Unlocking the Power of Community Data: Introduction to Tableau Public

Do you work with community, local government, university, or nonprofit data?
Would you like to transform raw spreadsheets into clear, compelling visuals that support better decisions?

This one-day, hands-on workshop introduces Tableau Public — a free, user-friendly platform for building interactive charts, maps, dashboards, and data stories. Designed for beginners, this session will help you move from static tables to dynamic visualizations that communicate insight and impact.

Tableau Public is widely used by analysts, journalists, educators, and civic organizations to explore data and share findings online. Whether you are reporting outcomes, analyzing trends, or engaging stakeholders, this workshop will help you present data in a way that is both accessible and persuasive.

What You Will Learn

By the end of the workshop, participants will:

  • Understand the core concepts and interface of Tableau Public
  • Connect to spreadsheets, QGIS outputs, and other common data sources
  • Build interactive charts and maps from scratch
  • Design dashboards that organize multiple views into a cohesive story
  • Apply best practices in data visualization and layout
  • Publish and share dashboards online to engage your audience

Who Should Attend

This workshop is ideal for:

  • Community leaders and nonprofit professionals
  • Local government staff and planners
  • Faculty, staff, and students working with public or community data
  • Analysts who want to improve how they communicate insights
  • Anyone interested in telling more effective stories with data

No prior experience with Tableau is required.

Format

  • Hands-on learning: Bring your own laptop and follow along step by step
  • Guided exercises: Practice with real-world examples relevant to community and civic work
  • Applied focus: Build dashboards you can adapt to your own projects

Next Workshop Offering

February 26, 2026
8:30 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.

Room 1060
Alliant Energy Ag Innovation Lab
3800 University Blvd.
Ames, Iowa

Register here:
👉 https://go.iastate.edu/4EBPFN

Participants attending the this may register for the QGIS workshop on February 25th at a special bundled workshop price.

Additional Information

For software setup instructions, detailed agenda information, and additional Tableau resources, please use the navigation menu on the left.