[BA 2501] Exam 1

What does it mean to "script a data narrative?"

You plan the written and/or verbal analysis that goes with the data visualization (viz)

How are data viz and data storytelling related?

They are both components to displaying data findings and presenting it

How are data viz and data storytelling different?

Data viz shows you how the data comes up and makes it easier to display; Data storytelling is giving the analysis behind the data/graphs

What are the steps in the visual analytics process?

Data > Analysis > Insight > Story

What are the details BEHIND the steps of the visual analytics process?

Gathering the data > putting it into graphs for the analysis > giving your own opinion on findings > creating a story to easily show to the audience

What is the difference between visualizing data and presenting a data story?

Data viz = answers the "what"

Data storytelling = answers the "why"

What two areas of the brain are activated when presented with data?

1. Wernicke's area

2. Broca's area

What does Wernicke’s area do?

Language comprehension

What does Broca’s area do?

Language production

What seven areas of the brain are activated when presented with a story?

1. Visual cortex

2. Wernicke's area

3. Olfactory cortex

4. Auditory cortex

5. Broca's area

6. Motor cortex

7. Sensory cortex/cerebellum

What does the visual cortex do?

Colors & shapes

What does the olfactory cortex do?

Scents

What does the auditory cortex do?

Sounds

What does the motor cortex do?

Movement

What does the sensory cortex/cerebellum do?

Language comprehension

What is fitness?

The need to survive

Why is fitness considered a possible explanation for why humans tell stories?

It refers to the idea of evolution through surviving; explaining shared experiences would help warn and protect future generations

What is closure?

The need to know

Why is closure considered a possible explanation for why humans tell stories?

To focus, align, teach, inspire, and resolve anxiety

Identify the first story key takeaway.

See it visually

Identify the second story key takeaway.

Make it actionable

Identify the third story key takeaway.

Change/challenge/confirm your thinking

Identify the fourth story key takeaway.

Try something new

Provide a brief description of Tableau Desktop.

You work directly with the data; connecting to sources, analyzing sources & data, building worksheets/charts, etc.

Provide a brief description of Tableau Server.

Used by organizations to share dashboards/reports with employees while securing/maintaining the system

Provide a brief description of Tableau Cloud.

Performs sharing/collaboration functions, but it’s hosted and maintained by Tableau

Provide a brief description of Tableau Prep.

Used before analyzing the data; cleanup, combining data, fixing formatting, removing unnecessary info, etc.

Provide a brief description of Tableau Public.

Designed for and publicly sharing viz; useful for students, journalists, etc., but avoid using confidential info

What can you do on the “Connect to Data” screen?

This is where you can choose where your data comes from

What does the “Connect” element on the “Connect to Data” screen do?

Allows you to select a data source

What does the “To a File” element on the “Connect to Data” screen do?

Connects Tableau to files stored on your computer

What does the “To a Server” element on the “Connect to Data” screen do?

Connects Tableau to databases and server-based sources

What does the “Saved Data Sources” element on the “Connect to Data” screen do?

Allows you to connect to data sources already created/saved

What can you do on the “Data Source” page?

This is where you organize and get a handle on the data that you just imported

What does the “Connections” pane on the “Data Source” page do?

Shows the data sources you are connected to and lets you add more

What does the “Sheets/Tables” pane on the “Data Source” page do?

Shows the available sheets/tables from the selected data source

What is the “Canvas” on the “Data Source” page?

Drag tables/sheets here to use and create relationships/joins

What does the “Data Grid” pane on the “Data Source” page do?

Displays a preview of the actual rows/columns in your data

What does the “Metadata Grid” pane on the “Data Source” page do?

Displays info about your fields; field names, data types, and table info

What does the “Live/Extract” option on the “Data Source” page do?

Determines whether Tableau communicates directly with the original data source or stores a snapshot of the data

How can you change the data type?

Click the Data Type icon next to a field and select the correct type

Why would you need to change the data type?

In case the data interpreter is incorrect or messy

How can you split a field? Why would you need to?

