What if the numbers you work with every day weren’t as neutral as you thought?

In this episode, Mike is joined by Heather Krause, founder of We All Count and longtime quantitative researcher, to unpack a powerful concept: data equity. Together, they explore how every step of a data project—from survey design to chart choices—involves hidden decisions that impact what gets measured, who is represented, and what conclusions are drawn.

Heather shares the seven stages of the data equity framework, explains why choosing a denominator isn’t as simple as it seems, and offers practical ways to apply an equity lens to dashboards, visualizations, and more. Whether you're building a data product, making policy decisions, or designing a business presentation, this conversation will help you become more accurate, efficient, and intentional in how you generate and communicate evidence.

RELATED LINKS

• Learn more at weallcount.com

• Explore the Before & After audiobook → Listen here

Chris Dalla Riva is a musician, data analyst, and the author of Uncharted Territory: What Numbers Tell Us about the Biggest Hit Songs and Ourselves. In this episode, he joins data storyteller Mike Cisneros to talk about musical myths, hidden industry incentives, chart data, and underappreciated hits, as well as the thorny questions about authenticity, categorization, and what it really means to tell an honest story with numbers.

RELATED LINKS

• Uncharted Territory: What Numbers Tell Us about the Biggest Hit Songs and Ourselves | Chris Dalla Riva’s book

• Can’t Get Much Higher | Chris’s newsletter

• Audiomack | Music streaming service where Chris works on analytics and personalization

• Max Martin Knows How to Create a #1 Hit | Chris’s The Economist article on song intros

• Suno AI | Generative AI tool for music creation discussed in the authenticity segment

• Follow Chris at @cdallarivam

SONGS AND ARTISTS MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE

• “Want Ads” by Honey Cone
• “House of the Rising Sun” by The Animals
• “Hey Jude” by The Beatles
• “Blinded by the Light” (written by Bruce Springsteen, recorded by Manfred Mann’s Earth Band)
• “Dancing in the Dark” by Bruce Springsteen
• “When Doves Cry” by Prince
• “Believe” by Cher
• “Golden” by HUNTR/X