Tableau Box and Whisker Plot - Explained

This tutorial will help you learn how to interpret data distributions effectively with this tutorial on Tableau Box and Whisker Plot.

The Box plot in Tableau displays value distribution along an axis, also known as the box-and-whisker plot. The box contains the middle fifty percent of the data and the middle two quartiles. Whiskers, lines present in the box plot, display all points within 1.5 times the adjoining box's width or at the maximum extent of the data. Check out this tableau tutorial to understand how to make a Box and whisker plot in Tableau - 

What is a Box and Whisker Plot in Tableau?

A Box and Whisker plot is a statistical tool that displays the distribution of a dataset through five summary statistics: minimum, first quartile (Q1), median, third quartile (Q3), and maximum. These statistics are represented visually as a box (interquartile range) with whiskers extending from it.

Image on Tableau box and whisker plot.

How To Create a Box and Whisker Plot in Tableau? 

Let’s now go through the step-by-step process to create a box plot in Tableau with a video implementation - 

This involves the following steps - 

Step 1 > Connect the "NFL Offensive Player stats, 1999-2013.xlsx" data set.

Step 2 > Drag the "Hometown" dimension and drop it onto the column shelf.

Step 3 > Drag the "College wins" measure and drop it onto the row shelf.

Step 4 > Drag the "Player" dimension and drop it at the right of the Hometown dimension.

Step 5 > Select the box-and-whisker plot under the show me option.

But what if you want to make a Tableau box plot with multiple measures? Below is an excellent example. 

Creating a Tableau Box Plot with Multiple Measures

A Box Plot with multiple measures allows you to simultaneously compare the distributions of various numerical variables. Each measure has its own box and whisker representation, making it easy to identify patterns, variations, and outliers across different metrics.

Let's create a Box Plot with multiple measures using the Sample Superstore dataset to compare the distribution of Sales and Profit:

Step 1: Open Tableau and connect to the Sample Superstore dataset.

Step 2: Drag the "Sales" and "Profit" measures onto the Rows shelf. 

Step 3: Drag the Segment dimension to the column shelf. And, Drag the Region dimension to Columns, and drop it to the right of Segment.

Step 4: Click Show Me in the toolbar, then select the box-and-whisker plot chart type. Your visualization will look like this - 

Image on how to make a box plot in Tableau?

Note - Check out the Tableau Documentation to learn more about building Box and Whisker Plots. 

Become a Tableau Expert with ProjectPro! 

Mastering the Tableau Box and Whisker Plot technique is essential for data analysts and scientists. It offers valuable insights into data distribution, aiding informed decision-making. However, practical experience is vital for truly understanding its concepts. ProjectPro provides an ideal platform for gaining this hands-on experience. With its extensive library of over 270+ data science and big data projects, learners can apply Tableau Box and Whisker Plot techniques in real-world scenarios. This hands-on approach enhances your understanding and prepares individuals for the challenges they may encounter in their careers. 

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I come from Northwestern University, which is ranked 9th in the US. Although the high-quality academics at school taught me all the basics I needed, obtaining practical experience was a challenge.... Read More

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