"Tableau Story sizing on Tableau Public — scrollbars issue and a workaround, looking for best practices"

Summary

Tableau users often encounter sizing issues with revised stories on Tableau Public, but there is now an effective solution.

Issue with scrollbars and the workaround

A Tableau Public user reported that their Story looked fine on their screen but was a messy display on other devices, with text cut off and a broken layout. This issue arose because all elements were set to 'Automatic', which the user found unsuitable for scaling text objects. The solution was to set both the dashboards and the story to a fixed size of 1200x800 pixels.

Significance for BI professionals

This issue presents BI professionals with the challenge of considering various screen sizes and resolutions when sharing visual stories. It highlights the need to consider fixed dimensions, especially in an era where visual presentations are increasingly critical for data-driven insights. Competitors like Power BI and Qlik Sense may offer more convenient solutions with automatic scaling options, prompting Tableau users to pay extra attention to user experience.

Concrete takeaway for BI professionals

BI professionals should consider opting for fixed dimensions when publishing stories and dashboards on platforms like Tableau Public to avoid display inconsistencies. This can help create a uniform user experience and maximize the impact of their data visualizations.