Data Malarkey - the podcast about using data smarter

The Data Malarkey podcast – and it’s audio-visual twin, the Data Malarkey Show on YouTube – a must-listen, must-watch resource of brilliant data storytelling. If only there were more people in the world with the pragmatic approach taken by my guests, well, there’d be rather less data malarkey about.

Best of Series 8: Perception, Purpose, and Persuasion - The Data Malarkey Podcast 09/02/2025

Measuring what matters: Darryl Sparey on comms, metrics, and making data sing 08/19/2025

The Extinction of Experience: Christine Rosen on reclaiming humanity in a digital world 08/05/2025

How AI Thinks: Chris Summerfield on human brains and machine algorithms 07/22/2025

Rebuilding trust in science with Caitlyn Looby 07/08/2025

Mark Bonner on football, data, and the beautiful balance 06/24/2025

Turning data into desirability: Automotive insights with Nick Ratcliffe 06/10/2025

Season 7 Greatest Hits: AI, Kindness & the Power of Storytelling 04/29/2025

AI as an Intern, Not a Genius: Julie Holmes on Automation, Ethics & Human Impact 04/15/2025

Truth Before Meaning: Scott Taylor on Data Storytelling & Business Impact 04/01/2025

The Science of Kindness & Finding Joy in Data | Prof. Robin Banerjee on Psychology & Empathy 03/19/2025

The Science of Kindness & Finding Joy in Data | Prof. Robin Banerjee on Psychology & Empathy Is kindness just a “soft” concept, or is there real science behind it? In this episode of the Data Malarkey podcast, Master Data Storyteller Sam Knowles is joined by Professor Robin Banerjee, Pro-Vice-Chancellor for Global and Civic Engagement at the University of Sussex. Robin’s research explores the psychology of kindness, empathy, and human connection, revealing how data can unlock powerful insights about our social world. From leading the BBC Kindness Test – a groundbreaking study with over 60,000 participants – to his work on how fiction and television shape empathy, Robin shares fascinating insights about the science of human connection. He also explains why he finds joy in data – a phrase that might just change how you see statistics forever. What you'll learn in this episode: The psychology behind kindness—what drives it, and how we measure it Surprising insights from the BBC Kindness Test How fiction and TV shape our ability to empathise The joy in data and why it’s more than just numbers Why understanding human behaviour through research is so important Chapters: 00:00 - Introduction 01:27 - Robin Banerjee’s career and research focus 07:43 - What makes someone kind? 13:53 - The BBC Kindness Test: Key findings 20:02 - The psychology of human connection 30:36 - Finding joy in data 39:07 - Empathy and storytelling: fiction vs reality 45:00 - What TV tells us about our emotions 50:30 - Where to find out more about Robin’s research About our guest: Professor Robin Banerjee is a leading researcher in developmental psychology and the Pro-Vice-Chancellor for Global and Civic Engagement at the University of Sussex. His work focuses on kindness, empathy, and social development, and he is the founder of the Sussex Centre for Research on Kindness. Robin’s research has been featured widely, including his collaboration with BBC Radio 4 on the Kindness Test, the largest study of its kind, exploring how people experience and perceive kindness across different cultures and communities. Resources mentioned: Sussex Centre for Research on Kindness on BBC Kindness Test: BBC Radio 4 Data Storytelling Scorecard: Sam Knowles’ website: Join the conversation: Take the Data Storytelling Scorecard: Follow the podcast for more insights on psychology, data, and human behaviour. Connect with us: Robin Banerjee: Sam Knowles: Rate, Review, and Follow! Enjoyed the episode? Please take a moment to rate and review us on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. Your support helps us bring more thought-provoking discussions to you! /episode/index/show/7dbda384-5725-4a5c-9513-35158c54faf4/id/35455760

Trust, AI, and the Future of Human Connection with Cecilia Dones 03/05/2025

Trust, AI, and the Future of Human Connection with Cecilia Dones In this engaging episode of the Data Malarkey Podcast, Master Data Storyteller and host Sam Knowles welcomes Cecilia Dones, a thought leader in data, AI, and human connection. Ceci explores how technology shapes the way we interact, trust, and build relationships—both online and offline. She shares insights into AI ethics, uncertainty in machine learning, and why trust is the cornerstone of all our digital futures. From her work in AI ethics to her philosophy on leadership and adaptability, Ceci provides fresh perspectives on the best ways to navigate the ever-evolving world of artificial intelligence. Tune in for a thought-provoking discussion on data, trust, and what it means to be human in the age of AI. What you'll learn in this episode: Why trust in digital interactions is becoming harder to establish The role of AI in shaping human relationships and decision-making How uncertainty in AI responses from LLMs may be an advantage not a weakness The power of adaptability and why labels limit creativity Why leaders need to embrace ambiguity in the AI era Chapters: 00:00 - Introduction 01:27 - Cecilia Dones on connections and human-centred technology 07:43 - Why trust in digital spaces is complicated 13:53 - How AI influences our relationships and decision-making 20:02 - The challenge of uncertainty in AI models 30:36 - Leadership, adaptability, and embracing ambiguity 39:07 - No Labels: Why Ceci avoids definitions and fixed roles 45:00 - The ethical dilemmas of AI, privacy, and consent 50:30 - Where Cecilia Dones is sharing her work and insights About our guest: Cecilia Dones is a data and analytics practitioner-academic, founder of 3 Standard Deviations, with expertise spanning Fortune 500 companies and academia. She specialises in AI applications, technology's impact on human interactions, and bridging data insights across sectors. Currently, she is completing her doctoral studies on interpersonal trust in digital environments. She holds degrees from NYU Stern and Columbia University. She has taught at top business schools and authors the "Authentic Interactions" newsletter on Substack exploring technology, data, authenticity, and trust. Resources mentioned: Cecilia Dones’ Substack: Ceci’s “What is a CMO to do with AI?” Data Storytelling Scorecard: data-storytelling.scoreapp.com Join the conversation: Take the Data Storytelling Scorecard: data-storytelling.scoreapp.com Follow the podcast for more insights on AI, data, and leadership Connect with us: Cecilia Dones: | Substack blog – Sam Knowles: Rate, review, and follow! Enjoyed the episode? Please take a moment to rate and review us on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. Your support helps us bring more thought-provoking discussions to you. /episode/index/show/7dbda384-5725-4a5c-9513-35158c54faf4/id/35455375

