^{Click here to view video “The Language and Science of Skateboarding” in its entirety by The Royal Institution.}

Rodney Mullen is considered by many to be the “Godfather of Modern Street Skating”. Credited with the flatground ollie, kickflip, heelflip, darkslide and countless other tricks, his impact on the sport goes beyond just the maneuvers he invented. His ability to take the dying art of freestyle skating and apply it to the streets created an entirely new genre of skating, complete with its own dialect and culture. Even if you have never picked up a skateboard, it would difficult to imagine someone who has never heard of or seen a trick that Rodney did not have his fingerprints on. So, what makes him stand out and what if anything does skateboarding have to do with the Tableau community?

“There’s an intrinsic value in creating something for the sake of creating it… dropping it into a community of your own making, and seeing it dispersed… [taken] to levels you can never imagine.”

-Rodney Mullen

Mullen gives a voice to what so many skaters experience but find difficult to explain. There is a sort of communal experience whereby tricks are borrowed, modified, and shared back to create something entirely new to benefit the skate community. This constant iteration and progression serve to push the boundaries far beyond what any one person can do alone. This spirit of “Take it. Make it your own. Share it back.” is one that I never imagined I would find in the workplace. -At least not in its truest, most sincere and selfless form. That is, until I went to my first Tableau Conference in 2023.

Whether I was scurrying to find the last seat during a hands-on session, or racing from presentation to presentation as I choked down my complementary lunch between strides, I couldn’t help but feel a rare but familiar vibe. It wasn’t until I was witnessed a presentation by a member of the DataFam combine Python, D3, and Svelte with an almost tangible curiosity and creativity that I started to see the connection. Here they were, taking elements from other disciples in order to stretch Tableau into a terrain for which it was not originally intended. Each subsequent presentation brought with it example after example. Tips, tricks and techniques were openly shared with the audience, free from self-promotion or bravado. Collaboration was key. Experimentation and progression were the norm.

I was hooked. I had seen this before. A community built on shared creativity, where each contribution was celebrated and unique. I reflected on my love for jazz and hip hop, whose improvisational nature was born not just out of self-expression and ingenuity, but community. However, it was the skateboarding that provided the strongest resemblance to the DataFam. Since that first Tableau Conference, I have grown tremendously with the help and generosity of Tableau users of all levels. While I strive to push past my own limitations, I seek to help others in the DataFam looking to do the same.

So, what makes Tableau’s DataFam unique? It goes beyond some software enhancement or the latest cloud application. It’s a culture born out of generosity and shared curiosity, where innovation is anything but a zero-sum game. You can easily find a newcomer sharing their first dashboard next to an experienced user integrating Tableau APIs -both greeted with encouragement, feedback, and sincere interest. It’s about collectively raising the bar. So post your question, publish your viz, share your calculated fields, and prepare to be lifted. Take it. Make it yours. Share it back. And then… watch how innovation spreads.

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With the latest DataDevQuest challenge submitted by Paula Munoz (datadevquest.com), I have been exploring uses cases for Tableau’s Table Extensions. Table extensions provide a great opportunity to leverage Python and TabPy to incorporate external data sources directly into your dashboard.

Here’s a quick snapshot of tools, posts and sessions that stood out this week:

💻 Table Extensions:

📊Dashboards:

🎥Videos and Presentations