A lollipop chart is a type of visualization that shows the values of a variable using circles or squares attached to horizontal or vertical lines. A lollipop chart can also show the comparison or difference between two variables by using different colors or shapes for the circles or squares.

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To create a lollipop chart in Tableau, follow these steps:

1. Connect to your data source and drag the variable you want to use as the lines to the Columns or Rows shelf. For example, if you want to create a lollipop chart of sales by product category, drag Product Category to Rows.
2. Drag another variable you want to use as the circles or squares to the Size mark. For example, drag Sales to Size.
3. Change the mark type from Automatic to Circle or Square, depending on your preference. This will create a lollipop chart with different sizes based on the values of the second variable.
4. To show the comparison or difference between two variables, drag another variable you want to use as the color or shape dimension to the Color or Shape mark. For example, drag Profit Ratio to Color.
5. Optionally, you can add labels, tooltips, filters, legends, titles, and other formatting options to enhance your visualization.

You have now created a lollipop chart in Tableau!

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A lollipop chart can be useful for businesses in many ways. Here are some examples of how businesses can benefit from using this type of visualization:

• A lollipop chart can help show the values of a variable across categories or groups using visual cues such as size and position. For example, a business can use a lollipop chart to show sales by product category and see how they vary across different products.
• A lollipop chart can help show the comparison or difference between two variables across categories or groups using visual cues such as color or shape. For example, a business can use a lollipop chart to show sales by product category and profit ratio and see which products are more profitable than others.
• A lollipop chart can help emphasize essential categories or groups based on two variables using visual cues such as color or shape. For example, a business can use a lollipop chart to highlight products with high sales and high-profit ratios compared to others.

A lollipop chart is one of the most creative types of visualization that businesses can use to display and compare their data visually.

Here are some interview questions on this topic:

• What is a lollipop chart and when would you use it?
• How do you create a lollipop chart in Tableau?
• What are some advantages and disadvantages of using a lollipop chart?
• How do you interpret and analyze a lollipop chart?
• How do you customize and format a lollipop chart in Tableau?

Here are some data analyst technical round questions on this topic:

• How do you calculate the average value of a variable across categories or groups using Tableau calculated fields?
• How do you align the circles or squares with the lines using Tableau dual axis option?
• How do you add reference lines or bands to show benchmarks or targets for values of two variables using Tableau analytics pane?
• How do you filter out outliers or extreme values from your data set using Tableau filters shelf?
• How do you test for statistical significance or correlation between two variables using Tableau trend lines option?

Learning how to create a lollipop chart in Tableau can help in your career in many ways. Here are some reasons why learning this skill can be beneficial:

• Learning how to create a lollipop chart in Tableau can help you showcase your creativity and innovation in data visualization. A lollipop chart is not one of the standard charts available in Tableau but rather one that requires some tricks and techniques to create it from scratch.
• Learning how to create a lollipop chart in Tableau can help you improve your analytical and problem-solving skills. A lollipop chart involves manipulating data, calculating metrics, applying logic, testing hypotheses, and finding insights from complex data sets.
• Learning how to create a lollipop chart in Tableau can help you communicate your findings and recommendations effectively and persuasively. A lollipop chart is an eye-catching and engaging way of presenting data that can capture attention and convey messages clearly and concisely.

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