Dr. Ama Nyame-Mensah, an expert in data storytelling and visualization, discusses the problem of oversimplification in data visualization in this podcast episode. She explains how this issue can occur during data aggregation, visualization selection, and a lack of artistic expression. Emphasizing critical thinking, she advocates for a balance between complexity and accessibility, using interactivity and storytelling to engage audiences.

Key Takeaways

• Question everything and seek clarification when consuming data visualizations.
• Read the fine print, including annotations, notes, and data sources, to gain a deeper understanding.
• Take a holistic approach to data visualization, incorporating different mediums and techniques to create immersive experiences.
• Creating inclusive work environments involves fostering a sense of belonging, providing equal opportunities, and promoting diverse voices and perspectives.
• Diversity and inclusion are crucial for the success and innovation of the tech industry.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction and Background
03:07 The Problem of Oversimplification
06:34 Three Ways to Oversimplify Data Visualization
21:32 The Role of Artistic Expression in Data Visualization
29:12 Balancing Complexity and Accessibility
38:57 Taking a Holistic Approach to Data Visualization
46:09 The Immersive Experience of Data Visualization
48:41 Eliciting Emotion and Evoking a Journey
48:54 Conclusion and Contact Information

Guest Bio

Dr. Ama Nyame-Mensah is a data scientist and designer dedicated to making data science accessible and impactful. Through her practice, Analytics Made Accessible LLC, she provides practical data science training and consulting on data visualization. Dr. Nyame-Mensah is also a strong advocate of diversity and inclusion in the tech industry, providing strategies to address bias, enable inclusive environments, and accurately measure success through these initiative.

Dr. Tasha Parker, a clinical social worker and community psychologist, shares her journey into data and founding the Institute of Development. She emphasizes using data in a therapeutic, trauma-informed way to address systemic inequities and promote harm reduction. Dr. Parker discusses barriers like fear of judgment and lack of resources, stressing the importance of trust and cultural humility. The conversation highlights data's role in building resilient communities, collaboration, accountability, and diverse voices in evaluation.

Key Takeaways

• Data should be used in a therapeutic and trauma-informed way, addressing systemic inequities and promoting harm reduction.
• Barriers to using data effectively include fear of judgment and lack of resources. Data plays a crucial role in understanding and addressing systemic inequities and advocating for change.
• Collaboration and accountability are essential in the evaluation process to ensure the sustainability and impact of programs.
• Executive directors should invest in data coaching and support their teams in implementing data-driven approaches.
• The future of data science lies in advancements in technology, interdisciplinary collaboration, and ethical frameworks.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction and Dr. Parker's Journey into Data
05:33 Building Trust and Cultural Humility in Data Use
09:05 Using Data in a Therapeutic and Trauma-Informed Way
14:11 Acknowledging the Subjectivity of Science
21:59 Building Resilient Communities: The Role of Data
23:20 Addressing Systemic Inequities and Advocating for Change
26:17 Asking Critical Equity Questions and Developing Recommendations
29:29 Engaging Program Recipients and Collecting Relevant Data
31:44 Investing in Data Coaching for Sustainable Impact

Guest Bio

Dr. Tasha Parker is a Licensed Specialist Clinical Social Worker and community psychologist with over 16 years of experience working with at-risk individuals and groups in various settings. As the founder of the Institute of Development, she integrates data-driven methodologies into therapeutic and community practices to address systemic inequities and promote harm reduction. With a Masters in Public Administration and a PhD in Community Psychology, Dr. Parker emphasizes the importance of trauma-informed care, cultural humility, and actionable data to uplift impacted individuals and hold programs accountable.

"When you're thinking about doing a research study, define and design. So you define what you wanna know, then you design how you're gonna find that out. That's everything. Everything goes back to those two words."

If you're one of those people who think that scientific research is just for academic scientists or the lab rats working hard at their lab bench benches with their pipettes, today's episode is for you. I am joined by Neil Krohn, founder and principal of Advanced Healthcare Analytics, to share his expertise in doing research that really matters, and how research isn't just for academic scientists. Stick around till the very end of this episode and learn how your organization, even a small nonprofit, could benefit from designing your own research projects.

Neil Krohn is the founder and principal of Advanced Healthcare Analytics, which provides both quantitative and qualitative analytic services. Neil earned his Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology from the University of Tulsa and completed his post-doctoral fellowship in Administration and Evaluation Psychology from the University of Colorado Denver. For more than 20 years Neil has worked in healthcare analytics in both the public and corporate domains. He is particularly interested in helping organizations design and implement research studies that assist them in defining their goals and furthering their missions. He also taught Statistics and Research Methods to psychology graduate students for many years and served as the research design member on doctoral papers and dissertations. Currently, Neil is launching an initiative to have experts in science and technology share their knowledge in small-group discussions in the community. Neil lives with his wife in Denver, Colorado. He’s an avid cyclist, riding about 150 miles per week on Denver’s amazing trail system.

Think about the pieces of technology in use in your organization or your team today. In most nonprofits out there, you'd be surprised that there are dozens and even up to 50 different pieces of technology being used across your organization. In today's episode, I am joined by Tim Lockie of The Human Stack, who specializes in optimizing this interface between technology and humans. Learn how these tech systems work within the ecosystem, and how a CIO plays a part in managing these interactions—regardless of how big or small your organization is. We also discuss the skills required for a chief information officer (CIO) position, the need for effective communication and collaboration within organizations to harness the power of data, the challenges nonprofits face in utilizing data effectively, and how you can take action to address these challenges.

Tim Lockie is the CEO and Founder of The Human Stack, and co-host of the Why IT Matters podcast. Tim has over 20 years of experience in the nonprofit and tech world, with roles including volunteer, youth worker, camp counselor, music instructor, foster parent, board member, finance director, bookkeeper, recruiter, and community administrator among others. He's passionate about Digital Transformation and believes it's something that all nonprofits can benefit from, no matter their size.

In this two-part episode, you will get a better idea of how we use data as humans and understand how our brains work to analyze the data that we acquire every day in powerful and effective ways and the possible mistakes we might make along the way. Learn more about the four biases and what you can do about them:

1. Pattern-seeking - What you can do: Triangulate your data
2. Causality - What you can do: Experiment more
3. Confirmation bias - What you can do: Ask "What data would change my/your mind?"
4. Attribution - What you can do: Keep your language within

Knowing these and finding out the signs to look out for and what to do gives us a chance to become better when it comes to decision-making not only at work but also in our personal life.

Merakinos provides analytics as a service, data strategy consulting, analytic
project work, and data fluency training for individuals and organizations seeking to build and strengthen
analytic capacity and data-driven decision-making. We can work with your organization to identify the
key analytic insights you need from your data, develop and maintain actionable dashboards or reports,
and deliver them across your organization monthly, weekly, or on your schedule. Or if you would like
to develop internal capacity, we can provide training on key platforms like Power BI, Tableau, or Alteryx.
And if you aren't sure where to start, our advisory services can help you design and implement effective
analytic strategies to amplify your impact.

In this two-part episode, you will get a better idea of how we use data as humans and understand how our brains work to analyze the data that we acquire every day in powerful and effective ways and the possible mistakes we might make along the way. Learn more about the four biases and what you can do about them:

1. Pattern-seeking - What you can do: Triangulate your data
2. Causality - What you can do: Experiment more
3. Confirmation bias - What you can do: Ask "What data would change my/your mind?"
4. Attribution - What you can do: Keep your language within

Knowing these and finding out the signs to look out for and what to do gives us a chance to become better when it comes to decision-making not only at work but also in our personal life.

