
#47 Your data dashboard IS NOT a data story
From Make Data Talk by Dr Selena Fisk
February 17, 2026 · 11 min
About this episode
In this episode, Dr. Selena Fisk explains why a data dashboard is not a data story and how to effectively communicate data to influence decisions.
Most dashboards look impressive. They're packed with metrics, trends, and filters, and yet they still leave people asking, "So what?" In this episode of Make Data Talk , Dr. Selena Fisk unpacks why a data dashboard is not a data story (and why confusing the two leads to stalled decisions, misaligned teams, and "insight" that never turns into action). You'll learn the critical importance of meaning-making , how to move from reporting to narrative, and the value in leaders translating charts into clarity. If you're a leader, analyst, or anyone responsible for communicating data, this episode will help you stop presenting information and start creating understanding, so your data actually influences decisions. Keywords: data dashboards, data storytelling, business intelligence, KPI reporting, decision making, data literacy, analytics communication, executive reporting, insight to action
People in this episode
Host: Dr Selena Fisk
Topics covered
- data dashboards
- data storytelling
- business intelligence
- decision making
- data literacy
Keywords
- data dashboards
- data storytelling
- KPI reporting
- analytics communication
- executive reporting
- insight to action
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