#279: The Process(es) of Analytics (We Have Thoughts)
Release Date: 09/02/2025
#287: 2025 Year in Review
The Analytics Power Hour
It’s the most…won…derful…tiiiiime…of the year! And by that, we mean it’s the time of the year when we sit back, look at each other, and ask, "Where did all the time go?!" We brought back a very special someone for this episode as we collectively reflected on the year—show highlights (and what about those shows have stuck with us), industry reflections, and a little shameless shilling for (are you still short on a few stocking stuffers? Order now…!). This episode’s Measurement Bite from show sponsor is a brief explanation of Granger causality (and how it’s NOT actually a...
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#286: Metrics Layers. Data Dictionaries. Maybe It's All Semantic (Layers)? With Cindi Howson
The Analytics Power Hour
Semantic layers are having something of a moment, but they’re not actually new as a concept. Ever since the first database table was designed with cryptic field names that no business user could possibly understand, there’s been a need for some form of mapping and translation. Should every company be considering employing a semantic layer? Is the idea of a single, comprehensive semantic layer within an organization a monolithic concept that is doomed to fail? These questions and more get bandied about on this episode, where we were joined by industry legend , Chief Data & AI Strategy...
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#285: Our Prior Is That Many Analysts Are Confounded by Bayesian Statistics
The Analytics Power Hour
Before you listen to this episode, can you quantify how useful you expect it to be? That’s a prior! And "priors" is a word that gets used a lot in this discussion with as we try to demystify the world of Bayesian statistics. Luckily, you can just listen to the episode once and then update your expectation—no need to simulate listening to the show a few thousand times or crunch any numbers whatsoever. The most important takeaway is that you’ll know you’ve achieved Bayesian clarity when you come to realize that human beings are naturally Bayesian, and the underlying principles behind...
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#284: I Used to Think...But Not Any More
The Analytics Power Hour
As the world turns, a couple of things happen: 1) we grow and learn, and 2) the world changes. On this episode, inspired by a job interview question, the hosts walked through a range of thoughts and beliefs they had at one time that they no longer have today. Analytics intake forms are good…or bad? Analytics centers of excellence are the sign of a mature organization…or they’re just one of many potential options? Privacy concerns are something no one really cares about…or they are something everyone cares deeply about? Voices were raised. Light profanity was employed. Laughter ensued....
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#283: Good Things (Can) Come in Small Datasets with Joe Domaleski
The Analytics Power Hour
Does size matter? When it comes to datasets, the conventional wisdom seems to be a resounding, "Yes!" But what about small datasets? Small- and mid-sized businesses and nonprofits, especially, often have limited web traffic, small email lists, CRM systems that can comfortably operate under the free tier, and lead and order counts that don’t lend themselves to "big data" descriptors. Even large enterprises have scenarios where some datasets easily fit into Google Sheets with limited scrolling required. Should this data be dismissed out of hand, or should it be treated as what it is:...
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#282: Using (and Creating!) Data to Understand Pop Culture with Chris Dalla Riva
The Analytics Power Hour
Data does not just magically spring into existence. Someone, somewhere, has to decide what data gets created and the rules for its creation. We would claim that this often starts as a pretty simple exercise, and then, over time, that simplicity balloons to be pretty complex! What if, for instance, you decided to listen to every #1 song on the going back to its inception in 1958? You may start by just capturing the song name, the artist, and the week(s) it was the #1 song. But, before you know it, you may find that you’re adding in artist details…and songwriter details…and producer...
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#281: Analytics: The View from the Corner Office with Anna Lee
The Analytics Power Hour
From spreadsheets to strategy: what does data look like from the CEO’s chair? For this episode, we sat down with , CEO of and former CFO/COO of THE ICONIC, to get her view on data-led leadership and what great looks like in data and analytics. Discover how Anna's journey from finance to the corner office has shaped her approach to leveraging evidence for strategic decision-making. From productive curiosity, to informed pragmatism, and how data teams can build trust with leadership, this is a candid conversation about analytics from the top down. Whether you’re embedded in a squad or...
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#280: Dashboards Must Die! Long Live Dashboards! with Andy Cotgreave
The Analytics Power Hour
If you didn’t have a visceral reaction to the title for this episode, then you are almost certainly not in our target audience. There are few more certain ways to get a room full of analytics folk fired up than to raise the topic of dashboards. Are they where data goes to die, or are they the essential key to unlocking self-service access to actionable insights? Are they both? Is the question irrelevant, because, if they exist to inform business users, aren’t they soon going to be replaced by an AI-powered chatbot, anyway? We thought a great way to dig into the topic (and, BTW, we were...
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#279: The Process(es) of Analytics (We Have Thoughts)
The Analytics Power Hour
What is "process" in analytics? On the one hand, it can be seen as a detailed sequence of minutia by which anything that needs to be repeated in the world of analytics gets carried out in a structured and consistent manner. On the other hand, that’s the sort of definition that strikes terror and rage in the hearts of many souls. Some of those souls are co-hosts of this podcast. Even the <ahem> more process-oriented co-hosts bristle at such a definition (but for different reasons). So, what ARE some of the core processes in analytics? And, what is the appropriate balance between...
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#278: Is AI Good at Data Analysis? That's the Wrong Question? with Juliana Jackson
The Analytics Power Hour
Imagine a world where business users simply fire up their analytics AI tool, ask for some insights, and get a clear and accurate response in return. That’s the dream, isn’t it? Is it just around the corner, or is it years away? Or is that vision embarrassingly misguided at its core? The very real humans who responded to our listener survey wanted to know where and how AI would be fitting into the analyst’s toolkit, and, frankly, so do we! Maybe they (and you!) can fire up ol’ Claude and ask it to analyze this episode with from the and to find out! For...
info_outlineWhat is "process" in analytics? On the one hand, it can be seen as a detailed sequence of minutia by which anything that needs to be repeated in the world of analytics gets carried out in a structured and consistent manner. On the other hand, that’s the sort of definition that strikes terror and rage in the hearts of many souls. Some of those souls are co-hosts of this podcast. Even the <ahem> more process-oriented co-hosts bristle at such a definition (but for different reasons). So, what ARE some of the core processes in analytics? And, what is the appropriate balance between establishing a prescriptive structure and leaving sufficient flexibility to allow human judgment to adapt a process to fit specific situations? Those are the sorts of questions tackled on this episode, which was released on time with all of its underlying component parts thanks to a reasonably robust…process.
For complete show notes, including links to items mentioned in this episode and a transcript of the show, visit the show page.