Device-specific layouts in Tableau - Real Business Scenario

Scenario Mode

👤 Your Role: You are a business intelligence analyst at a retail company.

📋 Request: Your manager wants a sales performance dashboard that looks great and works well on desktop computers, tablets, and smartphones.

📊 Data: You have monthly sales data by region, product category, and sales amount.

🎯 Deliverable: Create a Tableau dashboard with device-specific layouts for desktop, tablet, and phone that show total sales by region and product category.

Sample Data

Month	Region	Product Category	Sales Amount
2024-01	North	Electronics	12000
2024-01	South	Furniture	8000
2024-02	East	Electronics	15000
2024-02	West	Furniture	7000
2024-03	North	Furniture	9000
2024-03	South	Electronics	11000
2024-04	East	Furniture	6000
2024-04	West	Electronics	13000

1

Step 1: Connect to the sales data in Tableau and create a new worksheet.

Load the sample data table into Tableau as a data source.

Expected Result

Data is available in Tableau for analysis.

2

Step 2: Create a bar chart showing total Sales Amount by Region.

Rows: Region; Columns: SUM(Sales Amount); Mark type: Bar

Expected Result

Bar chart displays total sales for each region.

3

Step 3: Create a second bar chart showing total Sales Amount by Product Category.

Rows: Product Category; Columns: SUM(Sales Amount); Mark type: Bar

Expected Result

Bar chart displays total sales for each product category.

4

Step 4: Create a new dashboard for Desktop layout.

Add both bar charts side by side with titles and filters for Month.

Expected Result

Dashboard shows both charts clearly on a wide screen.

5

Step 5: Create a Device Layout for Tablet in the dashboard.

In Dashboard pane, select 'Device Preview' > 'Add Device Layout' > choose Tablet; arrange charts stacked vertically for better fit.

Expected Result

Tablet layout shows charts stacked vertically for easier viewing on smaller screens.

6

Step 6: Create a Device Layout for Phone in the dashboard.

Add Phone device layout; show only the Sales by Region chart with filters; use larger fonts and simplified layout.

Expected Result

Phone layout shows a single chart with clear labels and easy navigation.

7

Step 7: Test the dashboard in Tableau Device Preview mode for Desktop, Tablet, and Phone layouts.

Use 'Device Preview' toggle to switch between layouts and verify readability and usability.

Expected Result

Dashboard adapts layout and content appropriately for each device type.

Final Result

Bar Chart

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Bar Chart

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Bar Chart

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Bar Chart

✓North and East regions have higher sales compared to South and West.

✓Electronics category generally outperforms Furniture in sales.

✓Device-specific layouts improve user experience by tailoring content and layout to screen size.

Bonus Challenge

Add interactive filters for Month and Region that work across all device layouts.

Show Hint

Use Tableau's dashboard actions and ensure filters are added to each device layout separately.