Merakinos provides analytics as a service, data strategy consulting, analytic
project work, and data fluency training for individuals and organizations seeking to build and strengthen
analytic capacity and data-driven decision-making. We can work with your organization to identify the
key analytic insights you need from your data, develop and maintain actionable dashboards or reports,
and deliver them across your organization monthly, weekly, or on your schedule. Or if you would like
to develop internal capacity, we can provide training on key platforms like Power BI, Tableau, or Alteryx.
And if you aren't sure where to start, our advisory services can help you design and implement effective
analytic strategies to amplify your impact.

"Make friends with Google"

In today's episode, we're going to take a broader view of how Google Analytics can be an incredibly powerful tool for understanding the performance of your content and marketing efforts on your websites. By connecting Google Analytics to your website, you can gain insights into how users are interacting with your content, where they are coming from, what pages they are spending the most time on, and much more. Colin Clapp talks about how optimization isn't a one-and-done and isn't something you can just set and then forget, but something you need to continually engage with. Find out how you can get the results you want without getting overwhelmed in the process, including knowing what your goals are and paying attention to the bigger picture.

Colin Clapp is the Co-Founder of Online Marketing Done For You, an online marketing solutions catering to people who are too busy to market online. His purpose in life is to inspire "Significance through a philosophy of Give. Take. Invest. Enjoy." and help other people reach their potential by staying accountable to their dreams. He likes to spend his time with his wife, who he considers his first accountability partner, and his two children.

“Data is a labor of love”

Children can teach us valuable lessons about work and inspire us to be better workers, and as parents, both Tasha and I can definitely attest to that. In this episode, we talked about how we apply these lessons in marketing, data, supporting non-profits, and more. From sleepless nights to endless battles over wearing underwear, we deep dive into the ways we can lean into research to learn more and become better at what we do, and why it's essential to find balance in learning from the lessons of others and personalizing them to suit your needs.

Tasha Van Vlack is a relationship growth specialist at Yeeboo Digital - where she empowers nonprofits to 'lead with digital' and embrace new marketing, fundraising, and technology practices. When she isn't chatting with nonprofit professionals she spends her time connecting with cool people on LinkedIn, writing content, creating customer journeys, and generally being pulled in ten directions. She is also a proud mom to 3 spirited children who keep her continuously on her toes.

“Don’t be fooled – EVERY system needs maintenance.”

Nonprofits are often chronically under-resourced, and thus unable to put in the time, money, and expertise required to optimize their operational systems. The old comic of the guy pushing the square wheel because he doesn’t have time to invent the round one is painfully true for nonprofits everywhere!

Fortunately, we have Adam Kogeman here today from Good Bones Consulting to share his secrets of how nonprofits of any size can evaluate how they do what they do – and find more efficient and effective ways to accomplish the great work we’re all here to do.

Adam Kogeman is co-founder and principal consultant at Good Bones Consulting, an organizational development consultancy which supports purpose-driven organizations to enhance operational systems, processes, and efficiency. Adam is an experienced social sector leader who has overseen programs and operations at prominent nonprofit and social enterprise organizations and has expertise in diverse issue areas including workforce development, homelessness and housing, and refugee resettlement. He is an engaged member of multiple nonprofit boards, including Good Business Colorado, a statewide advocacy group and network of values-driven small business owners.

Khahn Vu immigrated to America as a young child. As he grew up among American friends and worked for American companies, he found himself straddling two worlds - he was expected to act one way at home and another in American society. In his role now as the leader of the Society of Asian Scientists & Engineers, he helps others who find themselves existing across different spaces.

In today's episode, Khahn explores data from the point of view of needing your numbers to know if there are issues – what really is the makeup of your community, your organization vs your leadership? Are there groups getting left behind? You can’t know that unless you look at the numbers. He addresses the resistance to being transparent with these numbers, and that we MUST move beyond that.

Ask yourself: is my team or organization honest and transparent with the data on our people? If so, what story is the numbers in your organization showing? If we aren’t, why not? What would it take for us to open up? Are we collecting that data but sitting on it? Or have we not even begun to collect it? 

Khanh Vu is the CEO of SASE, the Society of Asian Scientists & Engineers, the largest nonprofit of AAPI talent and leadership. Khahn came to America at the tender age of 5 as a war refuge. He has had decades of experience in the non-profit sector. He is also a son, brother, husband and father. Learn more about SASE as www.saseconnect.org and follow Khanh at www.linkedin.com/in/vuqkhanh/.

If you have a website or blog, or produce content for others, you may be wondering how to determine if your content is effectively reaching the right audience. How do you know if your website/blog posts are working? Can you optimize it? 

Listen along this week as we talk to Brian Piper about how to break down this question into manageable parts that allow us to decipher if our content is effective. His first question is what is your goal? While this question sounds logical, there's a lot of nuances to it that can be overwhelming. As he says, "Data without goals are just numbers". Tune in today to hear Brian discuss helpful tips for tracking your content's effectiveness and optimizing it for your intended audience. 

 

Brian Piper is the Director of Content Strategy and Assessment at the University of Rochester and is also an author, international keynote speaker, and consultant. Brian has been optimizing digital content since 1996. He has created online training programs for hundreds of companies including Xerox, L3Harris, IBM, and Volvo. He has spent the last 8 years focusing on data analytics, digital marketing, and content strategy. Since 2021, he has been diving into Web3, community building, NFTs, social tokens, and is the founder of $PIPER coin. He recently co-authored the second edition of Epic Content Marketing with Joe Pulizzi which releases in March 2023. He is also a contributing author and editor of The Most Amazing Marketing Book Ever with Mark Schaefer, which releases in May 2023.

Brian is a volunteer and Board member of the nonprofit Higher Education Web Professionals Association, he is a member of the Ed3DAO, and a mentor for the Content Marketing Institute.

When he's not creating data visualizations, he teaches wingsuit skydiving and spends time with his wife and six children.

On today's podcast, we're trying something new for the first time - a live coaching session. Listen as I talk to Dr. Haywan Chiu about what he should measure in his business to help determine its impact. Dr. Chiu had a unique idea during the pandemic to record his and his partner's surgeries and add voice overs and descriptions for specific parts of the surgeries. In doing so, he has assembled a comprehensive video library where they give insight into each procedural step they do. These in-depth videos have turned into a subscription business that has grown since its inception. However, he's wondering what he needs to be monitoring to know if what he's doing is effective. What is the impact of these videos? Where should he be spending his time/resources moving forward with his business to have the maximum impact? 

Listen in as I spend this episode talking through his goals and discussing different ways to measure his impact. We discuss a couple different methods of measuring his impact such as an equivalency study, using a proxy variable and conducting surveys, and the pros and cons of each.  

 

Dr. Haywan Chiu, DPM FACFAS is a board-certified podiatric specialist for foot surgery and reconstructive rearfoot/ankle surgery at Albuquerque Associated Podiatrists in Albuquerque, New Mexico. He specializes in diabetic limb salvage.

Dr. Chiu's medical education has taken him from coast to coast in the United States. He completed his Bachelor of Science at the University of California, Santa Cruz, in 2007, before moving east for medical school, graduating from the Temple University School of Podiatric Medicine in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, in 2013. His residency took him back to the west coast and the Department of Veterans Affairs (DVA) Palo Alto Podiatry Residency Program and Stanford University. 

Before joining private practice, Dr. Chiu was an assistant clinical professor at the University of New Mexico in the Orthopaedics and Rehabilitation department. It was during his early years of practice that he found his specialty area: diabetic limb salvage.

Dr. Chiu works with countless patients with diabetes who come to him with severe infections in their legs. The conventional approach is to amputate the leg to get rid of the disease, but Dr. Chiu has found that many patients are willing to try alternative approaches to save their foot.