From CERN to Ad Regulation: How AI & Data Science Are Changing Advertising | Adam Davidson 02/19/2025

From CERN to Ad Regulation: How AI & Data Science Are Changing Advertising | Adam Davidson Check out our Data Storytelling scorecard: In this episode of the podcast, Master Data Storyteller Sam Knowles sits down with Adam Davidson, Head of Data Science at the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA). Adam shares his fascinating journey from CERN’s Large Hadron Collider, where he contributed to the search for the Higgs boson, to leading data-driven efforts in advertising regulation. 💡 What You'll Learn in This Episode: How Adam transitioned from physics to advertising regulation, with the constant drumbeat of data science The role of AI and machine learning in monitoring online ads Why data storytelling is critical for bridging the gap between data teams and leadership How the ASA is tackling fraudulent ads and influencer marketing transparency The future of real-time ad monitoring and automation Ethical concerns around the misuse of data in advertising If you've ever wondered how AI is shaping the future of digital advertising and how regulators are keeping up, this episode is for you! 🎧 Listen now and discover how AI, data science, and machine learning are transforming the ad industry! Episode Chapters & Timestamps 00:00 - Introduction: Meet Adam Davidson 01:27 - From CERN to Data Science in Advertising 04:32 - Bridging the Gap Between Data Science & Leadership 09:14 - The AI-Powered Ad Monitoring System 14:38 - Regulating the "Wild West" of Online Ads 18:12 - The Challenge of Influencer Marketing & Hidden Ads 25:30 - AI & Automation: Real-Time Ad Monitoring 32:02 - How AI in Advertising is Evolving 39:45 - Misuse of Data: The Dark Side of AI 45:36 - Final Thoughts & Where to Follow Adam Guest Bio: Adam Davidson Adam Davidson is the Head of Data Science at the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA), where he leads efforts to monitor and regulate digital advertising using AI and machine learning. His career started in particle physics at CERN, where he was involved in the discovery of the Higgs boson. Adam later transitioned to data science roles at Qubit and The Economist, before joining the ASA in 2021. Now, he’s using data and AI to bring accountability to online advertising, leading a seven-strong team of data scientists at the ASA who are ensuring that brands comply with regulations, legislation, and ethical marketing standards. 🔗 Follow Adam Davidson on LinkedIn 🔗 The Advertising Standards Authority Key Takeaways & Quotes from This Episode 🧠 On Data Storytelling: "Data science is useless if leaders don’t understand it. Storytelling bridges that gap.” – Adam Davidson 🤖 On AI in Advertising Regulation: "We built an AI system that actively monitors ads in real time – catching fraudulent content before it spreads.” ⚖️ On Ethical Advertising: "Influencer marketing needs more transparency. Consumers deserve to know when they’re being sold to.” 🚀 On the Future of AI & Automation: "Machine learning in advertising isn’t new. What’s new is the scale at which we can use it for good.” Resources & Links 🔗 Adam on BBC2’s Horizon, “The Hunt for the Higgs Boson” – 🔗 Profile on Adam in Marketing | Beat – 🔗 “Using AI to monitor the promotion of prescription-only medicines” by Adam Davison, ASA blog, 09.11.23 – 🔗 “Our Active Ad Monitoring system” by Adam Davison, ASA blog, 14.07.23 – 🔗 “How data science is changing ad regulation” by Adam Davison, ASA blog, 17.11.22 – Support & Connect 💬 Enjoyed this episode? Let us know! Leave a review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. 📢 Share this episode with colleagues in marketing, advertising, or data science. 🔔 Follow the podcast for more deep dives into AI, ethics, and advertising! 🎙 Subscribe on Apple Podcasts (), Spotify (), and our YouTube channel /episode/index/show/7dbda384-5725-4a5c-9513-35158c54faf4/id/35159750

How can we build an AI future which respects ethics and data privacy? With Professor Sylvie Delacroix, Centre for Data Futures, King’s College London 02/05/2025

