In this assignment, you will use Tableau to create visualizations and a simple dashboard based on administrative data. The purpose of this assignment is to help you think about how data can be communicated clearly to decision-makers.
In many organizations, collecting data is only the first step. Managers must also be able to present data in a way that helps others understand trends, compare categories, and identify issues that may require action. Tableau is a useful tool for turning data into visual information that can support decision-making.
For this assignment, you will create visualizations and a dashboard that communicate a clear story from the dataset.
Learning Objectives
By completing this assignment, you should be able to:
import and work with a dataset in Tableau;
create charts that summarize administrative patterns;
design a simple dashboard for decision-making;
identify which visual formats are most appropriate for the data;
explain findings in clear nontechnical language.
Instructions
Use the provided dataset, or a cleaned version of the dataset from Assignment 1, to create visualizations in Tableau.
Part 1: Prepare the Data
Before building visualizations, make sure your dataset is usable.
You should:
review the variables you plan to use;
make sure date variables are in a usable format;
identify at least three variables that can help tell an administrative story.
Examples may include:
complaint type,
case status,
case creation year,
code officer,
neighborhood or geographic area if available.
Part 2: Create Visualizations
Create at least three visualizations in Tableau.
Your visualizations should include:
at least one chart comparing categories;
at least one chart showing a trend or distribution;
at least one chart that helps identify a management issue.
Examples:
top complaint types;
open vs. closed cases;
cases by year;
cases by officer;
complaint types over time.
Part 3: Create a Dashboard
Combine your visualizations into one simple dashboard.
Your dashboard should:
have a clear title;
include at least three charts;
be organized in a readable way;
help a supervisor or manager understand the most important findings.
Keep the dashboard simple. The goal is clarity, not complexity.
Part 4: Write a Short Explanation
Write a 300–500 word explanation of your dashboard.
Your explanation should address:
what story your dashboard tells;
what patterns are most important;
which chart is most useful and why;
how this dashboard could help an organization make decisions.
Deliverables
Submit the following:
Your Tableau dashboard share URL;
one short written explanation in Word or PDF format.