Learn how to use Tableau, a powerful data visualization tool, to create interactive and aesthetically pleasing charts, graphs, and maps. This course will teach you how to connect to datasets, analyze and structure data, customize visualizations, and publish your work.
Learn Tableau for data visualization and become a certified Tableau Desktop Specialist in this hands-on certification course.
Learn the essential skills needed to become a Data Analyst or Business Analyst, including data analysis, data visualization, and statistical analysis. Gain practical experience through real-world projects and prepare for a successful career in the field of data analytics.
Tableau is one of the top data analysis tools used by businesses across a variety of industries. It connects, compiles, and visualizes data so that companies can make informed and strategic decisions. Founded in 2003, Tableau’s patented foundational technology visually expresses data by translating drag-and-drop actions into something that people can see and understand through an intuitive interface.
Tableau is utilized by some of the largest companies in the United States and is a valuable platform for anyone to learn, especially Data Analysts, Business Intelligence Specialists, and Software Developers. With all of these careers being potentially lucrative, learning Tableau is definitely worthwhile.
Tableau is widely used among data professionals and helps simplify raw data into understandable formats while fueling the decision-making processes within organizations. You can use Tableau for real-time analysis, data blending, and collaboration—making it ideal for Data Analytics, even for those without programming or technical skills. Top companies like Facebook, General Motors, Sony, and Groupon rely on Tableau for data analysis and visualization, offering seemingly endless career opportunities in various industries.
Tableau isn’t just for professional use, though. You can use it for personal projects like animating visualizations, one of Tableau’s lesser-known features. With the help of the software’s Pages Shelf feature, Tableau users can design animated data visualizations. These interactive visuals can be used to present any information in a format that is both interactive and easy to access, even by a general audience.
Additionally, the Tableau Community provides a platform for those interested in learning to visualize data to practice their skills and share them with others. This free platform helps aspiring Data Analysts and others create and share their data visualizations within the largest data visualization repository in existence. This page is especially useful for those seeking inspiration for their own data visualizations or interested in seeing how others around the world depict data findings.
Tableau is a widely used tool in the field of data analytics and visualization, so it’s important that you master all of its tools and tricks if you want to be successful in this field. Below are the top things you’ll learn in a Tableau class to give you an idea of what to expect.
Before you can build a view and analyze your data, you must first connect Tableau to your data. Tableau allows you to connect a wide variety of data stored in different places. Your data might be stored on your computer in a spreadsheet or text file, or in a big data platform, relational database, or cube (multidimensional) database on a server. You can also connect to public domain data available on the web such as the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (the BLS), or to cloud-based sources like Google Analytics, Amazon Redshift, or Salesforce.
Creating visualizations in Tableau can help you better understand and analyze data, which can lead to faster decision-making and improved business performance. Visualizations make data easier to interpret, encourage faster decision-making, and enhance overall organizational performance. Tableau offers a variety of features to help users create visualizations, including:
The primary reason Data Analysts and similar professionals use Tableau is because its data analysis features are unmatched. Filtering is an essential part of analyzing data, and it is important to understand the order in which Tableau executes filters in your workbook. Sorting is equally important. When viewing a visualization, data can be sorted using single-click options from an axis, header, or field label. A quality course will teach you how to apply sorting and filtering techniques, compare subsets of data, and write calculations.
Dashboards are used in Tableau to monitor, measure, and analyze key performance indicators (KPIs). They take raw data from multiple sources and present it in a format that is highly tailored to the viewer's needs—whether that is a business leader, Line of Business Analyst, sales representative, marketer, or other professional.
One of the final steps of any project in Tableau is to publish and share your findings with others. When you publish to Tableau Public, as the name suggests, your visualizations are publicly accessible. This means that your views, along with the underlying data, are available to anyone on the internet. For confidential projects, you can publish privately to Tableau Server or Tableau Cloud. Publishing allows people in your organization to view, interact with, download, subscribe to, share, edit, and save published views—even if they do not use Tableau Desktop.
Good news: Tableau is generally considered easy to learn. While previous experience with data analytics or programs like Excel will give you an upper hand, Tableau’s interface is intuitive and accessible to most learners. Excel serves as a platform for managing, analyzing, and visualizing data, so knowledge of this application can speed up the Tableau learning process.
