Dear DS6

Congratulations on getting here! Welcome to the start of an exciting new adventure. It will be interesting, intense, frustrating, insightful, inspiring, and so many other things. Along with learning Tableau, Alteryx, Tableau Server, and working on client projects, you will hopefully learn a little more about yourself and the 7 other people (and Andy) that you will be sharing a small room (and ideas) with for the next 14 weeks.

You will learn a lot. You will forget a lot. Try and keep practicing and reminding yourself of what you have learned as you go (I found that bit really hard!) Don’t expect to get everything the first time you see it (especially Alteryx!) There will be ups and downs.

Set yourself up for success! The usual things apply:

• Look after yourself well (eat brain food, get enough sleep, avoid burn-out, etc.)
• Take lots of notes, remind yourself of what you’ve learnt.
• Ask lots of questions
• Explore new things, try out new ideas.
• Help each other.
• Practice.

You have 4 months to focus on this stuff, so try and make the most of it. That includes evenings and probably most weekends, so it would be good not to expect to have too much to do outside of “Data School” stuff. That’s not to say there is no social life! The Tableau and Alteryx communities in London are very sociable and after a few events, you’ll recognize familiar faces and maybe even chat with them over a drink or snack in between filling up your brain (even more) with the “official event content”.

You will also want to set aside time outside of the 9-5 to consolidate what you’ve learned through practicing techniques and exploring Tableau and Alteryx, through your own data sets, Makeover Monday, and/or other online resources.

That said, everything in moderation, know your own limits.

It’s going to be fun. Enjoy it.