After months of planning, brainstorming, calls, and a fair share of excitement, VizIt Sydney 2025 came to life, and what a ride it was.
Over two unforgettable days (almost two days) at Salesforce Tower Sydney, our vibrant Tableau community came together to learn, share, and simply be together. Nearly 100 attendees from all across Australia, New Zealand, and even the United States brought an incredible buzz to the venue. The energy was contagious, this wasn’t your typical Tableau User Group (TUG) event. This was a grassroots celebration of community, connection, and the boundless creativity that lives within the DataFam.
A Community-first conference — By the community, for the community
What makes VizIt special is that it’s not an official vendor event. There were no sales pitches, no glossy product demos (just a very little from our sponsors), just people coming together to share what they’ve built, what they’ve learned, and how they’re growing.
Organised entirely by volunteers from the Tableau community, VizIt Sydney 2025 was the result of a truly collaborative effort. I was honoured to help bring this vision to life alongside an incredible organising crew: Kimly Scott, Alex Waleczek, Penny Privett, and Jacob Rothemund, and supporting crew from Tableau, Caroline Yam.
Each of us believes deeply in the power of face-to-face connections, the kind that can’t be replicated in webinars or chat threads. VizIt was our way of creating that space: one that prioritises real conversations, shared learning, and a strong sense of belonging.
Highlights from the Event
20+ Community-Led Sessions
From deep-dive technical sessions to storytelling strategies and thoughtful discussions around ethics and inclusion in data, our speakers brought their A game. The diversity of topics reflected the many ways our community uses Tableau and data to make an impact.
Keynote: “Human in the Age of the Machine”
Esther Schenau closed Day 1 with a compelling talk about the evolving role of human intuition in an age increasingly shaped by AI and automation. It was equal parts inspiring and grounding — a perfect tone-setter.
DataFam panel
We hosted a lively panel exploring the Future of Data & Analytics, featuring experienced voices from industry and community. Moderated expertly by a seasoned leader, it offered a refreshing blend of vision, honesty, and practical wisdom.
The first-ever DataFam slam
Think of it as a live viz battle with heart and humour — and a whole lot of talent! A massive shoutout to Team DataFam for taking the win (and to all who joined in the fun). If you missed it, catch the action and highlights here:
What we heard from attendees
One of the most rewarding parts of the event? Hearing the feedback.
We received so many messages, in person, in DMs, in follow-up posts, all circling around the same themes:
- “I loved this event, I hope there is one next year.”
- “Every topic was so inspirational and educational.”
- “Congratulations and thank you for organising the event.”
- “Fantastic event, great venue and lots of food. Everything went seamlessly and thank you so much to all the organisers and sponsors!.”
- “Just a big THANKS really. I know this is a lot of work and you did an awesome job for us.”
It reminded us why events like this matter. It’s not just about dashboards and datasets — it’s about belonging, generosity, and shared growth.
Gratitude
Events like VizIt don’t happen in a vacuum. We are so grateful to our sponsors for making this gathering possible:
Your support of community-led initiatives — with no corporate agenda — means the world. Thank you for believing in the power of peer-led learning.
To every speaker, volunteer, attendee, or supporter: thank you for showing up with curiosity and kindness. You brought this event to life in ways we couldn’t have imagined.
A personal thank you
On a personal note, I’m incredibly grateful to be part of this inclusive, warm, and endlessly inspiring community. It’s easy to feel isolated in our digital world — but VizIt reminded me (and many others) that there’s a real, thriving human network behind those dashboards and data pipelines.
To Kimly, Alex, Penny, and Jacob — thank you for your dedication, ideas, and unwavering good vibes throughout the planning process. We pulled this off together.
So, What’s Next? Stay Connected With the DataFam
VizIt Sydney 2025 might be over, but your journey in the Tableau and data community is just getting started. If you left the event feeling inspired, curious, and more connected — here are a few easy ways to keep the momentum going:
1. Join a Tableau User Group
If this was your first Tableau event, welcome! There’s a whole network of local and virtual Tableau User Groups (TUGs) waiting for you. These meetups are a fantastic way to keep learning, meet new people, and find support from others on the same data journey.
➡️ Find a Tableau User Group here
2. Join the Tableau Community Slack
Want to keep the VizIt conversations going? The new Tableau Community Slack workspace is the place to be. From general chats to dedicated regional channels like #community-anz, it’s a great way to stay connected and build your local (and global) data network.
📩 Join today
3. Participate in a Community Project
Ready to put all those new tips, tricks, and storytelling techniques into action? Tableau community projects like #MakeoverMonday, #datachangemakers, #WorkoutWednesday, and more offer regular challenges that help you build skills, get feedback, and meet others doing the same.
🎯 Whether you’re a beginner or a pro, there’s a project for you — and they’re fun, find a project now!
VizIt might be over, but the connections formed and the inspiration sparked will carry us forward. Whether you’re visualising microplastics in Excel, building predictive models in dbt, or designing dashboards in Tableau, you’re part of something bigger.
Let’s keep building. Let’s keep learning. And most of all — let’s keep showing up for each other.
Until next time, Sydney.
#VizItSydney #TableauCommunity #DataFam #VizIt
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