What's next for Tableau Tim?

This week I’m finally back to it after the annual Aimpoint Digital company meet. Met so many great colleagues in person for the first time, in a beautiful place (Mexico), and plenty of opportunities to reflect on the year ahead.

One of the best conversations I had was with Chris Nicholls about the name “Tableau Tim” , where did it come from? What’s the story? And what’s the plan?

There were two Tims in the office and I became Tableau Tim in the company of Matt Francis. When did the name stick? As a consultant at Accenture. I worked there for just over a year and took it and ran with it.

Not commonly known — I started the channel with that name because I missed out (my fault) on an opportunity to teach Tableau in New York, so I turned that energy in a different direction. The YouTube channel was born that very week. I actually already had 10 videos, but I set out a plan to make hundreds. We’re 2 shy of 600 videos as of this post.

Another colleague in a separate discussion said I “must eat, sleep, drink Tableau” and I absolutely do. But the crazy thing is, if you asked me what my most-used tool is over my last 13 years in this space, it’s not Tableau. Tableau would only be third. It’s actually Alteryx at the top, accounting for 70% of my career and experience across industries including Finance, FMCG, Insurance, Retail, Manufacturing, Pharmaceuticals and more. Snowflake comes in second as the database I use most, with Tableau third. That said, I spent most of my time in Alteryx building datasets for Tableau, so really, it was all in service to Tableau(ish).

Tableau Tim will always be. But there are a few broken aspects of the way YouTube, LinkedIn, social media and other parts of the game now work. Transparently, chances are you’re likely to see less of my stuff because the algorithm wants more hype, more engagement, and therefore a lot more rage-baiting, fast cuts, and hype music than I can muster. On the plane back I thought about this more, and I think it’s something I was already addressing but I just need to run with it faster and harder.

I changed my channel to “Data with Tableau Tim” from “Tableau Tim”. It’s subtle, but it’s an honest reflection of where I’d love to go. I’d love to explore more tools, share more of what I know, mentor younger colleagues, and build beyond just Tableau. I’m constantly asked about partnerships with other products and get approached weekly to check out new tools. It’s time to explore those opportunities. Hit me up in my DMS if you have a tool you think does data differently.

At the same time… I still have unfinished business teaching Tableau. There are entire styles of tutorials and types of videos I’ve always left on the table because I’ve tried to be additive and prioritised my own style, rather than taking on the multi-day, multi-hour edits or the idea of a premium offering whilst keeping true to the free and open philosophy I have and will continue to have. To my own detriment, I also refuse to get an editor. Making videos is a creative outlet and loosing the ability to edit my own content would make it more of a job and i never set out to make this feel like that. This will keep my channel pretty small and limit how much I can do, but my videos are my edits. I can’t let go.

So that’s the plan. More tools, more honesty about the full stack, same philosophy. If you’ve been here for the Tableau content, thank you. That’s not going anywhere. And if you’re curious about what else is coming, I’m excited to share more of the journey. I’d love to create a space to bring all of the above together, and I’m working on an exciting project code name ( n1d )with Andre de Vries and Robert Janezic that I hope to share more about that soon.

At work, I’ll be taking on new challenges this year and stretching myself well beyond consulting, into familiar ground, but in a new context. Excited to talk more about that as the year unfolds. All in all, excited for 2026. Grateful for the friends and family who support me, and for everyone who’s been part of this journey so far.