For my final interview for The Data School, I was given a data set on a 2018 Central Park Squirrel Census. It was a very exciting challenge and a great dataset for showing the skills I had picked up while learning Tableau Desktop for my first round dashboard.
You can view my final dashboard here: A Spotters Guide To Finding Foraging Squirrels.
Here is a breakdown of the steps I took to create this dashboard.
Step 1: The Data Hunt
The data provided was a .csv file containing mainly true or false data on the squirrels and a document with the header definitions for the .csv file. The first thing I did was open both files up side by side to get to know the data as much as possible. Almost immediately though, I noticed that there were definitions given for headers that did not exist in the .csv provided. This lead me on a hunt for the rest of the data as more data could possibly allow me to find some insights that might not have been possible without.
After a brief search online, I found a second .csv from the same census that gave more data on what was happening in the hectares that the squirrels were being observed in. This hunt for more data had a huge impact on my final dashboard as it allowed me to suggest possible reasonings behind the behavior of the squirrels.
Step 2: Exploring The Data
With a more complete dataset in hand, the next few days were dedicated to exploring what the data was showing. This consisted of making every chart possible with the data. The goal at this point wasn't to make the charts I was going to be using, but simply finding what I should use as the overall theme for my dashboard.
Step 3: Creating The Dashboard
After the exploration of the data, I had an idea of the direction I wanted to go in for the dashboard. This is the section of the process where having regular calls with the buddy you are assigned with is extremely helpful. From suggestions for chart placement to what charts to use to show specific data effectively, my buddy was extremely helpful.
Chart placement, dashboard flow and deciding what to say in the text boxes was the next step. Some good advice my buddy gave me was to not clutter the dashboard with text. The charts should be showing as much as possible instead.
Bringing the dashboard to life with design was my final objective. I formatted all of the charts and made colours consistent across charts and text boxes. I also made some small yet impactful touches such as adding colour to some common words such as "busyness" and "amount of litter" across the entire dashboard. I also included information buttons to the dashboard to allow the user to see extra information about each chart if necessary.
It was a stressful 10 days but it was also an excellent lesson in time management, design iteration and chart selection.