Matt Parker describes what happens when spreadsheets go wrong in the BBC's "More or Less: Behind the Stats" podcast. I've been writing about this for over a decade and, sadly, little progress had been made. The cartoon is from xkcd, obviously. … [Read more...]
10 ways to mislead with data visualization
PolicyViz have published a useful article on errors you really need to avoid when creating data visualizations. … [Read more...]
Dutch giants
This chart crime made me afraid to visit Amsterdam. https://twitter.com/AdamSinger/status/1612124828114321410 I had to rework it to stop the nightmares. Phew. Everyone looks normal now. … [Read more...]
And if thine data offend Excel, change it
I've written numerous articles on issues with spreadsheets and why they shouldn't play any part in a data analytics pipeline. However, trying to persuade people to stop defaulting to Excel is a thankless task. So, it was no surprise (but very depressing) to read that geneticists changed their naming conventions to prevent Excel mangling their data. My dismay was alleviated, partially, by a great … [Read more...]
A passion for decision analysis
When discussing the value we offer to clients, the focus is often on technical aspects---experience, understanding the psychology, skill with tools, processes, etc. However, it occurs to me that often much of the value we bring to the table is energy and a fresh set of eyes. In many circumstances decision-makers have decision fatigue. It might be due to the number of decisions they have to make, … [Read more...]