Dan Wagner, CEO and founder of Civis Analytics, discusses the importance of understanding the data journey for nonprofits. He emphasizes the risks of rushing into artificial intelligence without having the fundamentals in place.  By highlighting the challenges of automation, Dan offers solutions for nonprofits without dedicated data teams, including collaboration and resource pooling. In this episode we discuss various aspects of data science, including challenges, ethical considerations, and the role of data science in society.

Key Takeaways

• Nonprofits should avoid rushing into artificial intelligence without having the fundamentals in place.
• A use case focus is crucial for successful data journeys, where nonprofits identify specific problems related to revenue or cost and work backward to find the necessary data infrastructure and analytics.
• Collaboration and resource pooling can be beneficial for nonprofits without dedicated data teams. Data science faces challenges such as data quality, bias, and interpretability.
• The future of data science lies in advancements in technology, interdisciplinary collaboration, and ethical frameworks.
• The future of data science lies in advancements in technology, interdisciplinary collaboration, and ethical frameworks.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction

01:24 The Data Journey
06:10 The Risks of Rushing to AI
11:25 Use Case Focus
19:14 Moving into Automation
30:59 Challenges for Nonprofits without Data Teams
36:44 Collaboration and Pooling Resources
10:00 Challenges in Data Science
20:00 Ethical Considerations in Data Science
30:00 The Role of Data Science in Society
40:00 The Future of Data Science

Guest Bio

Dan Wagner is the CEO and founder of Civis Analytics, a leading data science firm that empowers organizations to use data to solve their most critical problems. With a rich background in data science and analytics, Dan has been instrumental in transforming how businesses and nonprofits leverage data for decision-making and strategy. He is a recognized thought leader in the field, frequently sharing insights on the ethical implications of data science, the future of artificial intelligence, and the importance of robust data infrastructure. His passion for using data to drive social impact continues to shape his work and influence the broader analytics community.

Great, so you have data! Now how do you make it useful? There is a difference between looking at data and using data. The successful use of data is when an organization is using data to take strategic action related to its goals/direction. Come listen along as Data Bloom co-founders David Mackay and Tim NeCamp discuss their method for making data useful. The four stages they outline are Planning, Collection, Analysis and Reporting and in today's episode they give lots of helpful information on ways to execute each of these stages and common mistakes they see when going through each one. 

 

David Mackey

David is passionate about working with mission-driven organizations to achieve impact. He has 14 years of professional experience in design, operations, and project management. As a project manager, David guides organizations, teams, and individuals towards a shared goal. He will ensure our work aligns directly with your mission and theory of change. His design experience allows him to think creatively to solve problems with data. This design-thinking has informed David’s belief that everything must be done with purpose. His operations background has shown him how to use data and technology to improve efficiency and implement successful initiatives throughout an organization. David has seen the value of data to inform decision-making throughout his career and is excited that Data Bloom allows him to partner with those making the most impact in the world.

David has a B.S. in Graphic Design from the College of Design, Architecture, Art & Planning at the University of Cincinnati.

 

Tim NeCamp

Tim has spent his adult life seeking out ways to combine his interests in mathematics with his desire to make the world a better place. Tim first fell in love with community development and working with vulnerable populations to create meaningful change through Teach For America as a middle school mathematics teacher in a high-needs school district. While in graduate school, Tim used his statistical knowledge to impact his community by volunteering for Statistics in the Community (STATCOM), an organization that provides free statistical and data consulting for local nonprofits. As a member, project leader, and eventually the president of STATCOM, Tim saw how data thinking and data usage could help community organizations achieve their goals. Tim is excited that Data Bloom allows him to dedicate his time, energy, and resources to continue this work.

Tim has a B.S. in Mathematics from The Ohio State University, a M. Ed. from University of Nevada Las Vegas, and a Ph.D. in Statistics from the University of Michigan.

 

 

Imagine your organization is a house. The tech stack is the pipes in the house, and the data is the water that flows through the house. When building a house, there are lots of things to take into account to build a successful plumbing system. The same goes for data - your tech stack needs to be correctly accepting the data from the business process that feeds it, you need to size the pipes adequately to allow the data to flow from point A to point B, and you need to have the right tools on the backend to get the water out of the pipes and make the water usable and palatable. 

Come listen in as Liz Crowe talks through her insightful analogy between data flow in an organization and plumbing in a house, and what she's doing to revamp the city's data analytics. She talks through barriers, lessons learned and the goals she hopes to achieve. 

Liz Crowe joined in the City in August 2022 as the Director, Urban Analytics & Innovation (Urban AI). She is responsible for championing the use of data and modern data analysis, visualizations, and storytelling to provide a much more engaged approach to performance improvement and change management. Liz is an economist and researcher, who is passionate about civic tech, data and the possibilities they hold for Cleveland. An experienced data manager, she has years of experience in economic development, nonprofit management, venture capital, and the private equity industry.

Most recently, Liz served as Principal of Data Governance & Analytics at JumpStart, Inc. Prior to joining JumpStart, Liz worked as a Research Associate at the Urban Institute in Washington, D.C. where she conducted primary research on the role of government programs and private organizations in supporting low-income families in the U.S. Topics included, cash and in-kind assistance programs, the U.S. social safety net, poverty, inequality and social policy. Liz also worked at the Congressional Research Service at the U.S. Library of Congress, where she provided nonpartisan research assistance to members of Congress and their staff.

Liz has a Ph.D. in Public Administration and Policy from the School of Public Affairs at American University, as well as Master of Arts from the Department of Economics at American University.

To celebrate my 50th episode of this podcast, I'm sharing four major mistakes I make in analytics and life. It's part of a resolution I made for 2023, to share one mistake every Monday on LinkedIn for the entire year. I HATE making mistakes, but I am committed to try to learn everything I can from them and hopefully help others learn something too. 

In this episode, I talk about how I'm not the best at slowing down and making sure I did all the little things right, I would rather default to a passive decision than actively make one with incomplete data, I love being the 'data superhero' instead of building consistent data practices and team capacity, and how I'm often a terrible listener. 

I haven't solved these things yet, but I'm getting better. I'd love to hear from you if any of my mistakes and lessons resonate with you, or if you have your own lesson to share! You can contact me or connect with me on LinkedIn. Thank you for sharing this journey with me!

You can read the show transcript and find other resources at http://www.heartsouldata.com/ep-50/

Success with data isn't about having all the resources, it's about being resourceful (thank you, Tony Robbins!). We dive into exactly what this can look like with Joshua Burkhow, Chief Evanglist at Alteryx. It's starts with recognizing that data underlie virtually everything we do, professionally and personally. Nearly all our actions generate some kind of data, every choice or change has data attached to it, somewhere. The first step is becoming aware of the true extent and existance of the data around you.

Once you can see it, then the next steps follow more easily. In fact, the biggest barriers you may face are your own limiting assumptions, such as assuming that you can only work with data if you have a large team of experts. Tools like Alteryx are out there to help empower even "teams" of just one person.

Listen in as Joshua shares examples he's seen of small shops driving big impact with data, and how you can too. 

Joshua Burkhow is the Chief Evanglist at Alteryx, a low-code analytics platform that empowers experts and citizen data workers alike. He brings passion, excitement, and raging optimism to Analytics and Data Science with a nice balance of ensuring he's also an expert and practical solutions-oriented user. He lives in stories and use cases that really drive impact to businesses but have a clear focus on the contributions from people. He loves automation and productivity as a solid foundation to doing bigger and better things. At the end of the day, he has learned to lean on his emotional connection to world of Data and Analytics. It's given him an amazing career and he's seen its practitioners change the world for the better.

It's not just a bad idea to try to make decisions from pure logic - it's actually impossible. Join me in today's podcast episode to walk through my framework for understanding why values are a requirement for any sized decision, personal or professional, and how you can combine a clearer understanding of your values with the right data to make more effective choices. 

