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Tableau is a data analysis tool used by businesses across industries. The program’s ability to connect, compile, and visualize data makes it appealing to any company that gathers, analyzes, or manipulates data. Tableau allows businesses to make data-driven decisions and have informed conversations about trends in their business such as inventory, profit patterns, and more. When data is presented graphically with Tableau, the playing field is leveled for all stakeholders to understand the data and its trends so businesses can have informed conversations.
In 2003, Tableau was created by Stanford classmates as the result of a computer science project. In 2009, it was purchased by Salesforce. It continues to be a driving force in data visualization for businesses. Tableau is an “interactive data visualization software company,” allowing users to export data from databases, spreadsheets, and other platforms to visualize the data in a graph format. Tableau is used for analyzing data without programming through drag and drop and other user-friendly interactives. Data can be linked in order to update automatically so that visual representations are always up-to-date without manual changes. Notably, Tableau can also combine data from tables from more than one database, setting it apart from other data visualization tools.
So why should you learn Tableau? The answer is to improve both the hard and soft skills you can leverage as a tech professional. Tableau incorporates data analysis and shows employers that you can think critically. But skillful use of Tableau can also highlight your soft skills to employers. Using Tableau requires creativity to design appealing and informative data visualizations. Soft skills such as communication, collaboration, and presentation are all needed when you present data using Tableau. Learning Tableau as a skill will strengthen your resume and make you more attractive to future employers. Since all industries have a use for data analysis, knowledge of Tableau can make you marketable to private corporations, non-profits, consumer companies, technology companies, startups, banks, and more.
Tableau itself offers virtual training and bootcamps geared towards specific careers and Tableau products. Tableau also offers a Tableau Desktop Specialist certification which is great for those wanting to specifically focus on Tableau or for professionals looking to continue their education.
As Tableau’s popularity increases, other bootcamps are also including Tableau in their curriculum. Below, you can browse our list of data analytics and data science bootcamps that teach Tableau.