This article will briefly explore Tableau’s two-decade history, from its founding in 2003 up through its current data analytic applications in 2022.

What is Tableau?

Tableau is the fastest-growing platform for visual analytics available on the market. It allows users to simplify raw data into a format that’s easy to access and understand by those working at any level of an organization. Even non-technical Tableau users can create customized dashboards and worksheets with the help of this versatile tool. It’s relied on by teachers, students, Data Scientists, Analysts, executives, and business owners for their end-to-end analytics needs. For these reasons, Tableau is considered to be the leading analytics platform for business intelligence.

Tableau’s dynamic software makes the process of using data to both ask and answer questions an intuitive one. The visuals that drive analysis allow users to continue to ask “Why?” even when this question grows in scope or complexity. In addition, sharing these visual results within a company, organization, or business can lead to more informed decision-making, greater collaboration, and more successful business outcomes.

The Tableau product suite is used by many companies, like Skype, Wells Fargo, Nike, and Coca-Cola, for data visualization. In fact, thousands of companies and organizations use Tableau for their data analytic and visualization needs. 

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Why Use Tableau?

For those who are passionate about analyzing and visualizing data, Tableau offers many benefits. Tableau users from various backgrounds, even those who have limited technical abilities, can work with its flexible front end features to perform basic go-to metrics as well as more complicated analytic techniques. This tool incorporates R and Python integration, predictive capabilities, rapid cohort analysis, and complex calculations so that Data Analysts and Data Scientists can execute nuanced quantitative analyses and then share the resulting visualizations. 

Tableau offers a complete and integrated platform for data analytics. It provides its users with the necessary resources to help them thrive in a data-driven culture. Some of Tableau’s most remarkable features include its capacity for data blending, real-time analysis, and data collaboration. Because Tableau does not require programming skills or technical expertise to operate, users of all backgrounds can easily work with this software. It can be installed directly onto one’s hardware from a web download and be operational in just twenty minutes.

Users cite many benefits to working with Tableau for data analytics. This software:

  • Performs well on mobile devices
  • Can handle large amounts of data
  • Is able to connect to multiple data sources
  • Works with multiple scripting languages
  • Has minimal hardware requirements/no need for a dedicated server
  • Reduces network traffic
  • Has a growing community and forum of dedicated users

A Brief History of Tableau

In just under twenty years, Tableau has grown from a project at Stanford University into one of the world’s leading data analytic platforms. The following list is a timeline of some of the most remarkable Tableau events that have led to this product’s evolution:

    • 2003: Tableau was created at Stanford by Ph.D. candidate Chris Stolte, under the guidance of Professor Pat Hanrahan. Tableau’s third co-founder was Christian Chabot. Stolte had previously worked as a database-oriented software engineer. Hanrahan was a computer graphics professor at the time and had received Academy Awards for founding a domain-specific language known as Renderman while he worked at Pixar. Chabot received an MBA from Stanford and had previously worked with Stolte on a startup that automatically created maps to aid with navigation.
    • 2004: Tableau was given an initial series A of venture funding, as well as its first OEM contract with Hyperion, a database company.
    • 2005: This was an important year in the history of Tableau. The company nearly doubled in size in 2005 and continued this same impressive growth rate for a full decade. 
    • 2008: Tableau’s first customer conference occurred.
    • 2013: Tableau received its IPO for the New York Stock Exchange. 
    • 2016: Adam Selipsky became the president and CEO of Tableau.
    • 2018: Tableau acquired the artificial intelligence startup Empirical Systems. Tableau also arranged to integrate the technology from Empirical Systems into its existing platform.
    • 2019: Tableau was acquired by Salesforce for over $15 billion. At the time, this was the largest Salesforce acquisition in Salesforce’s history.
    • 2021: Mark Nelson was named president and CEO of Tableau. In addition, the Tableau Conference TC21 provided a sneak peek into the most cutting-edge breakthroughs of this platform, such as AI-driven insights, expanded platform capabilities, and data at scale. In December 2021, the newest version of Tableau, Tableau 2021.4, was released, offering new features for data analytics and visualization, such as accelerators, connected apps, Slack compatibility, and enhanced data management capabilities.

Current Tableau Products

As of 2022, there are currently eight kinds of Tableau available with different features, capabilities, and price points:

  • Tableau Server: A paid application designed for Windows or Linux servers that is commonly used in the world of enterprise.
  • Tableau Online: A paid application hosted by the Tableau software that allows users to access dashboards from anywhere. It offers most of the features of the Tableau server but isn’t on the internet.
  • Tableau Public Server: A free server onto which visualizations and ideas can be posted.
  • Tableau Desktop: A paid desktop application that enables developers to make dashboards, charts, and formulas.
  • Tableau Public Desktop: A free desktop application that provides only a cloud-save option rather than a live or database connection. 
  • Tableau Reader: A free desktop application that is able to open dashboards and facilitate interaction with them, but does not allow users to edit formulas or charts.
  • Tableau Mobile: A mobile application for Android and iOS users that can connect to Tableau Online and Tableau Server.
  • Tableau Prep Builder: One of Tableau’s newest products. It is most commonly used to clean, blend, and wrangle raw data. In addition, it can be automated so that redundant manual data manipulation is avoided.

The Future of Tableau

In 2022, the role of data analytics and visualization in driving business decisions continues to increase. As new technologies like augmented virtual reality emerge that deal with multidimensional imaging and intelligence, as well as new cognitive frameworks, large amounts of complex data can be visualized and presented in new and dynamic ways.

A survey published by Statista found that 149 zettabytes of data are expected to be created by 2024. Because more data is being created in 2022 than ever before, platforms such as Tableau are expected to continue to expand to find new ways to help businesses analyze, visualize, and share data in the future. Many large companies and organizations already work with Tableau, and others are expected to implement this software in the coming years. This is why Data Analysts who are trained to work with Tableau have many exciting job opportunities in 2022 and beyond.

Hands-On Tableau Classes

For those who want to learn how to create stunning and engaging data visualizations, maps, charts, and graphs, Noble Desktop’s Tableau classes provide a great option. Small group courses are available in-person in NYC, as well as in the live online format. These Tableau-focused courses teach students skills like how to spot the most optimal datasets to connect to, as well as how to analyze, filter, structure, and visually represent data.

In addition, a variety of live online Tableau courses are also currently available from top training providers. These interactive classes are taught in real-time and provide all learners with access to an instructor who is live and ready to provide feedback and answer questions. Courses range from seven hours to five days in duration and cost $299-$2,199.

Those who are interested in finding nearby Tableau classes can use Noble’s Tableau Classes Near Me tool. This handy tool provides an easy way to locate and browse more than three dozen of the best Tableau classes currently offered in the in-person and live online formats so that all interested learners can find the course that works best for them. Classes are between seven hours and five days in duration and are available for beginners, intermediate, and advanced students.