Values are essential for making decisions because they are what give weight to different outcomes and costs. Consider the last time you used Apple or Google Maps. First, you had to know where you were going. That's not a data question - that's about what you're trying to accomplish at that moment. Then, once you plug in that destination, Apple or Google uses ALL THE DATA to come up with several different routes - one that's the fastest, one that uses the least fuel, maybe even one with the fewer turns. Which one do you pick? All that data was vital to define the cost and benefits of the different routes, but no amount of data can tell you whether it would be more important to you at that moment to get somewhere quickly vs. efficiently. That depends on your values. Without values, your decision-making landscape becomes hopelessly 'flat': there's nothing that distinguishes any one outcome or sacrifice from another.

The thing is, you don't need me to tell you to make decisions this way - you already are, because it's the ONLY way to make decisions. What I offer in this episode is a framework to make all those pieces explicit and transparent so you can facilitate group decisions within your organization and combat the dangers of opaque choices. The framework involves five steps, which I capture in the acronym EMOTE:

E=Eden. This is your destination, the goal you are trying to achieve

M=Morals/Mitigate. These are the values and constraints that must be respected while attempting to get to Eden.

O=Options. Brainstorm options that will (likely) get you to Eden without obviously violating your key morals or constraints.

T=Triangulate. Bring in the necessary data points to weigh your options against the amount of progress they make towards your Eden, how well they support your values, and whether there are any unmitigated limitations.

E=Evaluate. After you've made your choice, review: how effective was your choice? How accurate were any assumptions or guesses you needed to make? How can you adapt or improve?

I share this framework as part of a larger presentation, and you can download the accompanying slides here. If you're out and about while listening to this episode, I recommend coming back again after you've finished it to get the slides and follow along with the framework on a real-life decision you are facing. 

Please leave me a note in the comments or send me a message letting me know what you think of this framework, whether it works for you, and how I can improve it! 

What does it mean to build an effective learning culture? Why is it important to expect that we have a learning culture? Why are your questions are your most valuable assets? Listen to today's podcast with Tait Kellogg to hear about how you can implement a learning culture in your team or organization. She outlines a 4 step process to help create a structure to build an effective learning culture, and discusses common challenges she sees for each step. 

Tait began her work at the intersection of data capacity and college access when she served as Data Analyst for the Woodward Hines Education Foundation over a decade ago. She has spent the rest of her career aiming to help staff like the one she was at that time: staff who see the value of data to inform strategy and communicate across audiences but aren’t sure where to begin. Tait founded The Evaluation Coach as a step-by-step process to help small non-profits and grantee cohorts to understand why data matters, identify their outcomes, and learn to tell the story of their programs. Previously she led a research team as the Director of Research and, before that, served on large, mixed-methods academic research teams through the Education Research Alliance at Tulane University. Tait holds an interdisciplinary doctoral degree in City, Culture and Community with a focus on sociology.

Determinig the right technology for your organization can be challenging. There are many options out there for any one function in an organization. Balancing the inherent capabilities, the amount of customization needed, and the price of the technology is key. Today, Sarah Epting discusses how to find the right technology stack for an organization. She discusses things to consider when making an decision and some pitfalls to avoid. 

Sarah's advice for an initial step if you're considering enacting or switching technology is to first identify the pain points you're dealing with in whatever process you're completing, and understand why they're the pain points. Interview others in your organization to determine if they share these pain points. Then, you can be clear on a good fit for new technology. 

Sarah Epting is the Founder and Director of Technopath. Prior to founding Technopath, Sarah earned her MPA in nonprofit management from Georgia State University and worked in nonprofit management for over 10 years. During that time she found Salesforce and saw the immense potential it had to transform the way nonprofits serve their communities. She wanted to show more nonprofits how they could leverage Salesforce to stretch their often small budgets and support their staff in making a bigger impact. She founded Technopath to address those gaps and further their missions, and has dedicated herself to aiding nonprofits in their growth with the help of technology.

In addition to her nonprofit expertise, Sarah brings 7 years of Salesforce Administration experience and 6 Salesforce certifications. She is an experienced speaker and trainer, having presented at nonprofit conventions, Salesforce events, and her weekly Salesforce Saturday meetings.

Sarah lives in South Florida with her circus-performing/handyman husband and their adorable cat, Scratch.

We use data in our everyday lives - even when we go on vacation. Listen to Luke Komiskey explain how his data analytics knowledge empowered him and his wife to take an extended vacation and travel around the world. Luke discusses how he was able to accomplish his goal of traveling for a full year, and how a simple data collection model made this trip of a lifetime possible

What gets measured, gets managed: Luke's first piece of advice when embarking on a new project (whether it be a long trip or other data-related project) is to be clear about how you define success. Then you can put metrics in place so you know you'll be successful. He explains how he used this advice to accomplish his travel goals. 

Luke Komiskey is the founder and managing director of DataDrive, an analytics-managed service provider for fast-growing organizations looking to grow a data-driven capability without the hassle of hiring a data team and managing infrastructure.  Luke also is a public speaker on analytics topics for conferences, community events, and podcasts!  Reach out to him at luke@godatadrive.com or find him on LinkedIn (/in/Komiskey)

Any of us can find our way to data. So many of the guests on this show have accidentally fallen into data, and the diversity of backgrounds, academic disciplines and skillsets add strength to the data community. It's truly the difference between the mindset of I can learn anything given time and support vs. I'm not a numbers person.

Ryan Rucker is an example of someone who accidentally found her way into data - and now she's helping bring an extraordinary non-profit forward in how it uses its data to achieve its' mission. Come listen along as she talks about the changes she's making, the challenges she's struggling with, and the innovative solution that she's applying in her organization using "data envoys" to continue data conversations outside her data team and build a bridge. See the article she references that inspired her idea here: Using Data Storytelling to Disrupt White Supremacy Culture | by Lydia Hooper | Nightingale | Medium

Ryan Rucker serves as the Director of Data and Evaluation at The Literacy Lab, an organization that believes that literacy is a human right and that all children deserve to learn how to read. She supports the organization through data analysis, program evaluation, and creating spaces for even the most data-averse individuals to engage with data and collaborate with peers. After over a decade working with different education nonprofits, she has found her passion through increasing and improving opportunities for students, data storytelling with an equitable lens, and elevating the experience of folks, particularly folks of color, who work within the nonprofit sector. She received her undergraduate and Master of Human Relations degrees from the University of Oklahoma and is currently pursuing a Doctor of Education degree in Leadership and Learning in Organizations at Vanderbilt University’s Peabody College.

There's a difference between data maturity and analytics maturity. Data is about the foundation, and analytic maturity is the work to get the insights from data. Maturity is not about fancy tech or how complex things are, it's about consistency. A data organization is mature when they can do all the of activities that are involved in succeeding with data consistently. 

Analytic maturity and data maturity look different for every organization. Today's guest, Christen Ng, talks to us about analytic maturity and what that means for your organization.

 

About Christen Ng

Christen Ng joined AVID in 2021 as the Vice President of Technology and Data. She is responsible for leading the Technology Services and PMO teams in bringing the organization’s technology infrastructure, applications, and data/impact strategy to life. She has extensive experience in building systems and resources that leveraged data-driven insights to drive efficacy in many nonprofit segments: healthcare, workforce development, arts education policy, and gender equity/DEI.
She has become highly skilled in organizational performance management, program assessment and evaluation, and outcomes measurement. This expertise has translated to millions of dollars in grants, local and national recognition/awards, changes in Chicago's education policy, program models that have been scaled and replicated, and master class workshops and presentations in sharing proven solutions.
Christen holds an MBA in international business from Webster University and a bachelor’s degree in information systems from DePaul University. She has previously served as Vice President on the board of the United Nations Association of Chicago and volunteered as a mentor for MIT's Solve initiative.

