D37 How to Make Your Data Actually Matter with Cole Nussbaumer Knaflic

In this episode of unDUBBED, we’re joined by Cole Nussbaumer Knaflic, founder of Storytelling with Data and one of the most influential voices in data storytelling and data visualisation.

Cole shares practical, real-world insights on why data often fails to drive decisions - even when the analysis is right - and how to shift from simply showing data to actually influencing outcomes.

From her journey through banking and Google’s People Analytics team to building a global data storytelling movement, this conversation is packed with actionable techniques to help you communicate data with clarity, purpose, and impact.

🔑 Main Topics

Why data fails to drive decisions - and how to fix it

The shift from showing data to explaining data

Audience-first thinking in data storytelling

Structuring communication using the narrative arc

The role of iteration, feedback, and time in crafting data stories

When to use dashboards vs storytelling

The risks and realities of AI in data visualisation

📌 In This Episode