Driving through foggy Tallahassee traffic recently, I found myself thinking about Tableau Tim’s recent “Whiplash” video and the evolving identity of Tableau under Salesforce.

Tim, thank you for being so thoughtful and measured in your take–it allows space for the rest of us to reflect honestly about our feelings and our journeys in data analytics and Tableau.

Tableau: A Decade of Empowerment

Like many, Tableau changed my life. It empowered me to build a career with flexibility and purpose. From 2010 to 2019, it truly felt like a product by analysts, for analysts–grassroots adoption–a community that taught and uplifted, and a product shaped by those who lived and breathed data. We didn’t just use Tableau–we believed in it.

From Product of the People to a C-Suite Pitch

Now, it feels like we’re attending the same funeral over and over again at each Tableau Conference. The soul of that analyst-driven innovation is being replaced by something more corporate, more distant. We’ve gone from selfies with friends to selfies with life-sized stuffed animals. 🫤

Feature showcases that once felt like a celebration of our work now feel like abstract pitches to the C-suite. The demos look slick, but too often, they miss the mark–solving for presentation, not the everyday pains of data practitioners.

Whiplash in the Era of Transformation

Yes, the world is changing. AI, market dynamics, and internal pressures are transforming our industry. Not all of that is Salesforce’s burden. But the disconnect–the whiplash–comes from watching a product that once spoke directly to us now speaks about us, without us in the room.

Looking Toward Tableau Conference 2025

As we head into Tableau Conference 2025, these conversations matter more than ever. Thank you, Tim, for keeping the community voice alive. There is so much to talk about.

We Will Be There!

I, along with Keith Helfrich, Jonathan Drummey, Johanna Villa, Jeremy Paytas, Josh Greenwalt, and Autumn Kloth will be at Tableau Conference 2025. If you see any of us, please come up and introduce yourself. We may have a couple of secrets to share with you.