Taj Carson, founder of Inciter, shares her journey from academia to creating Inciter. She discusses the challenges of data collection, the need for efficient systems, and thoughtful tool selection. Taj emphasizes data governance, clear policies, and regular quality assessments, exploring data strategy and the choice between building internal capacity or partnering.

Key Takeaways

• Regular data quality assessment is essential to ensure accurate and reliable data for decision-making.
• Small to medium-sized nonprofits should assess their skills and capacity internally and consider partnering with external experts.
• Organizations should make intentional choices about their data strategy based on their capacity
• Data governance is crucial from the first time data is collected, and it becomes even more important when different systems are integrated.

Chapters

 

00:00 Origin Story and Background
07:58 Challenges with Data Collection and Management
11:42 Tool Selection Process
23:18 Importance of Data Governance
28:46 Connecting Technical Tools and Information Needs
33:21 Balancing Opposing Poles
35:34 Building Internal Capacity or Partnering
41:04 Regular Data Quality Assessment

Guest Bio

Dr. Taj Carson is the CEO and Founder of Inciter (formerly Carson Research Consulting), a firm that help nonprofits with data management and reporting challenges, including evaluation reporting. Dr. Carson has more than 25 years’ experience working in research and evaluation, and 10 years of experience in the field of data technology. She received a Master’s degree in Information Visualization from the Maryland Institute College of Art (2015), a certificate in technology entrepreneurship from the University of Maryland-Baltimore County (2010), and a Ph.D. in Sociology from the University of Delaware (2000).

Are you at the start of your journey with data? Or maybe you're in the middle of it and not sure what your next step should be? Today, let's hear about an incredible journey that the League of Conservation Voters has been on with data that may provide inspiration or answers for anyone walking a similar path right now. Listen in as Amanda tells her story and shares what has worked and what hasn't as she helped shaped her organization's data.  

 

Amanda Hoffman is the Vice President of Data and Operations at the League of Conservation Voters where she provides senior level leadership within the management & administration of a national environmental organization with 10 legal entities (c3, c4, and PACs); $160M revenue, 33 state affiliates & grantmaking of $25M. She manages all operations, data, information technology, information systems and administrations for the organization’s fundraising, membership & marketing efforts. She also manages lead department strategic plans, work planning and long-term targets. She provides leadership for streamlined data solutions that drive accurate reporting, efficiency, and organizational insights

 

Amanda attended American University and graduated Magna Cum Laude with a BS in International Relations. She also has a Post Graduate Certificate from University of Illinois Chicago in Nonprofit Management. She resides in Washington, DC and is a board member for EcoWomen.

Research will always be done through the lens of the researcher – we can never fully leave behind who we are and how we see the world. But by bringing awareness to our own cultural biases and the diversity of others’ cultures, we can mitigate many of the possible errors our blind-spots produce.

Kim Hunt joins Heart, Soul & Data to talk about cultural competency in data collection, analysis, and application. We how culture is more than just nationality or race; culture is any collection of norms (dress, language, observances, morals) that are shared by a group. There is a military culture, a Mid-West farmer culture, and so many more of distinct lived experiences.

When it comes to collecting data and using data to make service or program decisions, we need to make sure wherever possible we include members of the cultures we are serving and studying.

What you can do now:

Do a member check on your board, your advisory group, your research council – do the lived experiences there reflect and represent those of your clients or community? If not, what could you do to bring in more direct representation?

Guest Bio:

Kim Hunt, PhD has been active in education and the nonprofit sector for more than 30 years. As a Navy Spouse, she moved homes with her husband and two daughters 16 times in 21 years throughout the US and Europe. Dr. Hunt’s research focus is on highly mobile military children and their capacity to build resilience, resilience in other highly mobile populations, education, social determinants of health, and military transition. She has over 10 years of experience in program design and evaluation, organizational evaluation, needs assessments, data collection development including surveys, focus groups, interviews, and research. She is currently the Director of Evaluation, Research and Training for Komposset Consulting Strategies, LLC. Dr. Hunt is a Certified Nonprofit Professional and has previously worked with many small and large nonprofit organizations and educational institutions. Dr. Hunt has vast experience working across cultures and holds a certificate in cultural competency training. In addition, Dr. Hunt creates and facilitates evaluation and data collection training for nonprofit organizations.

Dr. Hunt earned her PhD in Leadership Studies with a dual emphasis in Nonprofit Management and Education from the University of San Diego, a MA in Education with a focus on Curriculum Development from University of Phoenix, and a BS in Economics with a concentration in Developing Nations from California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo, CA.

Marillac St Vincent has served Chicago for over a century, and its data needs have evolved along with its services. Kevin McGhee, the Senior Director of Data Management, walks us through the journey of how this dynamic nonprofit has grown its data and leaned into data for measuring quality of its programs to drive improvement.

Day-to-day, Kevin ensures data quality integrity and approves policies, processes, and procedures related to data. Directly supervises a Data Quality Analyst and Compliance Manager and owns all aspects of the agency-wide dashboard. His work allows MSV to better understand the capacity of the organization. Kevin is a Heal Chicago Fellow, completed Northwestern Kellogg School Center for Nonprofit Management course funded by The Allstate Foundation, and was an NTENny Award recipient from NTEN: The Nonprofit Technology Enterprise Network. This award acknowledges community members who have generously given their time, knowledge, energy, and enthusiasm to the nonprofit technology sector.

Kevin grew up on the west side of Chicago. He is a graduate of John Hay Community Academy Elementary and William Howard Taft High School.

He graduated Cum Laude from Champlain College with a BS in Computer Information Systems and a Master of Science in Information Systems from DePaul University. He served as Co-Director of the AmeriCorps program with the Michigan Community Service Commission and worked with the Heartland Alliance as an Asset Development Coordinator and Enrollment Specialist to assist Chicago Housing Authority participants with the Family Self-Sufficiency Program.

Kevin isn’t all work though, in his free time, you’ll probably find him golfing, biking, flying kites, playing basketball, or spending time with his high school sweetheart and their two children.

We can't amplify our good work with data if we don't have the right people to work on the data. Today's guest, Claudia Juech of the Patrick J McGovern Foundation explores the scope of the analytic workforce shortage and how we as social organizations can creatively solve it.

 

Claudia Juech, Vice President of Data and Society at the Patrick. J. McGovern Foundation, is a technology-focused strategist, pragmatic optimist, and builder of programs and organizations. Her career has been all about using data for decision making – first in the financial sector in Germany and more recently at the Rockefeller Foundation, where she and her team used foresight approaches and innovation methodologies to identify the most promising ideas that could be shaped into the next $100M initiative. Before she joined PJMF, Claudia established and led the Cloudera Foundation in Silicon Valley as its founding CEO until it merged with PJMF in May 2021. Her work centers on data-use cases where the resulting insights can advance action and lead to progress on societal challenges. Claudia has a degree in information science from Cologne University of Applied Sciences and an International MBA from the University of Cologne.

 

 

I believe that a foundational level of data literacy is as important to each and every one of us as knowing how to read and write. Today's episode is an audio recording of a presentation I gave at the NTC 2022 conference this year about the imperative we have to build our own and our team's data literacy. 

Not only will data literacy help you in both your personal and professional life, but investing in data literacy at an organizational level will help you retain your employees and amplify the success and sustainability of your nonprofit. 

Visit the shownotes page to watch the video version or download the slides.

What does making chocolate chip cookies have to do with data? Join Jennifer Otremba of Nonprofit Data Geeks as she explains through the power of baking how to take the logic model of your organization's operations and turn it into your data model. If you aren't familar with logic models, don't worry! Jennifer explains what they are and how you can make your own. 

The basic idea is that everything you have and do in your role, your team, and your organization can be arranged into an interconnected flow of inputs, activities, outputs, and outcomes. Understanding where different resources and operations fit helps you understand how they relate to one another - and, for our purposes here, what you need to track and monitor.

