storytelling with data podcast storytelling with data podcast: #91 Dashboards that Deliver with Andy Cotgreave
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Sep 19, 2025 Andy Cotgreave, a seasoned data communication expert and co-author of prominent dashboards books, dives into the evolution of data visualization. He shares how his early days creating Excel dashboards influenced his later work and discusses the balance between efficiency and emotional impact in design. Andy candidly explores semantic drift in terminology, debates from Chart Chat, and his journey to hosting the Iron Viz competition. He offers insights into presentation skills, including his foray into magic, emphasizing community and curiosity in mastering data storytelling.
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First Dashboard Was Born From Avoidance
- Andy built his first dashboard in Excel to avoid a boss's daily interruptions and printed a one-page summary for him.
- He didn't know the term "dashboard" then, but the single-page visual display launched his career in data communication.
Talk To Users First
- Always talk to users before you build dashboards to increase adoption and usefulness.
- Use user-centered questions to clarify what people actually need rather than guessing.
Charts Are A Visual Language
- Chart design is a visual language using titles, color, annotations, and mark types to convey tone and meaning.
- No single chart type is universally right; choice depends on context and intent.
