Tableau License Optimization

A Data-Driven Approach to Efficiency & Cost Reduction

The Problem

A Chaotic Process

At FW, Tableau is primarily used to create proof of concepts, allowing teams to test functionality and user engagement before integrating insights into our SaaS product platform. However, the existing Tableau access process was chaotic and unclear, creating significant friction for users.

Most employees struggled to understand:

  • How to request a Tableau license and the criteria for approval

  • When a Tableau license was necessary and its associated cost

  • Usage guidelines and best practices for license allocation

  • How to log into the FW Tableau environment once access was granted

Additionally, when Tableau was used as a standalone reporting solution for external clients, the Customer Success (CS) teams faced major challenges in onboarding users. The process for granting external dashboard access lacked structure, resulting in ad-hoc, inconsistent workflows that led to operational churn and inefficiencies.

The Challenge

Fast approaching deadline for Tableau Renewal

When I took over as Tableau Administrator after the previous owner left the company, I quickly realized how chaotic and unstructured the entire process was. Without a clear system in place, the lack of transparency and governance risked eroding trust in how the Tableau team operated.

Compounding the issue, we were rapidly approaching our Tableau contract renewal period, and the responsibility of determining how many licenses to renew for the upcoming year fell entirely on me. Without visibility into actual usage patterns, there was a high risk of overspending on unnecessary licenses, further highlighting the urgent need for a scalable, research-driven solution.

My Role

As the Tableau Administrator and UX Strategist, I led the initiative to optimize Tableau licensing and improve data access workflows through a research-driven approach. My responsibilities included:

User Research & Data Analysis – Conducted stakeholder interviews and usage analytics to understand Tableau adoption, identify inefficiencies, and uncover cost-saving opportunities.

Process Optimization & Strategy Development – Designed a role-based licensing framework, streamlined the Tableau access process, and implemented governance policies to reduce confusion and increase transparency.

Cross-Team Collaboration & Training – Partnered with Customer Success, IT, and Finance teams to implement process improvements, improve external client onboarding, and educate internal users on efficient data access.

Solution Development

Establishing Research Priorities

To optimize Tableau licensing and improve data accessibility, my research focused on two key areas:

  • Usage Optimization – Analyze license utilization across different roles to ensure that licenses are allocated efficiently, eliminating underutilized licenses while maintaining seamless access to essential insights.

  • Process Improvement – Identify inefficiencies in the Tableau license request and approval process to create a clearer, more streamlined workflow that reduces confusion and delays.

Research Methodology

To optimize Tableau licensing and reduce unnecessary costs, I first needed to understand:

  • Who uses Tableau and how frequently.

  • What types of dashboards and reports are essential for different teams.

  • Where alternative solutions (e.g., shared dashboards, PDF exports, Power BI, or SQL queries) could meet user needs.

  • Why some users held licenses but rarely engaged with the tool.

To gather insights, I conducted:

Stakeholder Interviews (8 sessions) – Engaged with department leads and analysts to understand business reporting needs, usage frequency, pain points, and alternative tools in use.

Usage Analytics Review – Analyzed Tableau Cloud Usage logs to identify inactive or low-usage accounts.

Usability Testing – Conducted workflow assessments to determine if non-Tableau alternatives such as Automated Data Exports and SQL queries could meet user needs.

Key Findings from Stakeholder Interviews

  • High reliance on exports – 40% of respondents preferred exported data (Excel, PDFs) over interactive dashboards.

  • Lack of awareness of alternative solutions – Some teams were unaware there were alternative solutions such as receiving automated Data Exports as downloadable csv files.

  • Departmental differences in needs – Data analysts needed full access, while business users only required view access.

Key Findings from Tableau Usage Analytics

I discovered that a significant number of Tableau licenses were underutilized across different roles.

  • 85% of Creator licenses were in use, but many users didn’t need full dashboard-building capabilities.

  • Explorer licenses had moderate engagement (60% usage), but some users only interacted with dashboards rather than editing them.

  • Viewer licenses were severely underutilized (30%), indicating that users either weren’t aware of their access or didn’t need it.

  • Some employees were paying for a license but never using it, and "No License" users were still requesting Tableau data access.

A New Framework

Process Improvements: Role Based Approval System

Based on the research findings, I implemented a role-based licensing framework to ensure that Tableau licenses were assigned based on actual user needs, improving efficiency and reducing unnecessary costs.

Instead of ad-hoc, unclear approvals, I now introduced:

  • Predefined eligibility criteria for each license tier (Creator, Explorer, Viewer).

  • A structured monthly review to reassess licenses based on usage data and a license revocation system for inactive users (60+ days of non-use)

Process Improvements: Simplifying Access & Governance

To address the confusion users had about how to request a Tableau license, approval criteria, and associated costs, I implemented:

Clearer License Request Process

  • A self-service request form with clear criteria for each license type.

  • Automated routing for role-based approvals, reducing reliance on manual decision-making.

  • Transparent cost breakdowns so users and managers understood financial implications.

Improved Onboarding & Documentation

  • Created a step-by-step onboarding guide for accessing the Tableau environment.

  • Implemented FAQs and training sessions for business users unfamiliar with alternative solutions.

Results & Impact

This initiative successfully reduced costs while maintaining seamless data accessibility for all users. The project demonstrated how UX research, usability testing, and strategic process improvements can drive business efficiency without compromising user experience.

Key Outcomes: Cost Reduction & License Optimization

  • 42% reduction in unnecessary Tableau licenses

  • Significant cost savings of nearly $100K without disrupting essential data access

  • Introduced a role-based licensing system, ensuring the right users had the right level of access

With these insights, I developed a new Tableau requisition plan for license renewal, ensuring that only necessary licenses were renewed based on actual usage data.

By refining the Tableau renewal strategy, I not only eliminated inefficiencies and reduced costs but also established a scalable, transparent system that ensures smarter license management moving forward.

Learnings & Next Steps

This project provided valuable insights into the importance of data-driven decision-making in license management and how UX research can drive operational efficiency. Some of the important things I learnt from this project was:

  • Having Data at Your Disposal Enables Smarter Decision-Making – With clear data insights, I was able to justify license reductions, process improvements, and governance policies that directly impacted cost savings.

  • User Behavior Dictates License Needs – Without tracking actual user behavior, we wouldn’t have been able to reallocate licenses effectively.

Moving forward, I wanted to make sure to:

  • Monitor the Impact of the New Framework – Continue tracking license usage and renewal decisions to ensure long-term optimization.

  • Enhance Data Access Training & Awareness – Provide ongoing education on alternative reporting solutions to reduce reliance on unnecessary licenses.

  • Expand Cost-Saving Initiatives to Other Tools – Apply similar data-driven governance models to other analytics and SaaS tools to drive further cost efficiencies.

By leveraging data-driven insights, structured governance, and continuous optimization, this project not only reduced costs but also established a sustainable, user-centric approach to Tableau license management that ensures long-term efficiency and accessibility.