When I earned my first Tableau certification back in 2020, I didn’t know just how much the Tableau Community would shape my journey. Today, as a Tableau Ambassador and consultant, I can say with confidence: participating in Tableau Community Projects has been one of the most powerful ways to grow my skills, build a network, and create real opportunities in my data career.
Why Tableau Community Projects?
Tableau is a practice profession—you learn best by doing. That’s where community projects come in. These initiatives offer ready-made data sets, creative prompts, and most importantly, a welcoming community of learners and experts.
But the real magic? Consistent participation transforms practice into purpose. Here’s how:
1. Skill Building Through Practice
Community projects like MakeoverMonday, Back2VizBasics, and WorkoutWednesday give you a structured way to sharpen your Tableau skills. Whether you’re focusing on fundamentals or pushing your technical limits, these challenges offer something for everyone.
And because each project comes with a new dataset and task, you’re constantly exposed to different industries, chart types, and data problems—skills that transfer directly to client work or job interviews.
2. Portfolio Power
Before I started consulting, Tableau Public was my resume.
Community projects gave me consistent material to build my portfolio. These projects helped me:
- Show off work in interviews
- Demo proof-of-concepts to clients
- Revisit past work for inspiration
If you’re looking to break into data or level up your current role, a robust, public portfolio is a must—and this is a fun, practical way to build one.
3. Connection & Visibility
One of the best parts of participating in these projects is joining the broader #DataFam.
Every time you publish a viz and share it on social media—especially when you tag project leaders or engage with others’ work—you’re increasing your visibility. Your name starts to show up in newsletters like the #DataFam Weekly Roundup and you might even land a coveted #VizoftheDay feature.
It’s not about going viral—it’s about becoming part of a supportive, vibrant community that notices and celebrates growth.
4. How to Get Started (and Stick With It)
Getting involved is simple:
- Pick a community project—here’s a handy list on Tableau’s Community Project webpage
- Download the data (many projects use data.world)
- Create your viz and publish it on Tableau Public
- Share it on social media and tag the project, project leaders, and #Tableau #DataFam to broaden your reach!
And here’s the key: consistency.
Try doing one project a week. Set a regular day and time. Or better yet, find a partner or small group for accountability. Brainstorming together and helping each other get “unstuck” keeps the momentum going.
Final Thoughts
Tableau Community Projects helped me jumpstart my data career and become a fulltime consultant. If you’re looking to grow your skills, get noticed, and have fun doing it—there’s no better place to start. You can check out the community projects I’ve completed here on my Tableau Public profile.
Happy Vizzing!
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