How can we build an AI future which respects ethics and data privacy? With Professor Sylvie Delacroix, Centre for Data Futures, King’s College London In this thought-provoking episode of the Data Malarkey Podcast, master data storyteller Sam Knowles sits down with Sylvie Delacroix, the inaugural Jeff Price Chair in Digital Law in the Dickson Poon School of Law at King’s College London. Sylvie shares her insights into data ethics, the vulnerabilities we face in a data-driven world, and the transformative potential of generative AI. She also introduces the Centre for Data Futures, her initiative to build participatory data infrastructure that empowers individuals and communities. This is a conversation about ethics, identity, and the future of AI that you won’t want to miss. What you'll learn in this episode: The hidden vulnerabilities of our daily data leaks. How AI can both limit and empower personal reinvention. Why participatory infrastructure is essential for ethical AI development. The concept of ‘humility markers’ in AI and their potential to transform conversations. How Sylvie’s work bridges the gap between theory and practice in digital law and data ethics. Chapters: 00:00 - Introduction 01:27 - Sylvie Delacroix’s journey and research focus 07:43 - The vulnerability of self in the data-driven age 13:53 - Building participatory data infrastructures 20:02 - Rethinking AI and conversational models 30:36 - The importance of humility markers in AI 39:07 - The future of ethical AI: aspirations and hopes About our guest: Sylvie Delacroix is a leading expert in digital law and ethics. As the Jeff Price Chair in Digital Law at King’s College London, Professor Delacroix directs the Centre for Data Futures, focusing on participatory data infrastructure and ethical governance of AI. Her work on data trusts and habitual ethics has shaped policy initiatives worldwide. To learn more about her work, visit Resources mentioned: Sylvie Delacroix’s home page The Center for Data Futures The Dickson Poon School of Law at King’s College, London Sylvie’s book, Habitual Ethics?, available via Bloomsbury (open-access) Sam Knowles’ book, Asking Smarter Questions: How to be an Agent of Insight Find Out What Kind of Data Storyteller you are: Join the conversation: Take the Data Storytelling Scorecard: Follow the podcast for more insightful conversations on data and AI Connect with us: Sylvie Delacroix: , Sam Knowles: Rate, review, follow, and share! If you enjoyed this episode, please take a moment to rate and review us on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. Don’t forget to follow the show so you never miss an update! /episode/index/show/7dbda384-5725-4a5c-9513-35158c54faf4/id/35143630

The Smartest Data Moments from Season 6 12/18/2024

The Smartest Data Moments from Season 6 In this special wrap-up episode of Data Malarkey, host and Master Data Storyteller, Sam Knowles, takes us through the standout moments from Season 6 of the podcast. From neuroscience-driven storytelling to data privacy law, this compilation showcases some of the smartest and most impactful ways people are using data to improve communication, branding, and societal outcomes. Featuring insights from a diverse lineup of experts, this episode is packed with lessons and strategies for anyone curious about making data work smarter. Key Highlights: The Neuroscience of Marketing (00:02:10): Cristina de Balanzo discusses how to avoid the pitfalls of “neurobollocks” in neuroscience-driven market research. Data-Backed Simplicity in Storytelling (00:07:02): Natalia Talkowska explains how neuroscience and behavioural science enhance storytelling effectiveness in data-heavy communication. Breaking the Curse of Knowledge (00:12:26): Mike Ellicock shares tips for simplifying data communication, especially in utilities and financial services. GDPR: A Force for Good (00:18:09): Alice Wallbank defends the GDPR and unpacks its hidden benefits and costs. Levelling the Playing Field for Women Scientists (00:27:22): Ylann Schemm highlights how Elsevier uses data to advance inclusive research and health. The Science Behind Accurate Exit Polls (00:34:05): Professor Sir John Curtice reveals how academic methods have transformed election night predictions. Barbarians Rugby’s Data-Driven Rebrand (00:42:00): Branding guru Bill Wallsgrove showcases how data informed a fresh, digital-first identity for the iconic club. External Links: Using Data Smarter guest application form: Follow Sam Knowles on LinkedIn: Catch full episodes and video content on YouTube: Subscribe and Stay Connected: New episodes drop every other Wednesday on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and YouTube Music. Don’t forget to subscribe and leave a review! To find out what kind of data storyteller you are, complete our data storytelling scorecard at https://data-storytelling.scoreapp.com. It takes just two minutes, and we’ll send you your own personalised scorecard. /episode/index/show/7dbda384-5725-4a5c-9513-35158c54faf4/id/34473125

Unlocking Creativity: Natalia Talkowska on Neuroscience, Storytelling & Innovation 12/04/2024

How can we improve product and brand design with data? With Bill Wallsgrove, Head of Ideas at Brandad 11/20/2024

How can we improve product and brand design with data? With Bill Wallsgrove, Head of Ideas at Brandad In this episode of the Data Malarkey podcast, master data storyteller Sam Knowles is joined by Bill Wallsgrove, Head of Ideas at Brighton-based communications and design agency, Brandad. Bill has more than 30 years’ experience working in business strategy, brand creation, and communications development. He trained at the London College of Printing and cut his teeth at the legendary design agency, Coley Porter Bell. Bill’s worked in 3D design and packaging design. He is also the man responsible for the creation of the McCoy’s brand of crisps. Throughout his career, Bill has been keen to share the tools of his trade with succeeding generations, both through academic and industry bodies. These include the Design Council and the University of Brighton, where today he is an honorary lecturer in the school of Art and Media. Through his wittily-named consultancy, Brandad, Bill today brings his decades of experience to a wide range of businesses and third-sector organisations, with a particular focus on start-ups in his adopted home city of Brighton, the start-up capital of Europe. Indeed, it was one of his start-up clients that named his business for him. But Bill’s expertise is just as relevant to centuries-old institutions, as evidenced by his data-driven development and activation for the rugby football club, the Barbarians. Bill’s approach to data-driven design is well captured by his son’s description of his role as “a fashion designer for businesses”. And though he’s into his fourth decade of advising brands on how to stand for something meaningful in their consumers’ lives – and trading as Brandad – his tools and techniques couldn’t be more contemporary. An early adopter of AI – and particularly Midjourney for “30-second mood boards that might have taken days or weeks before”, provided the prompts are right – Bill advocates the use of artificial intelligence. “It makes the research process more effective,” he says, “it makes our jobs more focused.” EXTERNAL LINKS The Brandad homepage – Bill’s LinkedIn profile (and Bill is quite prolific on the platform) – To find out what kind of data storyteller you are, complete our data storytelling scorecard at . It takes just two minutes, and we’ll send you your own personalised scorecard which tells you what kind of data storyteller you are. /episode/index/show/7dbda384-5725-4a5c-9513-35158c54faf4/id/33564372