Select the "Fields" menu, then choose "Split" or "Custom Split"

Why would you need to split a field?

In case the fields need to be analyzed separately

How can you pivot data?

On the Data page, select multiple clumps, then proceed to right click and click "Pivot"

Why would you need to pivot data?

When you want to rearrange data to analyze it more efficiently

What is a live connection?

It means that Tableau is directly connected to the original source

What are the pros and cons of a live connection?

Data stays current/up-to-date, but performance speed declines since it’s usually through internet access

What is an extract connection?

A stored snapshot/subset of the data

What are the pros and cons of an extract connection?

Provides faster performance, but can become outdated if data is updated

What is an inner join?

Joins records when there is a matching field in both sets

What is a left join?

Joins records from the left and right sides of your equation when there is a match

What is a right join?

Joins all the records from the data on the right side of your equation and any matching records from the left side

What is an outer join?

Joins all the records from each dataset together, even when there is no join (rarely used)

What is the data interpreter?

A tool that helps identify and clean up formatting problems in data files

What are the three elements of a Tableau workbook?

1. Worksheet

2. Dashboard

3. Story

What do you do on the “Worksheet” of a Tableau workbook?

This is where you create an individual viz

What do you do on the “Dashboard” of a Tableau workbook?

Compare several vizs that can include interactive filters/controls

What is the “Story” on a Tableau workbook?

A sequence of worksheets/dashboards arranged to communicate a narrative

What are the elements found on a worksheet in Tableau? What does each do?

1. Data Pane

2. Columns

3. Rows

4. Marks: change appearance

5. Filters: choose what to show

6. Pages: step through data

7. View: see the chart

8. Show Me: choose a chart

What do you with the “Data Pane” on a Tableau worksheet?

This is where you pick your data

What direction do columns go?

Vertically (up and down)

What direction do rows go?

Horizontally (left and right)

What does the “Marks” option do on a Tableau worksheet?

It lets you change the appearance

What does the “Filters” option do on a Tableau worksheet?

It lets you choose what to show

What does the “Pages” option do on a Tableau worksheet?

It lets you step through data

What does the “View” option do on a Tableau worksheet?

It lets you see the chart

What does the “Show Me” option do on a Tableau worksheet?

It lets you choose a chart

How can a lack of context cause an audience to draw the wrong conclusion or make the wrong decision?

Without the right context, it leaves the audience to have no basis on why/how the info was first gathered

Why should we be careful with counts?

Raw counts can be misleading without the context giving off the wrong direction/strength in correlation

What is the difference between exploratory and explanatory analysis?

Exploratory analysis = searching raw data for patterns/trends

Explanatory analysis = presenting a clear story/answer to an audience

What are the two parts of story structure?

1. Plot

2. Narrative

What is the story plot?

The events of a story that relate to each other in a pattern

What are the eight basic "plots"?

1. Change over time

2. Drill down

3. Zoom out

4. Contrast

5. Spread

6. Intersections

7. Factors

8. Outliers

What is the “Change over time” plot in a story?

See a visual history as told through a metric/trend

What is the “Drill down” plot in a story?

Start big and get more granular to find meaning

What is the “Zoom out” plot in a story?

Reverse the particular (individual > larger)

What is the “Contrast” plot in a story?

“This or that”

What is the “Spread” plot in a story?

Help people see the light and dark

What is the “Intersections” plot in a story?

Things that cross over/progress

What is the “Factors” plot in a story?

Things that work together to build up to a higher-level effort

What is the “Outliers” plot in a story?

A powerful way to show something unusual

What is story genre?

The other half of story structure

What are the seven story genres?

1. Magazine style

2. Annotated chart

3. Partitioned poster

4. Flow chart

5. Comic strip

6. Slide show

7. Film/video/animation

What is the difference between narrated and non-narrated storytelling?

Narrated = delivered live (in person/virtually)

Non-narrated = delivered without a storyteller in writing (emails, reports, etc.)