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data-visualizationtableau-desktopself-organizing-maps

Tableau: Self-Organizing Map visualization


So, it's my first time trying to make my own data visualization, and what I want to do is something like a heat map or highlighted table like the original Kohonen (but using squares rather than hexagons) research about countries, but I don't know how to apply it to the map I've got from training the network.

I've read a few links about making a highlighted table and heat map on Tableau, but what I get is always just a table mainly because I'm not using a measure (i just want every country of one color), so, my question is: is it possible to use Tableau for this situation and if so, how could I do it? Thanks!

Original SOM visualization from Dr. Kohonen

Table from Tableau


Solution

  • Yes it is possible to make visualizations like you describe in Tableau - but the question you posed is a bit vaguely specified to give you much more detailed guidance than first take some Tableau training.

    For instance, how do you want to determine which row and column to place a country? You may need to write a table calc for row and col positions, which means learning about table calcs. Or you can assign them in a data column.

    For square country marks, you'll want a discrete field on the rows shelf, a discrete field on the columns shelf, possible a dimension like Country name on the details shelf. Choose a square mark type, and (important) choose a square cell size from the format menu. Then adjust the size of your squares from the size button and the format menu, and colors and borders from the color button and format pane.

    Lots to play with.