How can we protect our privacy in the era of Big Tech? With Alice Wallbank, expert data privacy lawyer, Shoosmiths 11/05/2024

How can we protect our privacy in the era of Big Tech? With Alice Wallbank, expert data privacy lawyer, Shoosmiths In this episode of the Data Malarkey podcast, master data storyteller Sam Knowles is joined by Alice Wallbank, a professional support lawyer for the law firm Shoosmiths, whose clients include Mercedes-Benz, Octopus Ventures, and Travelodge. The company also specialises in working for businesses in both the property and banking sector. The Financial Times has garlanded Shoosmiths as “one of Europe’s most innovative law firms”, and Alice’s pioneering role at the company – focused on privacy, data, and increasingly AI – is symptomatic of a business in the vanguard of a profession catching up with the broadest implications of technology. At the start of this year, Alice co-hosted an excellent – naturally hybrid, both in the room and online – which featured a keynote from Austrian activist and lawyer, . Schrems is famous for his successful campaigns against Facebook (and Meta) for their violations of European data privacy laws. Before joining Shoosmiths, Alice spent six years as the principal legal counsel for the cyber and information security division of the leading technology business, QinetiQ. Alice is a passionate advocate of the EU’s General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), describing it “as a good thing for data privacy – without a shadow of a doubt”. Although first introduced in 2016 and in place since 2018, it has its origins in a 1995 directive, designed to protect the rights and freedoms of individuals from Big Tech. Alice believes this showed “remarkable foresight”. One of the very few people in the UK, Europe, and the world to have read all 90,000 words of the EU’s AI Act, artificial intelligence gives Alice that fabled reaction to trench warfare of “a combination of boredom and terror”. There are huge potential upsides – such as radiography diagnostics – and massive downsides from a system that is “at heart a self-limiting black box” dealing in “biases in, biases out”. And in a Data Malarkey exclusive, Alice is our first guest in more than 40 episodes … to sing. She dons her white stilettos, dances round her handbag, and turns the clock back to 1984 for a tuneful rendition of Rockwell’s dancefloor smash, Somebody’s Watching Me – for Alice, an insightful foreshadowing of data privacy issues 40 years into the future. EXTERNAL LINKS Shoosmiths home page – Alice’s profile on the Shoosmiths’ site – Alice’s article on Ashley Madison – Another from Alice, this time on the environmental credentials of GDPR. The EU AI Act – all 90,000 words of it – Rockwell’s Somebody’s Watching Me from 1984 – To find out what kind of data storyteller you are, complete our data storytelling scorecard at . It takes just two minutes, and we’ll send you your own personalised scorecard which tells you what kind of data storyteller you are. /episode/index/show/7dbda384-5725-4a5c-9513-35158c54faf4/id/32940557

Sir John Curtice on Election Insights, Exit Polls, and Data Storytelling 10/22/2024

How can we unlock human behaviour with neuroscience and behavioural science? With Cristina de Balanzo, PhD, Founder of Walnut Unlimited 10/08/2024

How can we communicate numbers clearly so that people can better understand the choices they face in life? With Mike Ellicock, Founder & CEO of Plain Numbers 09/25/2024

How can we communicate numbers clearly so that people can better understand the choices they face in life? With Mike Ellicock, Founder & CEO of Plain Numbers In this episode of the Data Malarkey podcast, master data storyteller Sam Knowles is joined by Mike Ellicock, Founder and Chief Executive of The Plain Numbers Project. Plain Numbers says of its purpose: “We enable clear communication of numbers everywhere so that people can better understand the choices they face in life.” This matters, because about half the adults in the UK have the numeracy skills expected of a primary school child. And one in five suffers from “maths anxiety”. Plain Numbers works with all sorts of organisations to help them communicate the numbers that matter in ways that are clear, fair, and never misleading. Organisations like banks and building societies, insurers and utility companies, national and local government. Plain Numbers trains, assesses, and accredits individuals, teams, and whole organisations to communicate their data more effectively and transparently. The company’s approach is both deeply practical – developing the skills that businesses need for clear and simple communication of numbers – and deeply strategic, going and gaining access to the most senior decision-makers (often Government ministers) to effect meaningful, systemic change. The progress Plain Numbers has made in just a few years has been accelerated by the introduction of the Financial Conduct Authority’s rules and guidance on Consumer Duty which “sets high standards of consumer protection across financial services and requires firms to put their customers' needs first”. Before founding Plain Numbers, Mike was the Founder and Chief Executive of the charity National Numeracy, which he ran throughout the twenty-teens. Prior to that he ran Numicon, an innovative, multi-sensory approach to teaching maths at primary school level, up to the time when Numicon was acquired by Oxford University Press. For seven years either side of the millennium, Mike was a Captain in the Parachute Regiment. Outside of the day job, he still takes fitness and the realisation of what’s possible physically to new heights – and always through a data-driven, evidence-based lens. In 2015, Mike broke the world record for running a marathon wearing a 20lb back-pack, shaving ten minutes off the previous best by clocking a time of just 2h 56m 39s, a record that stands to this day. Next year he’s aiming to row around the British Isles in under 40 days. EXTERNAL LINKS Plain Numbers home page – The Plain Numbers in Practice report from June 2024 – Mike’s LinkedIn profile – FCA Consumer Duty – To find out what kind of data storyteller you are, complete our data storytelling scorecard at . It takes just two minutes, and we’ll send you your own personalised scorecard which tells you what kind of data storyteller you are. /episode/index/show/7dbda384-5725-4a5c-9513-35158c54faf4/id/32940502

