The Data Stack Show The PRQL: Self-Service BI: Why Dashboards Collect Dust with the Cynical Data Guy
Jul 28, 2025
Explore the quirky world of self-service BI and the everyday challenges faced by data professionals. The hosts share amusing anecdotes about unrealistic client expectations for KPIs, shedding light on the frustrations that come with data analytics. They also preview a guest's critical take on dashboard usage, revealing why many dashboards end up collecting dust. With light-hearted banter, the discussion is a mix of humor and insight into the complexities of data management.
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Misusing KPI Recalculation Requests
- People often ask analysts to recalculate KPIs when they don't like the results, expecting different numbers.
- This highlights a misunderstanding of how data and KPIs should be treated objectively, not changed to fit desires.
Dashboard Demands Contradict Reality
- Data users' conflicting demands on dashboards cause challenges: real-time but unchanged data, automated yet frequently altered reports.
- These contradictory requirements illustrate why dashboards often fail to meet expectations and collect dust.
Delicate Requests to Rerun Data
- Analysts frequently hear requests phrased delicately asking to 'rerun the numbers' when stakeholders suspect inaccuracies.
- This reflects stakeholders' discomfort in challenging data directly while seeking reassurance or different results.