Data For Humans

Tag: technology

  • 🦆 Weird Data Wednesday: The Great Rubber Duck Spill of 1992

    🦆 Weird Data Wednesday: The Great Rubber Duck Spill of 1992

    Let’s talk about one of the most unexpected (and oddly adorable) data stories to ever hit the high seas: the accidental global journey of 28,000 rubber ducks. Yes, really. In 1992, a shipping container filled with plastic bath toys, ducks, frogs, turtles, and beavers, fell overboard in the North Pacific Ocean. Instead of sinking, the…

  • Understanding Percentages in Everyday Life

    Understanding Percentages in Everyday Life

    From lattes to late fees, percentages are everywhere. Let’s be honest—percentages don’t get a lot of hype. They’re not flashy like “AI” or mysterious like “the algorithm,” but they’re one of the most quietly useful tools we use all the time without realizing it. If you’ve checked your phone battery, glanced at a sale tag,…

  • What’s a Dataset, Anyway?

    What’s a Dataset, Anyway?

    (And Why You’ve Made One Without Even Knowing It) Let’s play a quick game: Have you ever made a grocery list? Tracked your baby’s nap schedule? Kept a log of screen time, meals, chores, or (let’s be real) your toddler’s tantrums? 🎉 Ding ding! You’ve made a dataset. Yep. Even if you’ve never touched Excel…

  • Intro to Tables: Rows, Columns, and What They Mean

    Intro to Tables: Rows, Columns, and What They Mean

    Let’s talk tables — not the ones you eat at, but the ones that help organize data. If you’ve ever opened a spreadsheet and felt a wave of confusion, you’re not alone. Tables aren’t as intimidating as they seem. In fact, they’re just a neat way to line up your information so it makes sense.…

  • Figure Friday: You’ve Already Checked Your Phone Today (Probably 96 Times)

    Figure Friday: You’ve Already Checked Your Phone Today (Probably 96 Times)

    Did you just check your phone before reading this? Be honest. If you did, you’re in good company. Most of us do! In fact, a recent study by Asurion found that the average person checks their phone 96 times a day. That’s once every 10–12 minutes we’re awake. I’d bet my last cold cup of…

  • Analyzing My Toddler’s Tantrums (So I Don’t Cry Into My Coffee)

    Analyzing My Toddler’s Tantrums (So I Don’t Cry Into My Coffee)

    Let me preface this by saying: I love my toddler. I love his chubby cheeks, their mispronunciations of the word “spaghetti,” and their oddly specific demands like “I want the BLUE cup with the dinosaur but NOT the T-Rex, the other one.” But I’m also a data person. So when the tantrums hit a certain…

  • What Is the Data Lifecycle? A Beginner’s Guide

    What Is the Data Lifecycle? A Beginner’s Guide

    Ever wonder where data actually comes from—and where it goes once it’s collected? You’re not alone! In a world filled with charts, trackers, and smart everything, it’s easy to forget that data isn’t magic. It has a beginning, a journey, and a destination. Whether you’re a curious beginner or just trying to make sense of…

  • Patterns Are Data in Disguise

    Patterns Are Data in Disguise

    A gentle intro to one of the most underrated data superpowers: noticing what repeats. Let me ask you something: Have you ever said, “Why do I always feel tired around this time?” Or maybe, “Every time I skip breakfast, I end up snacking all day.” ✨ Congratulations — you just did data work. You noticed…

  • Charts Made Simple: See the Story, Skip the Stress

    Charts Made Simple: See the Story, Skip the Stress

    Charts are everywhere. They’re in the news, on social media, in your budget app, and even your fitness tracker. While they look helpful… sometimes they feel more like a pop quiz you didn’t study for. 😅 Don’t worry — you don’t need to panic when you see a bar graph or a line chart. You…

  • Unlocking the Power of Data Through Questions

    Unlocking the Power of Data Through Questions

    Start with Curiosity Have you ever looked at a chart or spreadsheet and thought, “Okay… but what does this mean?” You’re not alone, and that’s exactly where all good data work begins: with a question. Before you dive into graphs or start crunching numbers, take a moment to get curious. What do you actually want…