Dr Data Insight - M2: Filters, Parameters and Drill-Downs

Welcome

M1: Getting Started Tableau

M2: Filters, Parameters and Drill Down

M3: Visual Best Practice and NHS Dashboards

M4: Calculated Fields & Data Blending

M5: Presenting Dashboards & Interview Delivery

Module 2: Filters, Parameters and Drill-Downs

In this module, you’ll learn how to enhance your Tableau dashboards by adding interactivity and flexibility—essential for users who need to explore data from different angles. In NHS settings, where stakeholders often need to view performance data by Trust, specialty, region, or time period, tools like filters, parameters, and drill-downs make dashboards far more dynamic and useful. You’ll explore how to apply basic and advanced filters, create user-defined parameters to toggle between metrics, and enable drill-down features that let viewers explore data hierarchies (e.g. from ICS to Trust to department). These techniques allow you to deliver dashboards that are not just informative, but tailored to the unique questions and needs of NHS managers, clinicians, and analysts. By the end of this module, your dashboards will feel less like static reports—and more like interactive decision-making tools.

Module 2: Filters, Parameters and Drill-Downs - 2.1

Lesson 1.1: What is Tableau?

Before you begin working in Tableau, it’s important to understand the role it plays in today’s data landscape.

Why Tableau?

We live in a world saturated with data. But data alone isn’t enough—what matters is how quickly and clearly we can extract meaning from it.

Tableau helps users do just that. It enables anyone—regardless of technical background—to explore, analyze, and share data visually. It’s used across industries by analysts, marketers, finance teams, executives, and beyond to make faster, smarter decisions.

Tableau in the Data Ecosystem

Tableau is a modern Business Intelligence (BI) platform. It connects to data wherever it lives, whether in a spreadsheet, a database, or a cloud warehouse. It fits seamlessly into existing data workflows and complements other tools like Excel, SQL, Python, and cloud data platforms.

Tableau stands out for its speed, ease of use, and ability to deliver interactive dashboards that update in real time.

The Tableau Product Family

There are several Tableau products you should be aware of:

Tableau Desktop – The full-featured application for building and analyzing visualizations on your local machine.
Tableau Public – A free, cloud-connected version of Tableau Desktop, great for learning and publishing work publicly.
Tableau Prep – A tool designed for cleaning, shaping, and combining data before analysis.
Tableau Server and Tableau Cloud – Platforms for securely sharing dashboards and reports at scale within an organization.

This course will focus on Tableau Desktop and Tableau Public.

Lesson 1.2: Installing Tableau

To begin working in Tableau, you need to get it installed on your computer.

Choosing the Right Version

There are two options for this course:

Tableau Desktop – A professional version that includes the full suite of features. A 14-day free trial is available.
Tableau Public – A completely free version with many of the same core features, but designed for public data and publishing.

Visit the official Tableau website (www.tableau.com) and download the version appropriate for your needs.

Installation Guide

Once downloaded:

Open the installer file
Accept the license agreement
Follow the prompts for a standard installation
Launch the application

Both Windows and Mac installations follow similar steps. No technical expertise is required.

First Look at the Interface

After opening Tableau, you'll land on the welcome screen. From here, you can:

Connect to data sources
Access sample workbooks
Watch video tutorials
View your recent work

This screen is your gateway into every Tableau project.

Module 2: Filters, Parameters and Drill-Downs - 2.2

Lesson 1.3: Connecting to Data

Everything you do in Tableau begins with a data connection.

Supported Data Sources

Tableau connects to a wide variety of data, including:

Excel and CSV files
Google Sheets
Relational databases like SQL Server, MySQL, and PostgreSQL
Cloud data platforms like Snowflake and BigQuery

In this module, we’ll work with an Excel file.

Live vs. Extract Connections

When connecting to a data source, Tableau offers two options:

Live – Tableau queries the data source in real time
Extract – Tableau takes a snapshot of the data and stores it locally

Each method has benefits. Live connections reflect the most current data; extracts offer faster performance.

Preparing Your Data

Before building visuals, make sure your data is structured properly:

Ensure column headers are clear and descriptive
Check for missing or null values
Verify that data types (text, date, number) are recognized correctly

After connecting, Tableau will open the Data Source tab where you can preview and clean your data.

Exercise:
Connect Tableau to a sample Excel file (e.g., “Sample - Superstore.xls”). Open the Data Source tab and explore the structure of your dataset.

Lesson 1.4: Navigating the Tableau Interface

Now that you’re connected to data, it’s time to get familiar with Tableau’s workspace.

Key Components

Data Pane – Located on the left, this contains all your fields and data sources.
Shelves – Found at the top of the canvas, these include Rows, Columns, Filters, and Pages. You’ll use these to build visualizations.
Canvas – The central space where your visualizations are rendered.
Marks Card – Controls visual elements like color, size, and labels.

Sheets, Dashboards, and Stories

Tableau offers three content types:

Sheets – Where you build individual charts
Dashboards – Combine multiple sheets into a single view
Stories – Present a sequence of visuals with commentary

As you build, it’s important to organize your workbook logically. Name each sheet clearly, group related visuals, and save often.

Tip: Navigation becomes intuitive over time. Focus on understanding where to drop fields and how to interact with the canvas.

Lesson 1.5: Your First Visualization

Let’s walk through building your first visualization in Tableau.

Step-by-Step: Creating a Bar Chart

Open a new Sheet.
In the Data Pane, drag the field “Region” to the Columns shelf.
Drag the field “Sales” to the Rows shelf.
Tableau will automatically generate a bar chart.
Drag “Region” to the Color shelf on the Marks card to apply color.
Click on the Label shelf and activate “Show mark labels” to display values.

You’ve now created your first chart in Tableau using just a few drag-and-drop actions.

Exercise:
Using the Superstore dataset, build a bar chart that displays total Sales by Region. Format the chart by applying colors, adding labels, and ensuring your tooltips are informative.

Module Summary

In this first module, you’ve laid the foundation for working in Tableau. You’ve learned what Tableau is, how it fits into modern data workflows, how to install it, how to connect to your first data source, and how to create and format a simple chart.

You’re now ready to move beyond the basics and explore more advanced visualizations, calculations, and interactive dashboards.

In the next module, we’ll dive into the design principles that make a visualization not just functional, but effective—and explore how to filter, highlight, and structure more complex insights.

Filters, Parameters and Drill-Downs Quiz

Disclaimer: The videos included have been thoughtfully selected to support and enrich the learning experience. While not essential to the completion of the course, they offer valuable insights that may deepen your understanding of the module content. Dr Data Insights does not claim authorship or involvement in the creation of these tutorials.