How might we bring about gender equity in academic research? With Ylann Schemm, VP for Corporate Responsibility at Elsevier, and Executive Director of the Elsevier Foundation 09/10/2024

How might we bring about gender equity in academic research? With Ylann Schemm, VP for Corporate Responsibility at Elsevier, and Executive Director of the Elsevier Foundation In this episode of the Data Malarkey podcast, master data storyteller Sam Knowles is joined by Ylann Schemm, Vice President for Corporate Responsibility at the leading academic publisher, Elsevier, home to almost 3,000 academic journals, specialising in scientific, technical, and medical content. Elsevier describes itself as “an information analytics” business – so right up our alley here at Data Malarkey. In a career with the publisher spanning almost two decades, Ylann has been on a remarkable journey of both personal and corporate development, moving from communications to corporate relations and from there into corporate responsibility. And for more than a decade, she has been a leading figure in the Elsevier Foundation, first as Program Director – running the Foundation’s New Scholars program designed to expand the participation of women in STEM – and since 2017 as its Director. Under Ylann’s leadership, the Foundation is taking pioneering steps and making a tangible difference. This is manifested most clearly in the organisation’s regular, data-driven reporting into gender and diversity in research. The latest, 2024 report showed that, although as many as 41% of all academic researchers today are women, this is much lower in STEM subjects. At the current rate of change, parity is not expected to be reached until 2052. Ylann was allowed to lay the – shall we say? – foundations for the Foundation’s work in “a climate of benign neglect” as she found her feet and built networks and partnerships inside and outside of Elsevier. But it was with the 2019 arrival of the company’s first female CEO, Kumsal Bayazit, that Ylann’s work moved front and centre of the publisher’s strategic vision. EXTERNAL LINKS Ylann’s LinkedIn profile – Elsevier home page – The Elsevier Foundation – 2024 Elsevier Foundation gender and diversity in research report – To find out what kind of data storyteller you are, complete our data storytelling scorecard at . It takes just two minutes, and we’ll send you your own personalised scorecard which tells you what kind of data storyteller you are. /episode/index/show/7dbda384-5725-4a5c-9513-35158c54faf4/id/32940477

On risk, uncertainty, and impact: how using data smarter is the fast track to success 07/30/2024

On risk, uncertainty, and impact: how using data smarter is the fast track to success Using data smarter is an attitude of mind. It’s characterised by those who choose to communicate simply, clearly, and effectively, by making sense of the signals and cutting out the noise. Above all, it’s about empathy, humanity, and appreciating the likely data tolerance of your audience. After our fifth collection of six great guests, it’s a wrap for Season Five of Data Malarkey – the podcast about using data smarter. Your host, master data storyteller , picks out common themes and chooses his highlights from a lively series of conversations – recorded remotely, via the medium of Riverside.fm, between February and May 2024. Thanks as ever to for production support. Podcast artwork by . Voice over by . In Season Five, our guests included: , Emeritus Professor of Statistics at the University of Cambridge. , Deputy Director and Lead Scientist at the based out of the University of Singapore. , Senior Director for Marketing Effectiveness at Mars (who’s also the ). , founder of , the award-winning city analyst specialising in media and marketing. , Co-Founder of , a software as a service company that helps organisations grow by measuring performance from the human perspective. And , Professor of Developmental Psychopathology at Cambridge University, and director of the . Data Malarkey is taking an extended summer vacation and is having all of August off – and then some. We’ll be back with Season Six on 11 September 2024 with another eclectic group of guests from an ever-more diverse set of professions. We’ll be hearing from women and men at the top of their game from the worlds of publishing, consumer goods, political punditry in the wake of the U.K. General Election, journalism, neuroscience, and numeracy. As usual, their common approaches to using data smarter have lessons for us all. And we start with who is both the Vice President of Corporate Responsibility for Elsevier, the world’s leading scientific publisher and data analytics company, and Director of the . To find out how you rank as a data storyteller, complete our data storytelling scorecard at . It takes just two minutes to answer 12 questions, and we’ll send you your own personalised scorecard which tells you what kind of data storyteller you are. /episode/index/show/7dbda384-5725-4a5c-9513-35158c54faf4/id/32109427

How can we make the world better and fairer for all? With Professor Sir Simon Baron-Cohen from the University of Cambridge and the Autism Research Centre 07/16/2024

