In this episode of the storytelling with data podcast, Simon chats with Allison Horst—developer advocate at Observable, educator, and beloved data illustrator—to explore the difference between dashboards that get used and those that don’t.

They dig into why so many data products go to waste, the importance of co-creating with your audience, and the overlooked power of early feedback. Allison reflects on her experiences helping people go from "I built this thing" to "This actually gets used"—and how teams can better collaborate to avoid dashboard graveyards.

Along the way, they talk about environmental storytelling, visual metaphors, teaching the “gray areas” of data viz, and why curiosity (not perfection) is the key to lasting impact.

Related Links:

• Check out Allison's work at: https://allisonhorst.com/
• Connect with and follow her on LNKD: https://www.linkedin.com/in/allison-horst/
• Order SWD's latest book, Before & After https://www.storytellingwithdata.com/books

Data visualization veteran Andy Cotgreave joins host Mike Cisneros for a lively, wide-ranging conversation about the evolution of dashboards, the craft of data communication, and the future of generative AI in analytics. Andy reflects on his early career building “dashboards” in Excel for a demanding boss, how that experience shaped two bestselling books (The Big Book of Dashboards and Dashboards That Deliver), and what he’s learned from more than a decade at Tableau as an evangelist and public speaker.

They discuss the tension between efficiency and emotion in chart design, why no single chart type is ever “right,” and how semantic drift affects the way we talk about dashboards. Andy shares behind-the-scenes stories from Chart Chat, the Iron Viz competition, and his own evolution as a presenter and magician, offering tips for building confidence on stage and connecting with audiences.

Along the way, the conversation touches on the launch of Cole, Mike and Alex’ newest book, the fifth in the storytelling with data series, Before and After, upcoming in-person and on-demand learning opportunities, and the importance of community, practice, and curiosity in becoming a better data storyteller.

Related Links:

• Check out Andy's Books: ⁠Dashboards That Deliver⁠ and ⁠The Big Book of Dashboards ⁠
• Register for upcoming ⁠workshops and courses⁠⁠

• Order Before and After⁠⁠

• Follow ⁠@storywithdata⁠ | share via ⁠#SWDpodcast

Asking good questions can help improve our own and others’ work: both when exploring and explaining data. In this rebroadcast of episode 19, Cole covers five smart queries to pose and answer during the analytical process and five more to consider when getting ready to explain that data to others.

We’re sharing this popular episode again as we look ahead to what’s next: Before and After, the fifth book from storytelling with data, comes out September 23, 2025 — pre-order now wherever you buy books!

If you want to put these strategies into practice, join one of our upcoming 2025 sessions:

• Virtual half-day workshops: August 21 and November 6

• 8-week online course: September 15–November 9

• In-person workshop in NYC: October 14

Links:

• Register for upcoming ⁠workshops and courses⁠

• Pre-order Before and After

• Questions? email ⁠askcole@storytellingwithdata.com⁠

• Follow ⁠@storywithdata⁠ | share via ⁠#SWDpodcast