Inspiration in the World of Data Viz

One of the great things about Tableau Public is that you can download other people’s vizzes to see how they were created or to create your own version. This feature has helped community members advance their understanding of Tableau, inspiring them to create new data visualizations. But how do you know when you’ve crossed the line from being “inspired” by someone’s work to “plagiarizing” their work?

Have you ever come across the phrase 'Steal Like an Artist'? It means drawing inspiration from peers to enrich one’s work, driving creativity through remixing and combining ideas. This concept is essential for artists, musicians, and data visualization professionals as it forms the basis of ethical creative practices. Similarly, 'Standing on the shoulders of giants,' a metaphor attributed to Sir Isaac Newton, highlights how our achievements are built upon the knowledge of those before us. Both ideas underscore the importance of learning from and acknowledging predecessors in the creative process. When you’re inspired by someone else’s work, you should always credit the original artist – and there’s a way to do that on Tableau Public!

Now, let's explore how to maintain these principles and ensure our visual storytelling remains original and respectful of others' work.

The difference between viz inspiration and plagiarism

“Plagiarism” is using someone else’s work and presenting it as your own. It can involve text, ideas, images, or other content. Not only is plagiarism unethical and dishonest, but it also hinders creativity and intellectual growth by stifling the development of original ideas. For example, if you download someone else’s viz and then publish it as your own without making many changes or crediting the original author, you may be viewed as plagiarizing.

“Inspiration”, on the other hand, is leveraging elements of an item or idea to create something new and unique. In data visualization, this could be taking specific ideas, styles, or methods and integrating them into your work with significant changes and personal touches. The end result should reflect creativity and originality while showing respect for the original source.

The critical difference is whether you’re building upon the original work and creating something new or simply copying it. If ever in doubt, the safest bet is to credit the original author. You can do this by listing the original author in the “Inspiration” field describing your viz. 

How did they create that viz on Tableau Public?

Have you tried reverse engineering or as Steve Wexler calls it “looking under the hood” of a  data visualization? This refers to the process of downloading, deconstructing, and analyzing someone else's work to understand its structure and principles. It’s a great way to learn Tableau or other tools. However, if you publish the work, you should credit the original author, as this is a crucial aspect of ethical creative practices.

Examples of vizzes on Tableau Public inspired by others

Below are several examples of visualizations published on Tableau Public inspired by other Tableau Public Authors.

The above Regional Sales Scorecard by Kevin Flerlage was inspired by Ellen Blackburn’s Consumer Duty Scorecard (below).

Another great example is Brittany Rosenau’s viz. She wanted to try out a new map projection for the #30DayChartChallenge and created the visualization below:

Brittany had seen Agata Ketterick’s Cost of Childcare in the U.S. visualization (below), which was in turn inspired by Ademola Lapido’s County Median Home Prices visualization. Ademola learned the alternative map projection thanks to Kevin Flerlage, who wrote a detailed blog post on the topic with a shout-out to Sarah Battersy, the creator of the original shape files for these projections. This trail of citing sources demonstrates the immense power of building upon the work of others, and how beneficial leaving citations can be for others to learn and discover new techniques. It's a testament to the collaborative and innovative spirit of our community.

How to properly give credit for inspiration on Tableau Public

One of the Tableau Community Code of Conduct’s principles is to "Give credit where credit is due".

• If your visualization is directly inspired by someone else’s, use the inspiration field on Tableau Public. You can add attribution to any visualizations you've published
• If you share links to your visualization on social media—make sure you give a shoutout to those who inspired you. It’s all about recognizing and appreciating fellow community members.

Reviewing the above concepts shows how inspiration and originality can coexist. Ethical data visualization balances these, ensuring your work is unique while contributing to a thriving, innovative community. Join the Tableau Public community, learn from others, and always give proper credit. This keeps your work ethical, and also pays it forward by leaving a learning trail for future innovators.