How can we make the world better and fairer for all? With Professor Sir Simon Baron-Cohen from the University of Cambridge and the Autism Research Centre In this episode of the Data Malarkey podcast, data storyteller Sam Knowles is joined by Sir Simon Baron-Cohen, Professor of Developmental Psychopathology at the University of Cambridge, where he also runs the Autism Research Centre. Simon has been working in the field of autism for approaching 40 years and is one of the world’s leading authorities on the subject. Since the mid-1980s, the research he’s led and undertaken has led him to advance several different, complementary theories of the condition including: the mind-blindness theory, the prenatal sex steroid theory, and the empathising-systemising theory of autism and typical sex differences. Some corners of autism research have a somewhat shady and disreputable reputation for their misuse of data; for drawing conclusions about the general population from tiny sample sizes that the data could not warrant. Indeed, it was in the wake of the MMR scandal that the charity Sense About Science was founded in the early 2000s – to encourage researchers to present their findings responsibly and the media to report them responsibly – and Sense About Science’s director, Tracey Brown, was a recent guest on Data Malarkey. By contrast with the shady stuff, Simon’s research has been a shining light of empiricism and evidence-based, data-driven truth, with sample sizes sometimes in the tens or hundreds of thousands. His 2018, empathising-systemising study famously collected data from 36,000 autistic people and 600,000 non-autistic people. Described by the medical journal The Lancet as “a man with extraordinary knowledge … his passionate advocacy for a more tolerant, diverse society, where difference is respected and cultivated, reveals a very human side to his science” it is our honour to welcome Simon to Data Malarkey. A very fitting, very high-profile end to Season Five, a season bookended by two great Cambridge minds, as we started with Professor Sir David Spiegelhalter. To secure Simon as a guest on Data Malarkey, I’m delighted to say I had to drop my son Max’s name. At the time of recording, Max had recently hosted Simon at an excellent event run by the recently-reborn Cambridge Psychology Society, of which Max is now President. At the university, he is studying Psychological & Behavioural Sciences. #proudfather EXTERNAL LINKS Profile of Simon on The Lancet – Psychiatry site The Autism Research Centre The extraordinary output of 750+ articles from the Autism Research Centre on PubMed Auticon, the social enterprise on a mission to improve the employment prospects of neurodivergent people, whose board Simon advises To find out what kind of data storyteller you are, complete our data storytelling scorecard at . It takes just two minutes, and we’ll send you your own personalised scorecard which tells you what kind of data storyteller you are. /episode/index/show/7dbda384-5725-4a5c-9513-35158c54faf4/id/31942137

Why should you put people, love, and relationships at the heart of business? With John Hibbs of CoEfficient 07/02/2024

Why should you put people, love, and relationships at the heart of business? With John Hibbs of CoEfficient In this episode of the Data Malarkey podcast, data storyteller Sam Knowles is joined by John Hibbs, the Co-Founder of CoEfficient, a company that helps organisations grow from the human perspective. It does this by gathering genuinely useful feedback from those who work for an organisation and then deploying this intelligence in the most productive way possible, to drive both individual and organisational growth. Founded on the principle that businesses are simply groups of people, CoEfficient gives hearts and minds that make up a business a voice, ensuring that they feel heard and are valued. This – John believes – is what enables businesses to serve as creators of positive change within society. CoEfficient serves all sorts of different clients right around the world, and today John is based on his native island of Guernsey. But his journey to becoming a pioneer in using data smarter to help companies grow is neither traditional nor expected. 25 years ago, he was running a personal training business that he was struggling to scale. A chance meeting with a business mentor first opened his eyes to the power of data, measurement, and evaluation. This set him on course to develop both his Monergy Flow model of growth and a thriving, scalable business that few – least of all John himself – would ever have predicted. EXTERNAL LINKS Make friends with John on LinkedIn, his preferred social media platform There’s more about CoEfficient at John explains his Monergy Flow model – including the hand-drawn, periodic table version – at To find out what kind of data storyteller you are, complete our data storytelling scorecard at . It takes just two minutes, and we’ll send you your own personalised scorecard which tells you what kind of data storyteller you are. /episode/index/show/7dbda384-5725-4a5c-9513-35158c54faf4/id/31942117

How can you tell if you should invest in a media company? With Ian Whittaker of Liberty Sky Advisors 06/18/2024

