8/29/2016Using data to build better products and companies is an ever-changing science. You have to always confront your assumptions and learn if you want to succeed. Whether you’re an industry veteran or starting from scratch, it always pays to get advice from the best of the best. Subscribing to email newsletters written by experts on growth and analytics is a great way to build a habit around this kind of learning. Here are five that stand out from the rest. Written by entrepreneurs, data scientists, growth marketers and venture capitalists, each one offers unique insight into the process of using data to make better decisions and build a better company. Brian Balfour’s monthly essays, published on his blog Coelevate, contain some of the best writing out there on growth and user acquisition. Subscribers to his email list get them in their inbox once a month before they go up on the site. Each essay dives into a part of his Scientific Method to growth and expands on how to implement each step. Balfour is one of the most experienced growth experts in the industry. He was VP of Growth of HubSpot for two years, where he led teams working on projects like Sidekick.
Recent Posts
Will Marketplaces Disrupt the Data Analytics Industry?
Few weeks ago, I came across Rocketgraph. This is a new platform that offers custom reports based on cloud data sources. While the concept is not new, what sets this company apart is the reports & dashboards are sold to users in a marketplace. The platform brings the analytics buyers and sellers together and provides the infrastructure. For years, many vendors have promised custom out-of-the-box solutions. In a majority of cases, most businesses require significant customizations. Will a marketplace approach to analytics offer an intermediate solution with significant time & cost savings? I interviewed Rocketgraph co-founder Constantine Nikitiadis to found out. Take a listen.
The US Election 2016 in Popular Votes · Lisa Charlotte Rost
Take a look at the refreshing data visualization on popular votes by Lisa Charlotte Rost. In this dense data graphic, she remarkably accomplishes information visualization, education, and election storytelling in one visual. A refreshing break from electoral maps!
The Limitations of Data and Benchmarks
Data visualization blogosphere is filled with great ideas and inspiration. What is missing is the candid conversations about the limitations of data. Unfortunately, finding quality content on this topic is like finding a needle in a haystack. So, when one of the greatest thought leaders in SaaS data world wrote on this topic, I feel obligated to share it with you. Here is Tomasz Tunguz on the limitations of data.
The Myth of Self-Service Analytics
Self-service has been a buzzword in the analytics industry for the last few years. While the self-service movement has been instrumental in bringing about rapid decision making and empowering business users get answers to their data questions, one has to be aware of the key skills still required. Stephen Few highlights this important foundation of building a data-driven culture.
Introducing Graphic Continuum Flash Cards
52 different charts in flash cards. Need I say more? Here are the first of its kind flash cards for charts & graphs from PolicyViz. Use them for teaching, researching, or spurring your imagination.
10 Reasons Why Discovering Tableau Is Like Finding Your Significant Other
In this article, we will look at how you can interactively plan for different scenarios to model the growth of your startup by working with the tool developed at Vizually Labs. Before we begin, let us look at what is Fundamental Unit of Growth (FUG) and then look at the tool below.
How to Improve Hierarchy in Tableau
In this technical tutorial Amanda Patist from The Information Lab explains how default hierarchy drill down behavior in Tableau can be enhanced to allow selective drill down. To implement this functionality she has parameter control and Tableau Javascript API.
Six Data Visualization Short Stories
Should you use stream chart, packed bubble, sunburst or a waffle chart? Avinash Kaushik looks at six examples of how different data visualizations can help explain the data better.
How Computers Have Started Designing Your Clothes
How the next piece of clothing you buy may be designed by computers? The team at Stitch Fix shares how they use data science to design a blouse.
The Trouble with Chernoff
Chernoff visualization symbolizes data using faces. Martin Elmer discusses how Chernoff does a poor job of communicating information and why you should avoid it.