on Tableau Public by exploring the hashtags #WorkoutWednesday2019 and #WorkoutWednesday, or start participating by following instructions here:

Throwback Data Thursday

Once a month, Throwback Data Thursday provides a historical data set for you to explore, along with details on the provenance of the data source. This initiative is run by David Velleca. Vizzes are typically tagged #ThrowbackDataThursday on Tableau Public. See this Data.World profile for the data. Instructions can be found here:

Sports Viz Sunday

Is sports data your thing? The community has you covered. Once a month Simon Beaumont, Spencer Baucke and James Smith host a data visualization challenge based on a topical sports theme, regularly sharing updates from the sports visualization world and providing rich datasets across a wide range of sports. Be sure to explore the hashtag #SportsVizSunday on Tableau Public. To find out more and to download the latest sports data, visit the Sports Viz Sunday website:

Project Health Viz

The right challenge for those who are interested in health data. As part of this initiative, Lindsay Betzendahl regularly shares fascinating health-related datasets on Data.World. Vizzes can be found by searching for #ProjectHealthViz on Tableau Public. See the project’s website for more information and Lindsay’s Data.World profile for the data. 

Viz for Social Good

Would you like to practice your data viz skills while working on a real-world project and making a real impact? Join one of the Viz for Social goods projects that are run together with different NGOs and mission-driven organizations from around the world. Founded by Chloe Tseng, the initiative is run by a global team of enthusiastic board members, dedicated volunteers, and local chapter leads. Vizzes can found on Tableau Public via the hashtag #VizForSocialGood

To find out more, visit the Viz for Social good website:

Iron Quest

Iron Quest is a monthly data visualization challenge that follows a similar format to the Tableau Iron Viz feeder competitions and that aims at getting people more confident with sourcing their own data and building vizzes that focus on the Iron Viz judging criteria (design, storytelling and analysis). Participants have a calendar month to find a suitable data set and then design, build and submit a data visualization. You can opt-in to receive feedback from organizer Sarah Bartlett and other guest hosts. You can keep track of submissions via this dashboard or by searching for the hashtag #IronQuest on Tableau Public. Instructions on how to participate can be found on Sarah’s blog:

Preppin' Data

Before you can look for a story in the data and then publish a visualization to Tableau Public, you will often have to clean, transform, or aggregate your data first. Carl Allchin and Jonathan Allenby set a new challenge every week that helps you learn more about self-service data preparation using Tableau Prep Builder. Find out more about Preppin’ Data on their blog:

#SWDchallenge

The #SWDchallenge is a monthly challenge where you can practice and apply data visualization and storytelling skills. Participants have a week to find data, create and share their visual and related commentary. #SWDchallenge is organized by Cole Nussbaumer Knaflic and the team at storytelling with data. On Tableau Public you can find related vizzes with the hashtag #SWDchallenge. Go to the storytelling with data website to get started:

Podcasts

Tableau Wannabe Podcast

Hosted by Tableau Ambassadors Matt Francis and Emily Kund, the Tableau WannaBe podcast features interviews and discussion with members of the Tableau community. Aired typically on a monthly basis, you can tune in here.

Datasaurus-Rex

In this podcast, David Murphy interviews guests from the data viz community to get to know them and their top data visualizations a little better. You’ll pick up their tips & tricks, learn what motivates them, how they’ve improved and have some fun. Tune in here.

#Analytics

Hosted by Tableau Zen Masters Ann Jackson and Luke Stanke, this bespoke video podcast focuses on all facets of analytics and data as a profession. During each episode, Ann and Luke narrow in on a specific topic, be it Tableau Public's Iron Viz contest, a special guest, or challenges faced in their day jobs. Find the podcast here.

Social Media & More

Tableau Zen Masters & Ambassadors on Twitter

Much of the data conversation happens on social media! If you’re on Twitter, you can follow this list Tableau Zen Masters and this list of Tableau Ambassadors.

Tableau Follow Friday

The #TableauFF hashtag is used by the Tableau community on Twitter to help highlight and recognize new Tableau Public authors and their work, encouraging others in the community to follow.

Best of the Tableau Web

Many Tableau users share their insights, learning and personal development along their Tableau journey on their own personal blogs. There are too many to list here, but a good starting point is this selection by Tableau’s Technical Evangelist, Andy Cotgreave.