Book Image

Data Modeling with Tableau

By : Kirk Munroe
Book Image

Data Modeling with Tableau

By: Kirk Munroe

Overview of this book

Tableau is unlike most other BI platforms that have a single data modeling tool and enterprise data model (for example, LookML from Google’s Looker). That doesn’t mean Tableau doesn’t have enterprise data governance; it is both robust and highly flexible. This book will help you effectively use Tableau governance models to build a data-driven organization. Data Modeling with Tableau is an extensive guide, complete with step-by-step explanations of essential concepts, practical examples, and hands-on exercises. As you progress through the chapters, you’ll learn the role that Tableau Prep Builder and Tableau Desktop each play in data modeling. You’ll also explore the components of Tableau Server and Tableau Cloud that make data modeling more robust, secure, and performant. Moreover, by extending data models for Ask and Explain Data, you’ll gain the knowledge required to extend analytics to more people in their organizations, leading to better data-driven decisions. Finally, this book will guide you through the entire Tableau stack and the techniques required to build the right level of governance into Tableau data models for the correct use cases. By the end of this Tableau book, you’ll have a firm understanding of how to leverage data modeling in Tableau to benefit your organization.
Table of Contents (22 chapters)
1
Part 1: Data Modeling on the Tableau Platform
4
Part 2: Tableau Prep Builder for Data Modeling
9
Part 3: Tableau Desktop for Data Modeling
14
Part 4: Data Modeling with Tableau Server and Online

Summary

In this chapter, we discussed the ideal situations for Tableau Prep Builder and Tableau Desktop based on the strengths and features of each. We also looked at cases where both can be the right fit for the task.

We then looked at four audiences and their use cases to bring together how and when to use the various data modeling components of the Tableau platform. First, we explored a financial analyst who creates quarterly financial reports for a limited audience. This use case does not need many data modeling capabilities as it requires infrequent updates, has a limited audience, and has relatively simple data sources.

Next, we looked at a use case of sales performance data for the entire sales organization. This use case uses most of the data modeling capabilities of the Tableau platform due to a broad and varied audience, complex security requirements, and messy data sources.

Next, we looked at a use case which focused on marketing analytics and is slotted between...