USING TABLEAU IN BUSINESS

This case study introduces Tableau Business Analytics to use data      visualization to analyze
GBI      sales data.

Data   Visualization

The human visual system has evolved to be particularly good at recognizing patterns. Data visualization has become a standard analytical tool which capitalizes on the ability of humans to recognize patterns within massive quantities of multi-dimensional data generated by business information systems. Many scientific studies have led to the creation of visualization models that utilize human perception and cognition.

When the number of dimensions is small, we can use standard graphing techniques for visualization e.g. bar charts, line charts, histograms, pie charts and scatter plots.

When the number of dimensions is large, there are several novel techniques for visualizing such data. They are categorized into the following major areas [1] –

A. Pixel-oriented Techniques

a. Space filling curves

b. Recursive pattern

c. Snake-Spiral

d. Circle segments

B. Geometric Projection Techniques

a. Parallel coordinates

b. Scatter plot matrix

c. Hyperbox

d. Trellis display

e. Self-organizing maps

C. Icon-based Techniques

a. Star glyphs

b. Color icons

c. Stick figures

d. Chernoff faces

D. Hierarchical and Graph-based Techniques

a. Dimensional stacking

b. Cone trees

c. Mosaic plots

d. Fractal foam

Background:

GBI (Global Bikes Incorporated) is a global company that sells Bicycles and accessories in the US and Europe. As an analyst for the company you will be working with data from 2007 through 2016. Your superior has asked that you supply answers to the following questions that have been asked by the board of directors. Accuracy is VERY important as your superior will be suppling your results back to the CEO and the board of directors!
 

Using Tableau   Business Analytics

We will now use Tableau Business Analytics.

1. Previously in this class you used Tableau. Refer to those instructions if you don’t know how to startup Tableau

2. Load the supplied data file GBI_AnalyticsData.xlsx. Refer to previous instructions if you forgot how to load an Excel file into Tableau

3. IMPORTANT: Sometimes when we load data Tableau is unable to determine its datatype, and so it creates it based on what it thinks it might be. In our case, YEAR is brought in as a number and needs to be converted to date. To change to date, simply click to right of year, bring up the dropdowns as shown below and select date.

If you fail to do this step, your answers will be wrong!

4. Complete the following 10 exercises. 10pts each question.

NOTE. All screen shots must include your name or initials! To accomplish this, double click on the word Sheet 1 as shown below and change it.

No name/initials, no credit!

Business Analytics 1 – Material with   highest sales

Exercise Through all years (2007-2016), which product had the highest   sales (revenue) in USD. What was the amount?  

Task Find the product that had the   highest USD sales. (Hint, Use Revenue USD, Prod Descr) 

1. Place   your answer and a screen shot of your work here.

Business Analytics 2 – Total revenue in     2015

Exercise What was the total revenue for the company in USD during     2015? 

Task Display -using a column chart-     the total sales revenue in year 2015. 

1. Place your answer and a screen shot of your   work here.

Business Analytics 3 – Customer with over   5 million dollars purchase in 2008

Exercise Which customer(s) had purchased goods over 10 million   dollars in 2008? 

Task Using a horizontal bar chart- which customers(s) had   achieved a purchase proportion over 10 million dollars in year 2008. How much was their total purchases?

1. Place your answer and a screen shot of your   work here.

Business Analytics 4 – Products with no   sales between 2015 – 2016

Exercise Which product(s) had no sales data during the last 2   years of data?

Task Using a text table- which   product(s) had no sales data in 2015 and 2016?

1. Place your answer and a screen shot of your   work here.

Business Analytics 5 – Quantity of   materials sold per year

Exercise Show the quantity of materials sold per year.

What was the quantity of air   pumps sold in 2011? 

Task Using any choice of graph- show   the quantity of air pumps sold in 2011

1. Place your answer and a screen shot of your   work here.

Business Analytics 6 – Annual revenue   trends in US & Germany

Exercise For the US and Germany, are the annual revenue trends   similar?  

Task Using an area chart- display the   revenue acquired by each year in both the US and Germany, then compare both   results and write in a few words whether the results are similar or not and   why. Place a screen shot of your   results at #6

1. Place your answer and a screen shot of your   work here.

Business Analytics 7 – Seasonality

Exercise Seasonality in revenue is important in any business.   

Task Using a line chart show average   monthly revenues achieved across all years. What month averages the most   revenue and what is the amount?

1. Place your answer and a screen shot of your   work here.

Business Analytics 8 – Total revenue per customer   

Exercise What customer has given GBI the most revenue USD over   all the years. What is that amount?

Task Using a horizontal bar chart-   show the total revenue USD achieved by each user per year sorted from the   smallest revenue to the highest. What   was the revenue for highest buyer?

1. Place your answer and a screen shot of your   work here.

Business Analytics 9 – Most purchased   product

Exercise What was the most purchased product by Rocky Mountain   Bikes? How much did they purchase over   all the years?

Task Using a horizontal bar chart-   show in USD the product most purchased by Rocky Mountain Bikes.

1. Place your answer and a screen shot of your   work here.

Business Analytics 10 – Total revenue by   country

Exercise Which country had the highest revenue?  

Task Using a symbol map, show the   revenue (revenue, not USD revenue) for the US and Germany. You screen shot   need to show a map of the US and Europe with data labels showing the amount.   What was the total revenue for US and Germany?

1. Place your answer and a screen shot of your   work here.