CAMP 2013: Tableau

By 2013 JAWS Fellow Jackie Fortier

Tableau Public allows you to create dynamic infographics that you can embed in your website.

Jewel Loree, data analyst at Tableau, shared the data visualization software at the annual JAWS CAMP in Burlington, Vt. Loree walked JAWS members through creating a map using census data, showing how intuitive the process is.

While Tableau Public is free and on the cloud, Loree says that it’s not the best tool to use with sensitive information. Tableau Desktop has to be purchased, but since it doesn’t save to a cloud, it’s preferable for journalists. Members of Investigative Reporters and Editors may get free access to Tableau.

Both versions of Tableau are currently only available for PCs. The software won’t be available for Apple products until sometime next spring.

Jezebel recently used Tableau to create a map of the popularity of baby names using census data. Other examples of journalists using Tableau include:

USA Today compared nursing home ratings.

The New York Daily News mapped graffiti in Brooklyn.

The Tableau blog offers updates and examples of the software in use. Follow @jeweloree for additional updates.