Even though Tableau is not considered difficult to learn, there are some challenging aspects to mastering the software. Collecting, cleaning, and structuring raw data can be difficult, especially for those without experience working with data. Similarly, if you do not have experience with relational databases or reporting, it may be challenging to learn these skills within Tableau. In addition, understanding complex concepts such as level of detail (LOD) expressions, table calculations, and data blending can take time. While these topics may require more effort and focus, anyone with determination and passion can become proficient in Tableau.
On average, it takes most people between two and six months to learn Tableau. This process can take even longer if you’re aiming to master all of Tableau’s functions. The speed at which you learn Tableau will depend largely on the prerequisite skills you bring to the learning process. For example, if you are new to working with data or performing data visualizations, it may be more difficult to acclimate to Tableau’s features.
There are several factors to consider when answering this question. First, you’ll want to consider which learning environment is best suited for you. Do you thrive in a collaborative environment where you can interact with your peers and receive real-time feedback from your instructor? Or, do you prefer a more solitary learning environment—perhaps one where you can learn at your own pace?
You’ll also want to evaluate how much time you can dedicate to your education and what level of flexibility your schedule requires. Are you looking to immerse yourself in an intensive program? Do you work full-time and need classes scheduled for evenings or weekends?
In-person courses offer face-to-face interaction with both your fellow students and your expert instructor. This collaborative environment is available for both full-time and part-time learners and provides structure and accountability—two factors that can significantly contribute to your success. Online classes may lack this in-person interaction, but they compensate with increased flexibility. Live online classes still offer real-time feedback and peer engagement, while on-demand virtual courses allow for the greatest flexibility since you can decide where and when you learn.
The good news is that, no matter which option you choose, you can obtain a quality education with a top-notch curriculum and expert instructors.
Technically, it is possible to learn Tableau for free online. YouTube videos, blogs, and short free workshops can be a great way to learn the basics without purchasing any educational content. (Be sure to watch the most recent uploads to stay current with the latest trends and techniques.) Tableau also offers free training resources on its website, which are helpful for both new and current users.
However, for more advanced skills, an in-depth training course is your best option. These courses are developed and taught by industry experts and offer the opportunity to receive feedback or troubleshoot any issues with your instructor or Support Team. Formal training also provides the structure and accountability that some students need to stay focused, creating an environment where students are more likely to succeed. So, if you’re looking to go beyond the basics, a formal workshop or class is a better choice than relying solely on free online resources.
Perhaps the most important skill to learn alongside Tableau is SQL. Tableau allows users to connect to a variety of data sources, including SQL databases, making it easy to access and analyze data from multiple platforms. You can use SQL to clean and prepare data before importing it into Tableau, allowing for more accurate and meaningful visualizations. Once Tableau is connected to an SQL database, you can make changes to the data and see updates in real time in your visualizations. Even a basic understanding of SQL can help you better leverage Tableau’s features for data analysis and visualization.
Canada is a highly desirable place to live and work, and it’s easy to see why. With breathtaking landscapes, diverse cities, and abundant professional opportunities, Canada continues to attract talent from around the world. The top industries in Canada outlined below all benefit from Tableau experts to help them achieve their business goals.
The construction, rental, and housing market is one of Canada's three largest industries by GDP contribution. The market size, measured by revenue, of the Real Estate Sales and Brokerage industry in Canada was $26.1 billion in 2023. Toronto specifically is home to Canada’s largest real estate agencies, and the housing market has grown rapidly due to an influx of new residents. In fact, 47% of Toronto’s population was born outside of Canada, creating high demand for new homes, rental units, and affordable housing options. Tableau can be used to assess the performance of real estate investments, drill down to the property level, identify the key drivers of performance, and track improvements in occupancy rates over time.
Canada boasts a strong, established manufacturing base that is leading the evolution to advanced manufacturing. Backed by government support and a world-leading education system, the country is building global leadership in systems integration, artificial intelligence (AI), sensors, machine vision, automation, and more. Additionally, Canada is the first tariff-free foreign trade zone in the G20 for industrial manufacturers, setting a precedent for other countries’ manufacturing industries. Manufacturers use Tableau heat maps to visualize demand by region, time, and product. You can also use Tableau’s advanced tools to predict future capacity requirements.
