Just wrapped up my first week and I’m still finding my feet but it’s been a really rewarding start.
First week lessons
One of the biggest challenges was getting to grips with Tableau Prep. At first it felt a bit overwhelming and I wasn’t too sure how to approach it. With some guidance I worked through the first flow and by the second things started to feel more intuitive. It still had its tricky moments, but my knowledge of calculated fields and pivoting definitely helped ease things a little.
Granularity vs Level of Detail (LOD) did take some time to fully understand but more to do with how it is applied to data especially when there is multiple granularities within the data. In a short space of time, I've been able to grasp how important it is to define these terms clearly in order to shape meaningful insights.
By the next day things started to click. I felt a lot more confident and I now really see the value Tableau Prep brings. I used to think certain cleaning steps would be quicker and easier in Excel, but my view has definitely changed. Prep and Excel don’t really compare. They just serve different purposes. I can see how Prep makes the process more efficient and foresee Prep becoming a favourite.
What surprised me
One feature I really love in Tableau Prep is being able to visually track each step in the workflow and easily go back to check or adjust things. For someone like me who sometimes forgets the steps I took, being able to reverse engineer using the flow and comments has been super helpful. The drag and drop feature makes it feel really approachable. That said, I did have a few funny moments where I was sure I selected one field and somehow another ended up in the flow.
I’m sure I’ve just scratched the surface but I’m looking forward to building on this and seeing what else is possible.
Overall
My first week has been exciting, I've spoken to a lot of people who’ve shared their experiences at the company and on placement which has varied so I’m excited to see where I’ll be placed in the next coming months. The coaches have been amazing and I'm really looking forward to learning more.
Adjusting to a new environment always comes with its share of uncertain moments, finding your rhythm, learning names and navigating office dynamics. Transitioning from running a small business to a corporate setting has been a positive shift and the friendly, welcoming energy here has made all the difference.
My advice for any future consultants joining The Information Lab
- Ask questions... and then more questions. Clarity is key.
- The first week will definitely be repetitive in terms of 'tell me about yourself' I definitely know my cohorts bios by heart now!
- Don't feel like you need to know everything. I'd never used Tableau Prep, Power BI or Alteryx before joining.
- You will add value, even if it doesn't seem obvious at first.
- Don't be afraid to ask other consultants for help or advice. it really helped me understand the theory behind granularity vs LOD and how it is applied.
- Lastly, prepare to become a coffee drinker... this has probably been my highest coffee intake in a single week to date and I know it'll only increase from here!
Final thoughts
My first week has been full of growth, challenges and laughter. I can't even count the number of times I've laughed with my cohort! I can't wait to dive deeper into the other tools and software's as the journey continues embracing the challenges and milestones along the way.