If you have already read Part 1 of the Project Blog, you will know we have now reached the exciting stage: visualising the data.
If not, pause here and go back. You will not want to skip it. That is the foundation of everything and the crucial step where the magic begins.
Now comes the big reveal. This is the moment of truth where we find out if all those data points we generated actually come together into something recognisable, or if we have simply created something that looks like a blob (this has happened to me so don't give up right away). In other words, do we finally have a penguin on the screen or not?
- Build the First Frame
- Import the CSV into Tableau.
- Plot X vs Y in a scatter plot.
- Set the mark type to Square if you want pixel style
- Use Colour to differentiate body parts.
- Check that the static image looks like your penguin.
- Add Movement
- Adjust X/Y positions for each subsequent frame to simulate motion (e.g., flipper up, jump arc).
- Assign those new coordinates to the correct Frame.
- Animate in Tableau
- Use Tableau’s Pages or Animation features to cycle through the frames.
- Smooth transitions to create the illusion of motion.
- Create Penguin Facts Dashboards
- Bring in a second dataset (e.g., size, diet, species distribution).
- Build complementary charts (bar charts, maps, fun facts).
- Style the dashboard with playful colours and penguin-themed design.
- Put It All Together
- Combine the animated scatter plot with the educational charts.
- Add interactivity so users can click through animations and learn about penguins at the same time.
In the end, you'll have something completely unique: a Tableau dashboard where penguins come alive. Not just another dashboard. But a story told through data, movement, and a bit of AI wizardry.