The PolicyViz Podcast

In this week’s episode, I talk with Melanie Tory, Professor of the Practice at Northeastern University, about how people actually use dashboards in the real world — and why that use often looks very different from what designers intend. Her research reveals that dashboards frequently serve as a starting point for accessing data rather than tools for answering questions directly, with many users simply exporting data to Excel to do their real analytical work. We also explore her work on AI-enabled healthcare systems designed to help clinicians monitor patient risk in intensive care units, including how to visualize uncertainty in ways that busy medical teams can process quickly. And we close with a look at her emerging research on how people are beginning to use generative AI tools for data visualization tasks. It's a thought-provoking conversation about the gap between the tools we build and the ways people actually work with data.Subscribe to the PolicyViz Podcast wherever you get your podcasts.Keywords: data visualization, dashboards, dashboard design, dashboard usability, data analysis workflows, Tableau dashboards, Power BI dashboards, human data interaction, Melanie Tory, data communication, dashboard research, analytics tools, business intelligence dashboards, data storytelling, data workflows, PolicyViz PodcastBecome a patron of the PolicyViz Podcast for as little as a buck a monthVisit Melanie's webpage at Northeastern UniversityFollow me on Instagram,  LinkedIn,  Substack,  Twitter,  Website,  YouTubeEmail: jon@policyviz.com

In this week’s episode of the PolicyViz Podcast, I chat with Michael Gethers, former Head of Data & Strategy for the McLaren IndyCar team, about how a personal side project analyzing IndyCar timing PDFs turned into a job building real-time data tools for a professional race team. We dig into what it’s like to design data products for engineers, strategists, and drivers who need to understand information instantly while a car is on track. Michael shares how he moved from making public visualizations on Twitter to building an internal analytics application from scratch, why “pretty charts” weren’t enough for the engineers, and how user feedback shaped the product. We also talk about race strategy as a probabilistic data science problem, the difference between dashboards and data products, and what he learned about designing for cognition under extreme time pressure. If you care about dashboards, data storytelling, or building tools people truly use, this conversation is a goldmine.Keywords: data dashboards, data product design, data visualization, motorsports analytics, race strategy, McLaren IndyCar, telemetry data, timing data, data science in sports, user centered design, dashboard design, real time analytics, D3 visualization, data engineering, analytics applicationSubscribe to the PolicyViz Podcast wherever you get your podcasts.Become a patron of the PolicyViz Podcast for as little as a buck a monthFollow me on Instagram,  LinkedIn,  Substack,  Twitter,  Website,  YouTubeEmail: jon@policyviz.com

In this episode, I talk with Nick Hart, President and CEO of the Data Foundation, about the rapidly changing landscape of federal data, statistical agencies, and evidence-based policymaking. We explore how the Evidence Act reshaped government data infrastructure, why privacy protections and data governance matter more than ever, and what’s been happening behind the scenes over the last year as agencies faced staffing cuts, data removals, and unprecedented political pressure. Nick explains how government data systems actually work, why the U.S. model is both admired and strained, and what a “Data System 2.0” might look like in the future. We also discuss state and local data roles, the risks of politicizing data, and two public-facing initiatives from the Data Foundation: the Evidence Act Hub and the People’s Data 100. This is a wide-ranging conversation about trust, transparency, and why government data quietly underpins far more of our lives than most people realize.Subscribe to the PolicyViz Podcast wherever you get your podcasts.Become a patron of the PolicyViz Podcast for as little as a buck a monthCheck out the Data Foundation and their People's Data 100 project! Follow me on Instagram,  LinkedIn,  Substack,  Twitter,  Website,  YouTubeEmail: jon@policyviz.com

In this episode, I talk with Amanda Makulec about what it really takes to design dashboards and data products that people can understand and use. We dig into why so many dashboards fail, how designers and analysts often misjudge their audiences, and what it means to take a truly human-centered approach to data visualization. Amanda shares insights from her work leading the Data Visualization Society and from her book, including practical ways to think about context, cognition, and decision-making. We also discuss common misconceptions about dashboards, stakeholder expectations, and the gap between technical correctness and real-world usefulness. This conversation is packed with ideas for anyone building data tools meant to inform decisions, not just look impressive.Subscribe to the PolicyViz Podcast wherever you get your podcasts.Become a patron of the PolicyViz Podcast for as little as a buck a monthPick up the new book, Dashboards That Deliver.Follow me on Instagram,  LinkedIn,  Substack,  Twitter,  Website,  YouTubeEmail: jon@policyviz.com

In this episode, I talk with Denice Ross about the fragile state of federal data and her new work at DataIndex. We discuss how the removal, alteration, or disruption of federal data collections and data products affects research, policymaking, businesses, and everyday life. Denice explains the vision behind DataIndex and EssentialData, which monitor data risks, highlight data dependencies, and help users recognize how federal data benefit society. We also explore the roles of private-sector data, civic tech efforts, and public advocacy in building a more resilient national data infrastructure. It’s a fascinating look at what’s at stake when the country’s information backbone is no longer guaranteed.Subscribe to the PolicyViz Podcast wherever you get your podcasts.Become a patron of the PolicyViz Podcast for as little as a buck a monthCheck out America's Essential DataFollow me on Instagram,  LinkedIn,  Substack,  Twitter,  Website,  YouTubeEmail: jon@policyviz.com

