Let’s be real—data visualization can be frustrating, even for power analysts. I often get so buried in the numbers that stepping back to cOmMuNiCaTe insights can feel like a chore. It’s like making a delicious meal but skipping the plating; no matter how good it tastes, it won’t impress if it looks like mush.
But visuals matter. A lot. The good news? You don’t have to sacrifice hours to create dashboards that are sharp, clear, and beautiful. Here are five go-to tips to level up your visualizations—without burning out. The tips are tailored to Tableau users but can be repurposed for your preferred data visualization tool.
Tip 1: Don’t Freestyle — Use a Visual Style Guide
Tinkering with layouts and styles from scratch every 👏 single 👏 time 👏 is a huge time-suck. Instead, adopt a consistent visual style that does the heavy lifting for you. My go-tos for inspiration include news media, blogs, and data influencers like:
- Cole Knaflic (Storytelling with Data)
- Peter Walker (Carta)
- Print media like The Economist, with their clean, minimalist approach
- DataWrapper blog
Even better? Use existing style guides—like the Economist, BBC, or Urban Institute—to align your work with professional visual standards.
✅ Pro tip: Let your creativity shine in colors and fonts, but keep the structure consistent.
Resources:
- BBC Tableau Style Guide
- Economist Visual Style Guide
- Economist Map Style Guide
- Urban Institute Style Guide
- Master List of Style Guides
Tip 2: Choose the Right Chart for the Job
A flashy viz won’t save you if it’s hard to read. What matters is clarity.
Before jumping into Tableau, ask:
- What do I want the audience to take away?
- Is my data categorical, time-based, relational, or geographic?
Use Data-to-Viz as a guide. It’s a fantastic resource for pairing data types with the most effective chart forms.
Tip 3: Curate Your Color Palette Intentionally
Color should guide the eye—not distract. Pick a palette that supports your message and accessibility. I often build from default tool palettes with websites like FontJoy and Coolors, tweaking them based on the story or brand I’m working with.
🎨 Bonus: Build an organizational color palette for long-term consistency.
Helpful Reads:
- How to Create Good Color Palettes
- Choosing Colors for Data Vis Style Guides
- How to Pick Beautiful Colors
Tip 4: Fonts Matter More Than You Think
Yes, even in dashboards. The right font can make your visualization feel clean, serious, or modern—or it can make it unreadable. Stick with simple, legible fonts, and avoid switching it up too much.
🧠 Think of fonts like tone of voice: are you formal? Conversational? Data-heavy?
Guide: Fonts for Data Visualization
Tip 5: Reuse and Tweak—Don’t Start from Scratch
Save your favorite dashboards as templates—especially when working on similar use cases. Reusing structure, layout, and even annotations saves time and keeps your visuals consistent.
🔁 Think of this as a personal “dashboard library.” Use, modify, repeat.
Bonus: your audience will appreciate the visual consistency across your work. It builds trust.
In Summary
Good design isn’t about being flashy—it’s about making your insights land. Adopt a visual system, choose charts wisely, curate colors and fonts intentionally, and reuse what works. These small habits can make your Tableau dashboards not just fast—but world-class.