In data, there's always more to do. More metrics, more dashboards, more to learn. But what happens when "more" becomes too much?

In this episode of The View on Data, Ric, Faith, Paige, and Jerrie share how they've learned to slow down, set limits, and define success on their own terms.

They talk about:
• Why burnout can sneak up on even the most passionate people
• Boundaries that protect deep work and personal time
• Redefining what "growth" means in different seasons of your career
• The guilt of saying no (and why it's okay)
• Finding joy outside of work through creative outlets and rest

A real conversation about balance, burnout, and what it means to build a career you can actually enjoy.

In this episode of The View on Data, hosts Faith McKenna, Paige Berry, and Erica 'Ric' Louie, along with new co-host Jerrie Kenny, explore the intricacies of data-driven decision-making, the importance of data quality, and effective communication of data insights. They discuss the challenges of working with imperfect data, the significance of asking the right questions, and the balance between intuition and data analysis. The conversation also delves into visualization techniques and the importance of tailoring data presentations to different audiences. The episode concludes with valuable advice for data practitioners on navigating their careers and improving their data communication skills.

Takeaways

• Data-driven decisions vary in definition across organizations.
• Understanding the purpose of data quality is crucial for effective decision-making.
• Asking the right questions can lead to better data insights.
• It's important to recognize when data doesn't need to be perfect.
• Empowering stakeholders to make decisions with available data is key.
• Experimentation with data can lead to innovative solutions.
• Effective communication of data requires understanding the audience.
• Visualizations should tell a clear story and highlight key insights.
• Data practitioners should not shy away from pushing back on unrealistic expectations.
• Summarizing data insights effectively is a valuable skill.

Perfectionism. Over-engineering. Spending way too much time on regex code that should've just been a copy-paste. In this episode of The View on Data, Faith, Ric, and Grace swap stories about the times they brute-forced their way through data work, and the lessons learned when they finally stepped back.

They discuss:
Why "good enough" is sometimes the smartest path
How automation (and dbt) can actually free you up to focus
The messy reality of context switching and burnout
Making space for life outside of work (improv, pottery, and laying on the floor count)

It's a candid look at what it takes to do data work without letting it consume you.

Created by Bolaji Oyejide, produced by Katie Chubb, and edited by Jeff Fox.