With access to highly skilled Canadian talent, industry expertise, a strong R&D culture, and tech ecosystems in major cities, Canada is a prime technology destination. Toronto’s tech industry is the fastest-growing tech sector in North America and has created more jobs than the San Francisco Bay Area, Seattle, and Washington, D.C. combined. Many IT Directors also find Canadian-based managed service providers (MSPs) appealing, as they offer the same quality IT services as international firms, but at a more affordable price.
Canada is the third-largest producer of hydroelectricity, fourth-largest producer of oil and uranium, and the fifth-largest producer of natural gas in the world. Abundant natural resources make Canada a prime location for forward-thinking companies seeking world-class expertise in energy, minerals, and metals, forestry, geoscience, and sustainable resource management. Tableau offers a strategic framework for identifying, assessing, and addressing organizational objectives and activities ranging from the company’s carbon footprint to visualizing the hidden impacts of coal, oil, and gas production on federal lands.
Tableau is used in a variety of industries and fields, so there are several job titles to consider in your job search. The top roles are outlined below, along with their expected salaries, to give you a better idea of what to anticipate in your new career.
Data Analysts often utilize Tableau software to gather and communicate insights. The average salary for this role in Canada is around CAD $68,000, with potential to earn over six figures once you’re established in the field.
You could also become a Client Solutions Specialist, using Tableau and data analysis to improve the customer or client experience. Whether that involves shortening phone or chat wait times, designing more user-friendly products, or enhancing the in-store shopping experience, the applications of Tableau’s insights are virtually endless. You can earn around CAD $104,000 in this role.
Software Engineers are also known for utilizing software like Tableau. In a tech-centered city like Seattle, there’s certainly no shortage of work. Plus, software engineering is an extremely lucrative career; you can earn around CAD $100,000 without needing years of experience.
You could also become a Business Analyst, helping organizations assess performance and improve processes and systems. You can expect to earn around CAD $75,000 in this role starting out, but Business Analysts who are in high demand can easily earn double that at major corporations.
Canada is home to several major cities with many thriving industries, making it a great place to work as a Tableau expert. While there currently aren’t any in-person classes available, there are several top-notch live online courses that can help you master Tableau quickly, allowing you to launch your career more quickly.
Noble Desktop offers this course live online. With an expert instructor, you’ll start by learning about the field of data visualization and the various tools Tableau Public offers. You'll learn to identify and connect to datasets and how to explore, analyze, filter, and structure data to create visualizations. Once you learn the foundations, you'll dive further into Tableau tools, use geographic data to make maps, and learn to customize your visualizations. By the end of this course, you'll be able to manipulate and publish various types of visualizations. This class is part of Noble’s Data Analytics Certificate and Tableau Certification Program, if you’d like to continue your education.
A more in-depth option, this program from Noble Desktop prepares you to take the Tableau Desktop Specialist Exam, which includes a free retake. In this course, you'll learn beginner through advanced Tableau skills from a live instructor. You'll start by learning the Tableau interface and creating simple charts, then build on that knowledge as you progress to higher-level techniques like mapping data, creating dashboards and stories, and working on individual projects using your own data. As part of the course, you’ll receive six hours of private Tableau tutoring. This dedicated one-on-one time with an instructor allows you to get individualized attention and go in-depth on topics of interest, ensuring you're fully prepared for the certification exam.
This project-based course from Noble Desktop teaches you to gather, wrangle, analyze, and visualize data using various tools and technologies to support business decision-making and strategy. You’ll work on multiple real-world projects to explore both predictive and prescriptive analytics and gain practical experience. Additionally, you’ll have access to 1:1 mentoring, a free retake, and setup assistance when you enroll in this course. Payment plans are available to make this certification more accessible.
If you’re looking to offer in-person or online training to your office or team, Noble Desktop can help. They offer a variety of corporate training programs—including options in areas such as social media marketing. You can order vouchers in bulk at a discount, select which courses are available to employees, and allow them to choose their own schedules. Training sessions can be hosted at a location of your choice, conducted live online, or held at Noble Desktop’s Manhattan office.
With a top-notch customizable curriculum and instructors who are experts in their fields, Noble Desktop’s corporate training is designed to meet the unique needs of your business or organization. For more information or to schedule a free consultation, contact Noble Desktop at corporate@nobledesktop.com.