Jennifer's number one piece of advice for making progress and succeeding with a sustainable data model is to identify (or create!) 'captains of data' in your team or organization. Making this a clear and known hat that some people wear will help you carve out time and support for these captains.

Jennifer Otremba, Founder & Lead Salesforce Consultant at Nonprofit Data Geeks, "accidentalled" her way into data. She has been geeking out on nonprofit data since 2007 when she started as the Program Director at Breakthrough Twin Cities. After 5 years working in a direct service role she transitioned into a data and evaluation role in 2012. In 2013 she successfully migrated Breakthrough's development database from Raiser's Edge to Salesforce and has been a Salesforce convert ever since. At Breakthrough Twin Cities she built a robust data management system that allowed them track almost every aspect of their program and development work in Salesforce. Other nonprofits heard what she was up to and started asking for help, which is how she become a consultant in 2016. Since then, Jennifer has worked with dozens of nonprofits, helping them leverage Salesforce to meet their specific needs. Jennifer has a B.A. in Natural Science from the College of Saint Benedict and an M.Ed. in Youth Development Leadership from the University of MN. When Jennifer isn't busy geeking out on nonprofit data, she and her husband are chasing after two daughters and finding great places to hike with family and friends.

Should there be a Hippocratic oath for data? A kind of fiduciary responsibility oath for analysts? We explore the ethics of responsible data collection, analysis and reporting with Alexandra Robinson, the Head of Data Ethics and Social Impact at Threshold World.

Alexandra shared several resources for learning more about ethical data work. All Tech Is Human engages in the development of Responsible Tech Ecosystems for a better future. ResponsibleData.io fosters a community for those using data for social change. They have toolkits, exercises, and more to help. You can get involved with ResponsibleData.io by joining their mailing list, writing blog posts, and more.

As the head of Data Ethics and Social Impact, Alexandra directly supports the CEO and executive team on data regulation, cybercrime risk, data management, and adverse event mitigation. She is the principal subject matter expert and advisor to threshold’s product/engineering teams developing a subscription-based program design, management, and storytelling platform for non-profit customers. She has real-world experience developing data policies, products, and programs in and for complex contexts such as Ebola-recovery in West Africa, labor exploitation in Nepal, and human trafficking in Las Vegas. Alexandra earned her MSc in Global Crime, Justice and Security from the University of Edinburgh in Scotland, UK and her BA in Political Science from Davidson College.

"Agile" is a formally designed approach meant to help software developers turn out better software faster and with fewer bugs. Today's guest, Bo Ruan, Head of Data at the Alzheimer's Society, helps us see how we can leverage the core concepts of agile to create more impactful data systems, analytics, and insights.

Now, if you Google Agile Methodology, you can quickly get sucked into a rabbit hole of certifications and masterships and oodles of training. Bo's approach is that you're not aiming to become a formal Agile practioner, but rather to adapt the key Agile principles - which are themselves simple - to your data work. In this episode, we cover those essential elements and how to put them to use with social good data.

If you want to get started with Agile in your data work, Bo recommends starting with the 12 Principles of the Agile Manifesto. While they are stated in the context of software development, most of the steps have clear parallels to data work, such as delivering working outputs regularly for immediate stakeholder feedback, connecting end-users and developers continuously, and regular reflections on how things have gone and how they can go better.

About Bo Ruan

Bo Ruan is the first Head of Data at the Alzheimer’s Society, part of a career in serving the social good sector through data. As the first in his role, Bo faced the challenge of developing a data strategy from scratch. Alzheimer’s Society had not yet leveraged the data it has access prior to Bo joining, so he was uniquely placed to roll out an effective and robust data strategy for the charity. It is a process that continues to deveop, and that Bo is thrilled to be part of. Bo earned his BA in philosophy from King's College London and his MSc in Business Innovation from the University of London.

How do you measure 'social good' in a remotely standardized or comparable way? How do you decide whether it would be better to invest in a program to improve childhood literacy or a STEM program? 

We tackle these difficult questions with Kyle Kerrigan of Upbring, a nonprofit dedicated to breaking the cycle of child abuse by empowering children, families and communities. At Upbring, Kyle and his teammates are driving innovation in their social programs by leveraging 'social return on investment' - a calculation designed to facilitate comparisons across ideas and outputs. Social return on investment, or SROI, requires you to decide what exactly it is you are trying to achieve, and how you will capture the value of different levels of that achievement.

Most SROI calculations use dollars as a way of creating that standard. This isn't to say that you are actually stating teaching a child to read is worth $500 in absolute terms, but rather a way of creating a scale that would allow a stakeholder to build a sort of 'rank order' of different outputs or a hierarchy of outcomes that matter. In some cases, these decisions do have financial impacts or require significant financial inputs, and therefore a comparison of financial return is relevant.

To learn more, check out Kyle's blog article on calculating SROI. Ready to get started? Leverage Upbring's Innovation Evaluation calculator. 

About Kyle Kerrigan

Kyle Kerrigan utilizes his enthusiasm and skills to address society’s most pressing issues.  He serves as Director of Data & Analytics at Upbring Innovation Labs, exploring audacious ideas that can break the cycle of abuse.  A division of Upbring, a Texas-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization serving children and families, we scale innovation by creating earned revenue streams and sustainable impact at the intersection of social enterprise, new technology and data.  In addition to using data to support fund development, compliance and annual reporting, Kyle leverages analytics to drive Upbring’s innovation, growth and competitive differentiation.

He graduated from DePauw University (IN).  Shortly thereafter, Kyle completed his post-graduate education at IU’s School of Public and Environmental Affairs (SPEA), earning his Master of Public Affairs (MPA).

Kyle is also an endurance athlete and coach, and when not at his desk, he can often be found on the trails of the Texas Hill Country.

While we each may lean a little bit (or a lot bit) towards more heart-centered or more cerebral in how we think and process decisions, both approaches are valid and even necessary for success with data in nonprofits. Today we talk with Blaire Hamelehle, a senior analyst and manger with a knack for "marrying quantitative and qualitative data to uncover compelling stories about our communities." 

Blaire Hamelehle serves as the senior data analyst and data manager for TNTP, an education nonprofit reimagining teaching. She supports clients and teams to conduct and tell meaningful stories about research and educational evaluation efforts. She holds a masters in Public Administration from the University of Denver and a bachelors in psychology from the American University. 

Erin MacKenney from the St John Learning Exchange discusses her journey to implement a data plan and outcomes-based funding model. Through collaborative efforts and engaging practices like 'data parties,' she's embraced a culture of data-driven decision-making. Erin's expertise highlights the importance of focused learning, balanced with a commitment to progress over perfection, for nonprofits navigating similar paths.

Key Takeaways

• Transitioning to an outcomes-based funding model can provide more freedom and flexibility in achieving key outcomes.
• Engaging the team through data parties and collaborative processes can help overcome resistance and build buy-in.
• Developing a quality of life survey can capture valuable insights and empower learners to reflect on their own progress.
• Continuous refinement and improvement are essential in data management and analysis.
• Nonprofits should focus on their own expertise and involve stakeholders in the data process.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction and Background
01:21 State of Data and Insights Prior to PDI Program
05:30 Key Outcomes and Measurement
09:35 Engaging the Team and Data Parties
12:28 Developing the Quality-of-Life Survey
15:37 Collaboration and the Data Analysis Working Group
20:41 Refinement and Continuous Improvement
23:32 Designing the Quality-of-Life Survey
31:13 Balancing Realism and Optimism
39:31 Recommendations for Other Nonprofits
44:01 Conclusion and Contact Information

Guest Bio

Erin has a background in education and close to 10 years of experience working in poverty reduction in the non-profit sector. Throughout her career she has developed a passion for evaluation as a means to understand impact. Currently she is the Program Director and Measurement, Evaluation and Learning Lead at the Saint John Learning Exchange in Saint John, NB Canada. In her role she leads the charge in developing stronger and more efficient data collection processes, creating and incorporating new tools, building the organization's data culture, and getting the team excited about the impact of their work. She loves to make talking about data fun and has been known to throw a great data party! 

