JSONify, Sankey, podcast and conferences!

Hi 👋

A new tool to simplify making networks, two big conferences in May (with one as a speaker), a podcast, and Tableau, who surprisingly released a new Sankey Mark Type on Tableau Public...

Let's recap what happened in April!

JSONify - CSV/Excel to JSON

I developed this brand-new tool to help you make Networks even faster! 🚀

One of the main issues with Networks is to have the data in JSON format structured with nodes and links. In previous tutorials, I explained how to use Tableau and some calculated fields to recreate this format, but this was not enough.

This new tool lets you input your data in a CSV or Excel format and configure, visualize, and download the JSON result. You need to select the fields for the nodes' source, target, and size; You can also add additional information (to add colors or shapes in your visualization). Finally, by default, a type column will differentiate your nodes.

You'll be able to see a live preview of the result and also directly download a functional JSON, ready to be used in Advviz!

Give it a try!

It's a new tool, so expect some bugs, but let me know if I can make it better!

Let's meet!

May is conference month, and I hope to meet some of you there!

The first one is Outlier. I'll be in Porto the first week of May. The speakers are incredible, and Porto is a city I always wanted to visit. If you can't get there, know the conference is available virtually!

Just after Outlier, and to stay in conference mood (and probably really tired already), it's the Tableau Conference 2023 #data23!

This year is special for me because I'll be a speaker for the first time since Iron Viz in 2017. I will reveal new tools I'm working on, and we'll build my next Tableau Public dashboard together, live!

Discussion with Jon Schwabish

It was great to chat with Jon at The Policyviz Podcast about Advviz and my journey to freelancing. If you want to learn more about the tool and its future, you can watch the recording right here:

Sankey in Tableau Public

Sankey is now a Marks Type available in @tableaupublic! No calculations or data preparation is required; you are directly connected to your data. Look at that:

Does it mean that my tool (and other techniques) are now irrelevant? Not exactly! Here's why it's a game-changer for companies:

• It's extremely easy to use and requires no preparation or calculations.

• You are connected directly to your data.

• The performance is great!

• You can see the distribution of one quantity among different columns (Alluvial Diagram)

• You can sort and change the size and spacing of the node.

• You can show or hide the labels and change the colors for each node.

However, if you like to make advanced and beautiful charts on Tableau Public, it lacks a few important features available on Advviz:

• You cannot see flows of quantities passing through different nodes, stopping, or starting in the flow. Making this chart is impossible to create:

• You cannot change the alignment or move the nodes around as you like.

• You cannot change the color of specific links.

• You cannot swap rows and columns to make vertical Sankeys.

Unfortunately, I can't include the examples in the Newsletter, but you can check them in this Twitter thread:

We last had a new Marks Type in 2018, with the Density Mark 😬

Even if it still lacks a few things, it's an excellent new feature! I can only salute and encourage @tableau to continue to simplify making charts! One down, Tableau, five left to go 😉

See you at the end of Mai!

Meanwhile, you can find me here:‣ Website: https://www.ladataviz.com‣ Twitter: https://twitter.com/ladataviz‣ Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@ladataviz‣ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ladataviz/‣ All other links: https://linktr.ee/ladataviz

If you have any suggestions, feedback is appreciated!