Enter the 2025 Qualifier by October 31
Step into the spotlight with data.
Iron Viz—the world ultimate data visualization competition—is back! Submit a viz for this year's Qualifier theme of entertainment for a chance to dazzle with data at the world’s ultimate data visualization competition. What is entertainment? It’s any activity or performance designed to provide enjoyment. It can take many forms, including movies, television shows, music, sports, games, and theater.
Watch the Qualifier kickoff event replay to learn more about the competition and get insider tips from previous finalists as they share their secrets to crafting a winning entry.
Keep scrolling for more even more details, resources, and...oh yes...prize information.
On the hunt for some data?
While you're able to use any data set related to the theme, check out the Data + TV and Data + Movies data sets, powered by IMDb with thousands of data points to leverage to get you started. Just download the starter kit of your choice and follow the directions.
Another great data set to use is the #GamesNightViz "Press Start" package which includes data on over 10,000 games.
What is Iron Viz?
Iron Viz is the world’s largest data visualization competition. What began as a breakout session at Tableau Conference 2011 has grown into a global phenomenon and become a core part of the Tableau Community. Three Iron Viz contenders take center stage and have 20 minutes to tell the most compelling story using the same data set. Like the qualifier leading up to it, contestants’ vizzes are scored based on analysis, storytelling, and design. It is something you must see to truly understand.
What to expectHow do I enter?
1. Download Tableau Desktop
You will need Tableau Desktop to create your visualization. Download and install the free version of the software, Tableau Desktop Public Edition.
2. Create a Tableau Public profile
Only visualizations published to a Tableau Public profile will be considered valid entries for the contest. If you don't already have one, create a profile on Tableau Public.
3. Get the data
Any data set you find interesting related to the theme! Need help finding a data set? Here are some tips from 2017 Iron Viz finalist Jacob Olsufka. On the hunt for some data? Check out the Data + TV and Data + Movies data sets, powered by IMDb, with thousands of data points to leverage below.
4. Submit your viz
Publish your visualization to Tableau Public profile (learn how to do this here). Be sure the data you're using data can be shared publicly. Once published, submit a link to your published visualization to enter the contest. The Iron Viz Qualifier Contest ends on October 31, 2024 (11:59 p.m. PT). Rules can be found at the bottom of this page.
Judging Criteria
Design
Visual elements add to the overall understanding of the visualization rather than distract
Interactivity and layout are user-friendly, instructed/specified, and purposeful
Charts are clearly presenting the data
Charts contain a title, summary, and/or caption
All charts contribute to the story
Accessibility is applied - colorblind/low vision (contrast) friendly palette, limited use of images to convey text, font size 12pt or larger.
Analysis
Viz topic aligns with contest theme
Dataset and calculations appear to be accurate and clean
Analysis illustrates profound insights grasped from visualizations
Analysis supports the story being told
Analysis has been mostly produced within Tableau
Analysis highlights a broad range of Tableau capabilities
Storytelling
A clear story is being told
Story flows through visualizations and guides consumers from question to insight
Visualizations and animations support the story being told
The story includes a unique idea or perspective
The story being told has complexity/nuance that elevates the visualizations.
Storytelling captures and maintains interest throughout the entire viz
Explore the Iron Viz Gallery
Love for Food: Hunger for Change
Hart of Dixie
What is (not) love?
Contestant Resources
Content Type |
Name |
|
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BLOG POST |
Create a compelling Iron Viz qualifier entry in ten steps |
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BLOG POST |
8 resources to kickstart your Iron Viz entry |
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BLOG POST |
How to get ready for the next Iron Viz competition |
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BLOG POST |
How to find the best sources for free, public data sets |
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KNOWLEDGE BASE |
How to save vizzes on Tableau Public |
|
BLOG |
A beginner's guide to Tableau Public |
|
blog |
Planning out your build process & time saving tips |
|
VIDEO series |
Behind the Build with Iron Viz finalists |
|
BLOG POST |
First time Iron Viz participants share their experience |
|
VIDEO |
Storytelling with data |
Powered by Tableau Public
Grow your data skills with Tableau Public
Tableau Public is the backbone of Iron Viz. This free platform allows users to explore, create and publicly share data visualizations online. It is also the world's largest repository of data visualizations. Utilize it to advance your career in analytics by learning from limitless data inspiration and creating an online portfolio of work.
Get started on our free platformQualifier Contest FAQ
Iron Viz is the world’s largest data visualization competition. Three worthy contestants take center stage in front of a global audience and have 20 minutes to deliver a compelling and awe-inspiring story using the same data set.
Contest |
Theme |
Announcement Date |
Submission Deadline |
---|---|---|---|
Iron Viz Qualifier |
entertainment |
October 1, 2024 |
october 31, 2024 |
The 2025 Iron Viz Qualifiers theme is entertainment. Entertainment is any activity or performance designed to provide enjoyment. It can take many forms, including movies, television shows, music, sports, games, and theater.
For questions on whether your data set meets the theme criteria, please reach out to ironviz@tableau.com with subject line 'Theme Question.'
Please refer to the official rules for the qualifier contest:
One entry per person. If you need to make changes to your viz after submitting, please make those changes prior to the submission deadline.
This qualifier contest allows for any data. Please ensure the data set(s) you choose are related to the theme. Looking for a dataset that’s ready for stardom? Check out the Data + TV and Data + Movies starter kits, powered by datasets from IMDb with millions of entertainment data points to leverage.
Please be considerate of others, and do not use a data set that might be found overly offensive. We would also like you to consider image rights when including visuals in your visualization. For specific eligibility questions, please reach out to ironviz@tableau.com.
If possible, provide a link to your source(s) in the footnote or description of your viz and allow 'Download' for the viz you submit. This allows others to learn from your work, just as you can learn from others. Making vizzes downloadable can be done by signing in to Tableau Public, click on the viz you created, and checking the box "Allow workbook and its data to be downloaded by others", then click save.
You may contact Tableau Public at public@tableau.com, please include Viz Contest in the subject line. Note that submissions can only be made via the submission form.
A panel of judges comprised of Tableau ambassadors, previous Iron Viz finalists, data viz experts, and guest judges will evaluate all submissions based on the following criteria:
- Design
- Storytelling
- Analysis
Analysis will be the tiebreaker in case two vizzes have the same overall score. Should the Analysis score also be tied, the panel of judges will make a final decision.
Scores can be provided (upon request) by filling out this form after the contest is over.
Feedback is available upon request by completing this form.
We strive to open Iron Viz up to everyone in the world. Unfortunately, due to limitations we must limit Iron Viz to those countries that are listed for this year. We continuously assess our eligible countries to be as inclusive as possible, and we hope to add more countries for 2026 and beyond.
Iron Viz: Student Edition is a competition open exclusively to students, though we encourage you to participate in both! Iron Viz: Student Edition is intended for college students looking to develop their viz skills in a challenging setting with their peers before jumping into the greater vizzing community with Iron Viz. This competition is a great introduction into the world of viz competitions. Iron Viz: Student Edition winners will have the opportunity to connect with members of the Tableau Community with a funded trip to Tableau Conference. Learn more and stay updated on the competition by visiting https://www.tableau.com/academic/student-Iron-Viz.
Iron Viz 2025
Date |
Name |
Announcements |
Prizes |
|
---|---|---|---|---|
October 1, 2024 - October 31, 2024 |
Iron Viz Qualifier * |
|
|
|
April 15, 2025 - April 17, 2025 Tableau Conference 2025, San Diego |
Iron Viz Championship |
|
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