Designing an impactful data product isn't just about the data - in fact, it's mostly NOT about the data. It's about the people at the heart of the endeavor. Join me for a conversation about human-centered design with Brian O'Neill from Designing for Analytics, a consulting company that focuses on creating data products people will actually use. Brian is also the host of the acclaimed Experiencing Data podcast.

You can reach Brian on LinkedIn, follow him on Twitter at @rhythmspice, and join his mailing list. He also hosts a bi-annual seminar Designing Human-Centered Data Products, which runs in March and September.

More about Brian: 

Brian T. O'Neill is the Founder and Principal of Designing for Analytics, an independent consultancy helping data product leaders use design-driven innovation to improve the UX of their ML and analytics applications. A jazz and classical percussionist by training, Brian has also been a product designer and consultant for over 25 years helping companies like DellEMC, Tripadvisor, Fidelity, NetApp, Roche, Abbvie, and the City of Los Angeles. Brian has spoken internationally at multiple O'Reilly conferences, the International Institute for Analytics Symposium, Predictive Analytics World, and Boston College. Brian also hosts the five-star podcast, Experiencing Data, where he digs into the brains of leading voices at the intersection of design, ML/AI, analytics and data product management. Brian also authored the Designing for Analytics Self-Assessment Guide, teaches a seminar called Designing Human-Centered Data Products and was published in O'Reilly Media's 97 Things About Ethics in Data Science Everyone Should Know. Having helped launch several successful enterprise startups including Apptopia and Dispatch.me, today Brian also advises student entrepreneurs in MIT's Sandbox Innovation Fund.

Outside the worlds of data and design, Brian also maintains a career as a professional musician in Boston and beyond. He has performed with The Who, national Broadway musicals, at Carnegie Hall and The Kennedy Center, and even played disco in Donna Summer's band. If you listen carefully, you might hear his own ensemble's music in your local tiki bar or one of 7,000 Starbucks worldwide. Follow Brian on Twitter (@rhythmspice), or via his Insights Mailing List at https://designingforanalytics.com/list.

Data are useful for determining and implementing impactful communications strategies. Hear success stories from communications expert Jessica Montana on how she uses data to identify her key audiences, measure a nonprofit's ability to reach those audiences, and tweak the communication plan to continually improve.

Today's episode explores a complex kind of data - crime data. We speak with veteran crime analyst Debra Piehl. 

Data literacy is a skill we all need. But the particular flavor will vary based on your data usage, your current level of data knowledge, and your mindset around data. David Marco from EWSolutions shares insights from his years teaching data literacy to organizations of all kinds. 

David Marco is the founder and president of EWSolutions, a data management consultancy based in Chicago. Be sure to check out the EWSolution YouTube channel, and find Dr. Marco on LinkedIn. The EWSolutions training repository, DataManagementU, also hosts dozens of articles and on-emand webinar recordings. 

Health equity and social determinants of health are hot topics in many spaces today, but do they really mean? How can we use data respectfully and effectively to tackle these huge challenges? My guest today offers a nuanced, thoughtful, and practical approach to balancing data with a human-centered focus. 

Essey Yirdaw is the director of data analytics at the Colorado Hospital Association. Essey received her Master’s degree from Colorado School of Public Health in 2015 in Health Systems, Management and Policy. Before coming to work at Colorado Hospital Association, Essey worked for over six years at the University of Colorado where she served in several capacities in the Department of Medicine, from program manager to division administrator – most recently working as program manager for the School of Medicine. Essey is most passionate about using data to help health care providers improve patient outcomes in an equitable, quality driven manner.

"The scientific method is objective. The application of the scientific method is NOT objective," says today's guest, Heather Krause of We All Count. This is the heart of data equity, the concept that unexamined, unconscious decisions we make around data, analytics, and science can have unequal impacts and even result in inaccurate or misleading findings. It isn't about getting rid of data or giving up on science. Data equity is about strengthening our science and our data by becoming conscious and transparent with the decisions at every level - and opening the door to the possibility of different decisions.

She has built an extraordinary company around her passionate mission of bringing our unconscious decisions into the light. We All Count offers training, support, and resources to anyone looking to improve their data equity.

Heather Krause, PStat, is a data scientist with 20+ years in the field. She’s a cross-sector thought leader in data equity issues. She works on government, social sector, education, and corporate data projects. Her first company Datassist Inc. works globally with national governments, trans-national corporations, and the largest players in the NGO space. Her cutting-edge approach to project design, data collection, analysis, reporting and visualization have placed her in high demand as a project lead, a crisis consultant and a speaker on the subject of data equity. 

How Heather would put it: "I’m someone with the curse of having seen too much and the privilege of getting to do something about it. If you’re like me, you might not put too much stock in degrees and institutions and awards when it comes to equity. The best thing I can say about myself is that I really, really care about data and I really really care about people. I want my kids (and my dogs) to live in a world where they’re not afraid of data, where they feel like their data is valued and most importantly that they themselves are valued. It breaks my heart to hear stories where data isn’t solving problems but is causing injustice."

Nonprofits can benefit hugely from YouTube, but knowing what data to use to measure your progress and impact can be overwhelming. Itai Nusbaum from the nonprofit PocketTeacher and the consulting company YouTuber's Toolkit, shares his concise framework for which metrics to look at, how to interpret what you see, and how to respond. Check out the shownotes at www.heartsouldata.com/ep-25/ to see a handy graphic that breaks down the metrics we discuss in this episode.

Itai Nusbaum, founder of both YouTuber’s Toolkit and PocketTeacher, single-handedly created an unparalleled YouTube-based educational video company that currently serves over 10% of all high school students in his country. In addition to this work, Itaialso created YouTuber’s Tookit, a consulting company in which he expertly navigates companies through the complicated maze of online video presence. Connect with Itai at www.yt-tk.com or download his ebook to learn more!

Picking the right financial metrics for your nonprofit is like choosing your navigation points for sailing a ship: you don't need to track everything, but you do need to track points that will help you get to your desired destination. Nonprofits aren't the same as for-profit companies, and that's why they need a different set of financial metrics. This episode with Dr. Elizabeth Searing leverages her combined research and "real world" work to chart out four key domains of financial metrics every nonprofit should track, and how they can be used to keep your finger on the pulse of your organization's wellbeing. 

Dr. Elizabeth Searing is an Assistant Professor of Public and Nonprofit Management at the University of Texas at Dallas. Dr. Searing’s primary research focus is the financial management of nonprofit and social enterprise organizations, but she also conducts work on comparative social economy and the role of social and psychological factors in economic development and policy effectiveness. She is associate editor and an editorial board member of the journal Nonprofit Management & Leadership and an editorial advisory board member of Journal of Public Budgeting, Accounting and Financial Management (JPBAFM). Prof. Searing has published over a dozen articles and is also an editor of two books: Practicing Professional Ethics in Economics and Public Policy (with D. Searing) and The Social Enterprise Zoo: A Guide to Perplexed Entrepreneurs, Philanthropists, Investors and Policymakers (with D. Young and C. Brewer). Immediately prior to her time in Texas, she was an Assistant Professor of Public Administration and Policy at the Rockefeller College of Public Affairs and Policy, University at Albany (SUNY); she is also the former Director of the Institute of Nonprofit Leadership and Community Development at the University at Albany.

