Map concepts & overview in Tableau.
The information has been playing an important role in this technology-driven world. In Fact, the 21st century is often termed as the information age.
Tableau is a powerful data visualization tool that helps you in simplifying the data visualization process. Tableau uses a different type of charts which includes Bar Chart, Line Chart, Pie Chart, Maps, Scatter Plot, Gantt Chart, Bubble Chart, etc. Each Chart is unique and preferable for specific purposes.
Maps are among the few frequently used charts in Tableau. Let’s get to know more about Maps.
Maps in Tableau
Maps are one of the best ways to represent the data in Tableau. Data visualizations using maps look very attractive and appealing. Map charts suites better when you want to show the demographic data such as Population census, income, housing, household rates, etc.
Here in tableau, we have different types of maps, which are:
- Tableau Proportional symbol maps
- Tableau Choropleth maps (filled maps)
- Tableau Point distribution maps
- Tableau Heatmaps (density maps)
- Tableau Flow maps (path maps)
- Tableau Spider maps (origin-destination maps)
Know more about different types of maps right here.
Circumstances to use maps:
Till now we have come to know that if you have spatial question maps would be the perfect way to answer your questions but there may be some exceptions in which you can answer the spatial questions better with other types of charts instead of maps.
Let us assume that you have entire data about the number of farmers markets across the U.S and you wish to know which state has the highest number of farmer markets. The obvious thing that would come to your mind is “Maps” to visualize this data.
If you plot the given data related to the US farmers market you will get an image like below.
Does that clear to answer which state in the US has got more farmer’s markets? No, right?
What if you create a bar chart instead of a Map? Let’s have a look at the below image.
This would clearly give you the information on which state has the highest number of Farmers and the least number as well.
So when do you know whether you could go for map visualization or not?
To get the answer to this question you need to follow one thumb rule: Weather another visualization gives you the answer faster or easier? If your answer is yes, then map visualization may not suits you better.
Before going to Plot your data on a map you need to be more cautious with the data. Your Map visualization should be appealing and data should not be misleading. If the data used for visualizing the map is incomplete or wrong one then everything goes in vain.
How to build a simple map in Tableau?
You can build multiple types of Maps for analyzing geographic locations. Even though if you are a newbie to Tableau, it will help you with its inbuilt capabilities in building the simple point or filled (polygon) maps.
Step 1:
Prerequisites:
Before going to build a simple map in tableau you need to have some predefined things. The data you are going to use in building maps should contain location data such as latitude, longitude, and location names.
Step 2:
Procedure to build a Simple Point map:
We need to follow the below process to Build a basic point map
- Navigate to a worksheet.
- Double click on the “state” which lies under the data pane under dimensions.
- Click on Data pane → Dimensions → double click on State.
The State element contains the geographic data and a Map view is automatically created the same as the below image.
Step 3:
Drag Sales to size on the Marks Card from Measures,
After doing the above task the map will show the number of sales proportionally the same as the below image.
Step 4: Select Maps → Maps Layers.
Step 5: Do the following in the Map Layers Pane.
- Click on Style drop-down → Select normal.
- Under map layers clear country region Names.
Customize Maps:
Tableau is highly flexible and allows you to create any type of maps, you can build customized apps according to your business needs. You can create a simple geographic map in tableau. Customization of maps would help us in setting your reports apart and get your maps in a brand.
The process to customize a map in Tableau:
In the tableau, we can have the flexibility to customize maps in different variations using different colors and backgrounds.
Lets us discuss various steps involved in customizing the maps in tableau:
- Select a Tableau background map style
- Import your own background map
- Add a static background image
- Show or hide map layers
- Add layers for country/region demographic data
- Change the mark type
- Add levels of detail
- Add color
- Add labels
- Adjust the size of your data points
- Create custom tooltips
Creating Territories on a Map:
When you choose to analyze your data using a map view, you may require to group existing locations together to develop your own regions or territories, like marketing territories for your organization.
In tableau we have three different ways to create territories:
- Select and group locations on a map
- Creating a territory form geographical data
- Geocode a territory filed using a using another geographic filed
Creating Territories briefly explai ned here.
Select Background Maps:
The Tableau background map comes with the updated map and stylistic improvements as well as demographic data. The background map feature has replaced the Tableau classic background map.
Tableau has a set of online and offline maps that allows you to create map views. But the default feature in the tableau is that it connects to an online map provider.
There are three background maps are available in tableau which are,
- None
- Offline
- Tableau
To select a new background map you need to: select Map → Background Maps → select the background map you wish to have.
To select a default map:
- Select Map > Background Maps > Set as Default
To select an offline background map:
- In Tableau Desktop, select Map > Background Maps > Offline
Use Mapbox Maps:
You can add these mapbox maps to your workbooks or create map views in Tableau Desktop.
When you publish a view that is aligned with the Mapbox maps to Tableau online, Tableau server, or Tableau public, your audience can have access to your Mapbox map and data without even having a Mapbox account.
Add mapbox map to your workbook
You can add a Mapbox map to your workbook in Tableau desktop and also use the Mapbox map as a background map. Once you add a Mapbox map to your workbook, it gets saved in the workbook and available to those whom you have shared a workbook with.
To add Mapbox to your workbook:
To add In Tableau Desktop, select Map → Background Maps → Mapbox Map
Save a Map Source:
Once you add a Mapbox or WMS server to the workbook, you can store that as a Tableau map Source (.tms). Once you save the WMS server or Mapbox when you share it with others they can easily import it into their own workbooks and also used to create a new map view.
To save the map:
- Select MAp → Background Maps → Map Services. You will be displayed with the dialogue box.
- You can select the Map that you wish to save as a Map source of Tableau and then click on Export. This will take you to the Export Connection dialogue box.
- Give a name to the file, select a location, and then hit the save button.
Import a Map Source:
In Tableau, you have a facility to import a Map Source (.tms) that someone shared with you into a workbook, and you can use the same Map source to develop custom map views.
- Select Map → Background Maps → Map Services. This will open you the Service dialogue box.
- Hit on import. This will take you to the Import Connection Dialogue box.
- It will automatically navigate you to the saved Tableau map source file (.tms) that you are looking to Import, then select and click on Open. This would close the import connection dialogue box and the Map Service dialogue box added with the list of Tableau maps.
Explore Data in Maps:
Tableau maps allow you to find the locations easily and analyze data across worldwide. We have different ways to explore the data in Tableau. You can do a lot of things with maps such as Zoom in and out, search for locations on the map and select marks with a toolbar, etc.
Animating maps:
Animation in Tableau is used for examining the trends or placing the measure of a particular period. To create an animation in Tableau you need to have things like a succession of pages screen or frames. All you need to do is placing the time measures on the page self would produce the animation.
Conclusion:
Tableau has been a great tool in the data visualization industry. Its unique features and high-end data visualization techniques make data presentation more clear.
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