In this episode, I’m joined by Cole Nussbaumer Knaflic and Mike Cisneros from Storytelling with Data to talk about their new book, Before & After. We dig into where the examples came from, how they selected and refined real client work, and why the book focuses so heavily on process rather than rules or templates. We also reflect on how the data visualization field has evolved over the past decade—from best practices and chart types to iteration, audience empathy, and real-world constraints. Along the way, we talk about teaching data viz, common pitfalls, and why there’s no such thing as a true “201 course”—only practice.Keywords: ddata visualization, storytelling with data, data storytelling, before and after charts, visualization process, data communication, chart design, visual analytics, design iteration, audience-focused data, PolicyViz Podcast, Cole Nussbaumer Knaflic, Mike CisnerosSubscribe to the PolicyViz Podcast wherever you get your podcasts.Become a patron of the PolicyViz Podcast for as little as a buck a monthGrab the new book, Before and After - Practical Makeovers for Powerful Data StoriesFollow me on Instagram,  LinkedIn,  Substack,  Twitter,  Website,  YouTubeEmail: jon@policyviz.com

In this episode, I sit down with Bill Rankin, historian of science at Yale and author of Radical Cartography, to unpack what maps really do beyond simply showing data. We talk about why mapping is an act of representation with real consequences, how common techniques like choropleths and cartograms shape what we see—and what we miss—and why there’s no single “correct” way to visualize the world. Bill shares how his background in architecture influences his approach to mapping as drawing and world-making, not coding or dashboards. We also dig into static versus interactive maps, accessibility, and why starting with questions—not tools—leads to better visualizations. It’s a thoughtful conversation about intention, trade-offs, and responsibility in data visualization.Keywords: PolicyViz Podcast, Bill Rankin, Radical Cartography, data visualization, maps and mapping, cartography, choropleth maps, cartograms, population maps, map projections, visualizing data, representation in data, ethics of data visualization, static maps, interactive maps, storytelling with dataSubscribe to the PolicyViz Podcast wherever you get your podcasts.Become a patron of the PolicyViz Podcast for as little as a buck a monthGrab Bill’s new book, Radical Cartography, and check out his website at radicalcartography.net.Follow me on Instagram,  LinkedIn,  Substack,  Twitter,  Website,  YouTubeEmail: jon@policyviz.com

This is the final episode of 2026! I hope you have enjoyed the show this year and also hope you have a great holiday season and happy new year. In this episode, I sit down with former Census Bureau Director Rob Santos to talk about the state of federal statistics, what’s threatening the quality and independence of federal data, and why surveys like the American Community Survey and decennial census matter more than ever. We dig into how census data are collected, how political appointees interact with career staff, and why attempts to limit data collection or redefine who gets counted can undermine everything from policy to local decision-making. Rob also reflects on his approach to diversity, communication, and public engagement while leading the Census Bureau. We close by looking ahead at what modernization should look like for federal statistical agencies in the years to come.Keywords: Census Bureau, federal data, Rob Santos, statistical agencies, data quality, survey response rates, American Community Survey, decennial census, federal statistics, data integrity, data collection, public trust, policy data, government surveys, uncertainty communication, demographic data, administrative data, data modernizationSubscribe to the PolicyViz Podcast wherever you get your podcasts.Become a patron of the PolicyViz Podcast for as little as a buck a monthFollow me on Instagram,  LinkedIn,  Substack,  Twitter,  Website,  YouTubeEmail: jon@policyviz.com

Duncan Clark, CEO of Flourish and a key player at Canva, shares insights about the evolution of data visualization tools. He discusses Flourish’s acquisition by Canva and highlights exciting new features like 'Start With Data' that enhance user experience. The conversation explores the integration of AI for data-viz workflows, the balance between interactive storytelling and presentations, and how dashboarding may redefine public communication. Duncan's expertise sheds light on the bright future of data storytelling and its increasing importance in our digital world.

In this episode, I sit down with Alvitta Ottley and Paul Parsons to recap everything that happened at the 2025 IEEE VIS Conference in Vienna. We talk about our experiences co-organizing the VisCom workshop, the surprising attendance, and the standout keynote from Moritz Stefaner. Alvitta shares insights on accessibility research and the surge of LLM-focused visualization papers, while Paul walks us through his award-winning work on design cognition and how practitioners develop ideas. We also reflect on the evolving identity of the visualization field, from methodological rigor to the role of practitioners, interdisciplinarity, and ethical tensions. It’s a wide-ranging, candid conversation about where visualization research is headed — and what we hope to see next year in Boston.Subscribe to the PolicyViz Podcast wherever you get your podcasts.Become a patron of the PolicyViz Podcast for as little as a buck a monthCheck out the VIS website.Follow me on Instagram,  LinkedIn,  Substack,  Twitter,  Website,  YouTubeEmail: jon@policyviz.com