There are many methods for data analysis, but we often focus on technical methods. Veena Pankaj of Innovation Network joins me to discuss another approach – participatory data analysis. In this method, the “sensemaking” or interpretation phase of data analysis doesn’t take place in a black box (or the analyst’s cubicle…) in isolation. Instead, key stakeholders and frontline participants in the project are invited to view the data and results, and provide their own insights and interpretation.

This inclusive method has so many benefits that we explore in this episode. Whether you’re new to participatory data analysis, or new to evaluation all together, you’ll learn what a sensemaking session looks like, tools you can leverage to facilitate better discussions, why you really should make this part of your portfolio, and how to get started.

Veena Pankaj is a nonprofit leader with extensive experience in mixed-methods evaluation consulting and philanthropy. As the Director of Innovation Network, she works closely with funders and nonprofits to answer questions about program design, implementation, and impact. Veena is a fierce advocate of participatory learning and evaluation practices that center people and relationships. She offers a learning orientation that draws on a combination of principles from emergent learning and participatory evaluation to engage stakeholders in collaborative learning engagements designed to promote shared sensemaking and advance collective learning. Her experience ranges across topical areas such as health equity, civic engagement, and social justice. Veena received her MA in Social Science from the University of Chicago and her BA in Sociology from the University of Virginia. She has also completed a certification in organization development through Georgetown University, received a master certification in Emergent Learning in January 2020, and received an Associate Diversity Coach certification in August 2021.

Find and follow Veena on LinkedIn or on Twitter at @VeenaPankaj!

Today we explore the Practitioner Data Initiative (PDI) and what we can learn from their effective approaches to improve our own nonprofit data. We discuss the importance of taking a holistic approach to data, including measuring impact, collecting and managing data, and leveraging technology. Erin shares her organization's journey with PDI and the improvements they made in data collection and cleanup. Alberta explains how PDI helps organizations identify gaps and develop skills to achieve the next level of data. We'll also dive into recommendations for organizations to start their own data journey.   Takeaways

• Taking a holistic approach to data is essential for nonprofits to measure impact and make informed decisions.
• Building comfort and confidence with data requires a combination of technical capacities and a data culture.
• Prioritizing and making incremental improvements in data collection and processes can lead to significant progress.
• Defining terms and asking the right questions are crucial for effective data measurement and analysis.

Bios

Erin MacKenny has a background in education and close to 10 years of experience working in poverty reduction in the non-profit sector. Throughout her career she has developed a passion for evaluation as a means to understand impact. Currently she is the Program Director and Measurement, Evaluation and Learning Lead at the Saint John Learning Exchange in Saint John, NB Canada. In her role she leads the charge in developing stronger and more efficient data collection processes, creating and incorporating new tools, building the organization's data culture, and getting the team excited about the impact of their work. She loves to make talking about data fun and has been known to throw a great data party! 

Alberta Johnson is the Manager of Data Solutions and Strategy at Blueprint. She leads a team of amazing humans that work on both the Practitioner Data Initiative and Blueprint's Data Solutions team.The Practitioner Data Initiative is a portfolio of projects funded by the Future Skills Centre, that seeks to develop a set of tool to improve data capacity in the non-profit sector. This includes managing a team to work directly with non-profits and engaging in a set of strategic sector-wide research activities. Blueprint's Data Solutions team implements, manages, and integrates Salesforce to support Blueprint's various research activities. Using agile methodologies, we work with every research team across the organization to support the distribution of surveys and incentives, the tracking of administrative data for programs, reporting at the project/program level, and data security and management practices to ensure the protection of participant's research data.

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In this enlightening episode, join Alexandra as she engages in a thought-provoking conversation with Corey Newhouse, founder of Public Profit, about the essential intersection of values and evaluation in the nonprofit sector. Corey provides profound insights into the significance of aligning organizational values with the process of data collection and evaluation, challenging the extractive roots of traditional evaluation practices. They delve into the crucial role of values in shaping evaluation questions, data collection methods, and analysis, highlighting the need for a more inclusive and equitable approach. Corey talks about the Equitable Evaluation Initiative's principles and explores practical strategies for integrating values into the evaluation process. From language access to equity gap scores, they discuss tangible steps that nonprofits can take to humanize the data collection process and enhance its rigor. Whether you're a nonprofit professional or an advocate for social change, gain a deeper understanding of how to transform evaluation into a collaborative, values-driven endeavor that maximizes impact and promotes equity in the nonprofit world.

 

Corey Newhouse has been a dedicated advocate for educational equity and social justice since the 1990s. As the visionary founder of Public Profit, she spearheads a mission to empower purpose-driven organizations. Her dynamic leadership shapes the team's strategic direction, external relationships, and business development. Prior to that, Corey was a Senior Policy Associate with Children Now, supporting the policy team with data and evaluation, and as an Associate with HTA, a strategy and fundraising consulting firm.

Join Alexandra and data science guru, Peter Bull, as they dive into the fascinating world of data analytics and its impact on the nonprofit sector. They explore the common misconception that data science is only for large corporations and how nonprofits can leverage it to supercharge their impact. Learn about real-life data science projects that have made a difference for nonprofits, including the powerful combination of data and automation to free up human resources for more valuable tasks. Throughout the episode, Peter shares valuable insights on avoiding pitfalls when embarking on data science projects. He emphasizes the importance of starting simple and building iteratively towards more sophisticated solutions. You'll discover how having a strong data collection strategy and an observability mindset are critical for success in the data science world. Whether you're a nonprofit leader, data enthusiast, or simply intrigued by the power of data, this episode will leave you inspired to unlock the full potential of data science.

Peter Bull is the Principal Data Scientist and Co-founder at DrivenData, an organization dedicated to harnessing the power of data science for social good. With a passion for leveraging data to drive positive change, Peter has made significant strides in helping nonprofits and social organizations maximize their impact through data-driven decision-making.

In this episode, SaaS CFO, data nerd, and Excel fanatic Matt Brattin joins Alexandra to explore the key elements of successful data management. They emphasize the importance of consistency and integrity in data collection, as well as the need for data to be accurate and usable for its intended purpose. The conversation covers practical tips for cleaning and transforming data using Excel, highlighting its versatility as a beginner-friendly tool for data analytics. They also provide valuable resources for learning Excel and improving data literacy. This episode serves as a concise guide for those interested in harnessing the power of data through efficient data cleaning and Excel proficiency.

Matt Brattin is a SaaS CFO, data nerd, and Excel fanatic who uses his platform to help professionals "doing the work" learn new ways of thinking and doing that will propel them in their careers. As a nearly 20-year professional in the space, he's looking to support the development of the next generation of data leaders.

 

In this episode, we sat down with Rebecca Gosla of Simplicity Education to discuss what it takes to succeed as a data manager, how being a data manager can mean different things to different orgs, what the day to day experience of a data manager looks like, and what those of us who are not data managers can do to better support this role so that we all have the information that we need to be successful at the change we are trying to achieve.

Rebecca is an Associate at Simplicity Education. Her role at Simplicity focuses on building data analysis tools for the organization’s school partners and working with school leaders to gain actionable insights about their student data. Prior to working at Simplicity, Rebecca worked for four years at Codman Academy Charter Public School - a K-12 school serving 345 students - in Boston as the Data Manager and Student Recruitment & Enrollment Lead. Through her work, she doubled the number of recruitment events the school held, analyzed student achievement data, created dashboards to drive instructional and operational change, and spearheaded the school’s transition to a new gradebook. She is also Co-Chair of the Young Professionals Board for Friends of the Children-Boston, a non-profit dedicated to providing high-quality 1:1 mentoring.

Rebecca holds a master’s degree in Human Development and Psychology from Harvard Graduate School of Education and a bachelor’s degree in Cognitive Neuroscience from UC San Diego.