How can you tell if you should invest in a media company? With Ian Whittaker of Liberty Sky Advisors In this episode of the Data Malarkey podcast, data storyteller Sam Knowles is joined by Ian Whittaker, one of the leading financial and commercial analysts covering the media and advertising sector. Ian is the managing director and owner of Liberty Sky Advisors, has twice been the City AM Analyst of the Year – first in 2014 and again in 2019 – and he writes regularly for both the media and the financial press. He helps marketers speak the language of the CFO – the Chief Financial Officer – and is the go-to guy for understanding how the media, digital, and marketing world is performing. Ian takes a no-nonsense approach to explaining how the media category makes its money, and in a sector that’s often very much at home to spin and storytelling, takes an evidence-based, data-driven approach to cutting through the hype and telling it how it is. This means he’s particularly good at understanding which innovation is just a shiny new toy and which has the potential to revolutionise the world of media and marketing. Understanding whether you should invest in a media company – be it one of the mega advertising agency holding companies, one of the big tech platforms, or a streaming service – demands a knowledge of more than just the media sector. Ian tells us why understanding macroeconomic trends and geopolitics matters just as much as being able to read a balance sheet. An Oxford historian by training with an MBA from London Business School, Ian is currently studying for an MA in the History of War at King’s College, London. His analytics and evidence-assessing skills from all three degrees enable him to sort the signal from the noise. “Data is the bedrock, but data is neutral,” Ian says, “though there does come a time when the data talks to you and reveals the hidden truth.” A hypothesis-tester and very definitely not a hypothesis-prover, he’s very much against trying to force fit data into a pre-ordained world view. Ian is also a fan of the “data is the new oil” analogy – provided we realise that oil is useless in and of itself and that the value comes from what we do with it once we’ve zoned in the right area, mined it, and refined it. We learn the surprising truth about why Meta (Facebook’s parent company) is doing so well. There’s been no great recovery in its previously dominant US and European markets, which grew just 2-3% in the last quarter of 2023. The stellar performance in that reporting period was down to massive investment from just a couple of Chinese gaming companies, meaning Meta’s sudden surge in value is almost certainly built on sand. EXTERNAL LINKS Ian’s LinkedIn profile: Liberty Sky Advisors: Learn the Language of the CFO for Success in the Boardroom – JC Decaux podcast on YouTube To find out what kind of data storyteller you are, complete our data storytelling scorecard at . It takes just two minutes, and we’ll send you your own personalised scorecard which tells you what kind of data storyteller you are. /episode/index/show/7dbda384-5725-4a5c-9513-35158c54faf4/id/31596432

Why does marketing need to become more like engineering? With Sorin Patilinet from Mars, aka The Marketing Engineer. 06/04/2024

Why does marketing need to become more like engineering? With Sorin Patilinet from Mars, aka The Marketing Engineer. In this episode of the Data Malarkey podcast, your host Sam Knowles is joined by Sorin Patilinet, Senior Director of Marketing Effectiveness at Mars. Sorin is also known as the Marketing Engineer. Our conversation was recorded remotely, via the medium of Riverside.fm, on 4 April 2024. Thanks to for production support. Podcast artwork by . Voice over by . Sorin took an unusual route into marketing and has an unusually scientific approach to making every last marketing dollar count. Trained as a telecommunications engineer at university in his native Romania, Sorin applies the rigour of engineering to the not always substantial world of marketing science. In the dozen-plus years he’s worked at Mars, he’s routinely and rigorously put into practice the theories of the How Brands Grow marketing professor, Byron Sharp. Liverpool and Anderlecht fan, Sorin, is based in Belgium, Brussels. He’s currently writing a book from the perspective of the marketing practitioner, showing how structured, systems thinking can make the “colouring-in department” label sometimes levelled at marketing a thing of the past. Marketing has changed out of all recognition compared to where it was when Sorin started his career, from 80% of ad spend on linear TV to 27 creatives on 35 platforms with no reliable or consistent, cross-platform means to control reach or frequency. Amid all this complexity, his evidence-based approach to marketing measurement is a breath of fresh air. So, too, is the ad testing methodology ( or ACE) that Mars has developed under Sorin’s stewardship, based not on claimed intention but instead rooted in actual consumer behaviour. Eye-tracking, attention, and emotion have been found time and again to trump declarative survey findings. This really works at scale, too, with insights derived from more than 800 creative executions a year. Sorin’s an enthusiastic sceptic when it comes to AI, but he’s keen to point out that the November 2022 appearance of ChatGPT is just the tip of the iceberg. Mars has been using AI – in the form of machine learning and deep analytics – for years. An enthusiastic modern-day Stoic and fan on , in ten years from now Sorin hopes to be applying the rigour he’s developed for marketing effectiveness to communicating the importance of grand projects such as the European Union or the United Nations to disaffected citizens. Sorin is a board member of the and a guest lecturer at Wharton Business School. EXTERNAL LINKS Sorin’s blog: “Engineering Marketing” – Sorin’s LinkedIn profile – To find out what kind of data storyteller you are, complete our data storytelling scorecard at . It takes just two minutes, and we’ll send you your own personalised scorecard which tells you what kind of data storyteller you are. /episode/index/show/7dbda384-5725-4a5c-9513-35158c54faf4/id/31399792

How can experts provide the public with risk information that works? With Olivia Jensen, Director of the Institute for Public Understanding of Risk 05/21/2024

How can experts provide the public with risk information that works? With Olivia Jensen, Director of the Institute for Public Understanding of Risk In this episode of the Data Malarkey podcast, your host Sam Knowles is joined by Olivia Jensen, Director of the Institute for the Public Understanding of Risk (IPUR) based at the National University of Singapore. Our conversation was recorded remotely, via the medium of Riverside.fm, on 13 March 2024. Thanks to for production support. Podcast artwork by . Voice over by . IPUR is a research institute that seeks to narrow the gap between people’s perceptions and real-world risks, focused on the data and technology, environment and climate, and health and lifestyle. The Institute brings together basic science, engineering, social sciences, and the humanities. Olivia Jensen is a passionate advocate and deeply pragmatic practitioner in the art and science of closing the gaps that exist between expert knowledge about risk and public perception of risk. IPUR and the global risk community of which it forms an integral part aims to empower citizens and societies to make better decisions about risk. Olivia believes that risk-evidence communication is as much about getting experts to understand how and why citizens make decisions as it is about experts explaining the evidence to those citizens. In considering risk evidence communication under uncertainty, we inevitably talk about Government communication under COVID. Olivia believes that the Government in Singapore got things “just about right”, clearly communicating regularly-updated data and basing its policy decisions on evidence. Sam is rather less complementary about the British Government’s over-politicised use of data in its pandemic communication. One of the real challenges of risk evidence communication is looking back on events, with narratives constructed that fall victim to hindsight bias. Just because something was possible and it happened doesn’t mean it was inevitable. Outside of the world of risk, Olivia is a passionate dancer, and in 2024 is learning to tango. EXTERNAL LINKS IPUR home page Olivia’s IPUR profile IPUR’s EdX course “Understanding and Communicating Risk” Understanding Risk Risk Know How – a joint venture with Sense About Science To find out what kind of data storyteller you are, complete our data storytelling scorecard at . It takes just two minutes, and we’ll send you your own personalised scorecard which tells you what kind of data storyteller you are. /episode/index/show/7dbda384-5725-4a5c-9513-35158c54faf4/id/31398767

