Practicing in Public: My Journey with Makeover Monday
- Jennifer Dawes
- Aug 28
- 2 min read
When I first started using Tableau, one of my favorite ways to learn was through Makeover Monday. Each week a new dataset is shared, and the challenge is simple: explore the data, find a story, and create a visualization.
Some topics immediately sparked my interest, while others… let’s just say they never made it past the draft stage. But even those weeks mattered. What made Makeover Monday valuable wasn’t the polished end product—it was the practice. Jumping into a brand-new dataset sharpened my ability to ask questions, spot patterns, and tell a story with data.
The hardest part? Capping the time limit. I only give myself an hour. If the visualization works, I publish it. If not, I move on. Either way, I’ve practiced and learned.
My Growth Through Makeover Monday
Looking back at my first Makeover Monday viz in 2020, I can clearly see how much I’ve grown.
In those early days, my focus was on making something “work.” My designs were rough, color choices weren’t always accessible, and storytelling was minimal. But it was a starting point.
Fast forward to now, and the difference is striking.
Today, my approach is more intentional: I think about the audience, accessibility, and how to guide the reader through the story. Each viz shows not just data, but decisions—about hierarchy, flow, and clarity.
Bringing the Process to Life
Now I’m taking that same process and sharing it in a new way: Watch Me – Makeover Monday.
In reality, each Makeover Monday takes me about an hour of experimenting, sketching, and testing different designs. For the video series, I’ve condensed that into about 12 minutes so you can watch the flow without sitting through the full session.
My hope is that by pulling back the curtain, you’ll see that the real value isn’t in instantly creating something polished—it’s in the practice, the pivots, and the small decisions that build confidence over time.
Why You Should Join
If you haven’t tried a community project before, now is a great time to start. Makeover Monday is welcoming, fun, and one of the best ways I know to grow your data visualization skills.
And here’s a pro tip: never delete the work you publish. One of the best parts of using Tableau Public is being able to look back at your early vizzes and see how far you’ve come. That visible growth is powerful—not only for your own confidence, but also in interview settings where you can show your journey and improvement over time.
👉 What stories are you finding in this week’s dataset?
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