While this may seem like something that’s too simple to ask, it's a fun question that will keep the applicant on their toes. On top of that, it demonstrates two valuable skills data visualization specialists must have: a solid understanding of the tool they're using and conciseness. Your applicant may take a few moments to come up with an answer, but here is what you’re looking for:

• Tableau’s power and ability to make sense of raw data

• Its role as a key business intelligence tool

• How it works best with big data

Examples:

This Tableau interview question gives you insight into the candidate’s strengths. Chances are they will name the popular features they have used the most in their previous position and how they used them to get the tasks done. Depending on what your department does, you could expand on this question to see if the candidate is familiar with the features you normally use. Some answers you could be looking for include:

• Recognition of the different types of data for analysis

• Understanding of data sourcing

• Executing basic and advanced calculations

The candidate has to understand the difference between these two functions because, in most organizations, no one is dealing with just one source of data. There are times when analysts will have to find ways to reconcile an Excel sheet with an SQL database. In cases where they have to deal with the same data source from different organizations, that data won’t always be presented in the same format. It’s up to the analyst to make sense of it and come up with a bridge. What to look for in the candidate’s answer:

• A clear understanding of blending and joining

• Possible scenarios when they would be used

• Understanding the concept of data sources

Many users will be familiar with the more conventional query languages, such as SQL. Those who understand VizQL know that this is how Tableau is able to do what it does. For Tableau developer applicants, this is a basic qualification question. They understand VizQL is a proprietary language that the application uses to describe the different types of visualizations. They also know how it can be used with relational databases to analyze data and build custom business intelligence solutions. What to look for in an answer:

• Ability to work with databases and queries

• Understanding of how Tableau visualizations are generated

• Ways to customize tools

TabJolt is an integral part of any organization because it's used for load and performance testing. This is an important Tableau interview question because administrators need to understand how to interact with it to collect vital metrics, such as correlation KPIs. It’s also important to understand the server’s architecture. What you need to look for in the candidate’s answer:

• How TabJolt interacts with data on the server

• Keen understanding of server architecture and testing

• Metrics TabJolt collects

Candidates need to discern the difference between user-based and core-based licensing, for example, as they choose the economic deployment strategy. They’ll also need to figure out Tableau Server software, data access and user authentication requirements. Other necessary functionalities include storage, versioning and web authoring, which admins have to manage with precision across the organization. What to look for in the candidate’s answers:

• Understanding of request channelization process

• Which clients can view and edit different visual components

• Authentication and authorization administration

There are going to be times when managers need data that will directly affect sales and profits. The ideal candidate will look at this type of Tableau interview question and think about aggregation and frequency, which means using heat maps. These color-coded visualizations give the supervisor a visual representation of the most and least profitable times, indicating the best path to cutting costs. It’s all about coming up with the most efficient way to complete a task, and a great applicant will find that path quickly. What to look for in an answer:

• Demonstrated problem-solving skills

• Understanding of how to visualize frequency and aggregation

• Efficiency and precision

When doing analysis, it’s important to understand just how much detail you do and don’t need. Candidates who know about LOD expressions understand how to simplify and extend Tableau’s calculation capabilities, which makes them quite efficient at leveraging the data to necessary levels of detail during analysis. For applicants who will be doing high-level analysis, this question can help managers identify the best candidates for developer roles. What to look for in an answer:

• Using expressions for complex calculations

• Running functions at the data source level

• Types of LOD expressions

Instead of having users just list the nine dimensions, a question like this tests the depth of their understanding of the different dimensions and how they're used. The other side of knowing what you need in Tableau is understanding what you may not need. If the applicant has a firm understanding of the different dimensions, they can manipulate the data efficiently.

• Basic understanding of category dimensions

• In-depth knowledge of dimensions

• Ways to use these dimensions

This type of scenario-based Tableau interview question tests critical thinking and the user's proficiency. This kind of data fluency means the applicant is focused on making more informed decisions. In this scenario, it’s all about correlating dimensions and measures to provide insight, making a treemap the best option for executing this task. What to look for in the candidate’s answers:

• Determining vertical and horizontal axes

• Understanding of the building blocks of a treemap

• How to limit the breakdown for optimal analysis