How can we best communicate risk in our uncertain, post-truth world? With Sir David Spiegelhalter, Emeritus Professor of Statistics at the University of Cambridge 05/07/2024

How can we best communicate risk in our uncertain, post-truth world? With Sir David Spiegelhalter, Emeritus Professor of Statistics at the University of Cambridge In this episode of the Data Malarkey podcast, your host Sam Knowles is joined by one of the world’s finest data storytellers, David Spiegelhalter, the statistician and public communicator of his generation. Although he claims to have been retired for five years, the Emeritus Professor of Statistics from Cambridge University is working harder than ever. Our conversation was recorded remotely, via the medium of Riverside.fm, on 6 March 2024. Thanks to for production support. Podcast artwork by . Voice over by . If anyone can be said to have had “a good pandemic”, it was David. “At least I had something to do!” he quips, sharing how he quickly set up a studio at home and gave countless interviews about what the data meant and what we should do as a result. While he believes that the Chief Scientific and Medical Officers of the U.K. National Health Service usually presented complex information simply and straightforwardly to a willing and receptive public – hungry for evidence of what they might choose to do and why – Government ministers (to the very top) and their Special Advisors (SPADs) had little clue. Nothing gets David more irritated than wilful misuse of data, and several times during our lively discussion he vents considerable fury at peddlers of misinformation, under COVID and otherwise. We talk a lot about communicating risk (relative and absolute), particularly under uncertainty, with uncertainty the theme of David’s imminent new book, (to be published by Penguin in September 2024). Away from the stats lab, we learn how David applied his data-driven smarts to winning the inaugural (and to-date only) Loop World Championship; Loop is pool played on an elliptical table with only one pocket at one of the foci of the ellipse. He also took an evidence-based approach to qualifying for the second round of Winter Wipeout, recorded a dozen years and more ago in Argentina, where David adopted the persona of Professor Risk. In addition to uncertainty, we also focus on trustworthiness. For David, those using data and statistics to communicate need to earn and constantly re-earn a reputation for being trustworthy. And just as no-one laughs at a comedian who says “I’m funny” at the start of his set, no-one trusts a person using data to communicate complex topics who says “Just trust me!”. Being seen as trustworthy is a consequence of being honest, competent, and reliable. David introduces Sam and the audience to the skill of “pre-bunking”, and several times warns against building data-driven narratives that push emotional levers or buttons. Data storytellers should present the evidence simply and fairly and then allow the audience to draw their own conclusions. “Treat them as if they’re intelligent, but also as if they don’t know anything.” EXTERNAL LINKS Cambridge University personal profile page David on Wikipedia To find out what kind of data storyteller you are, complete our data storytelling scorecard at . It takes just two minutes, and we’ll send you your own personalised scorecard which tells you what kind of data storyteller you are. /episode/index/show/7dbda384-5725-4a5c-9513-35158c54faf4/id/31132363

The data planets align. The more guests we welcome to Data Malarkey – and the more different their jobs and categories – the more we’re able to join the dots between how those who use data smarter do so. A look back on Season Four of Data Malarkey After our fourth collection of six great guests, it’s a wrap for Season Four of Data Malarkey – the podcast about using data smarter. Your host, master data storyteller , picks out common themes and chooses his highlights from a lively series of conversations – recorded remotely, via the medium of Riverside.fm, between July and December 2023. Thanks as ever to for production support. Podcast artwork by . Voice over by . In Season Four, our guests included: , director of the charity, . , Vice President and International Head of Integrated Insights at . , military and civvy street logistics expert, and the founder of . , leading football finance academic from the University of Liverpool’s Management School, and co-host of . , founder of , a database keeping tabs on the worlds’ Governments’ $13tn spend. And , data visualiser extraordinaire, who uses the iconography of the London Underground to tell the stories of bands, albums, films, and political careers at his eponymous business, . Data Malarkey will have its usual, between-season break for a couple of weeks. We’ll be back with Season Five on 8 May 2024, and there’s another glittering array of guests from an increasingly diverse set of professions. We’ll be hearing from women and men at the top of their game from the worlds of statistics, risk management, consumer goods, academic publishing, financial analysis, and autism research. Their common approaches to using data smarter have lessons for us all. And we start with the blockbuster guest, , a man who had perhaps the best pandemic of any data storyteller in the public domain. To find out how you rank as a data storyteller, complete our data storytelling scorecard at . It takes just two minutes to answer 12 questions, and we’ll send you your own personalised scorecard which tells you what kind of data storyteller you are. /episode/index/show/7dbda384-5725-4a5c-9513-35158c54faf4/id/30753603

Data Malarkey - the podcast about using data smarter

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