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Artwork for Data + Love
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Data + Love

Zach Bowders

The intersection of Data Analysis and Passion.

Casual Conversations with Data Pros + Artists and Bite-Sized Data Stories

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  • 20 episodes
  • Avg 44 min
  • English

Episodes 20

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  • July 8 · 49 min

    Data + Love = Authenticity, Engagement, and Growth with Blake Feiza

    Zach and Blake had an informal conversation about data visualization, community engagement, and AI's impact on creative work. Blake shared his journey into the Tableau community through Makeover Monday, where he was inspired by Matt Huff and Andy Kriebel, and eventually became a co-leader of the community project. They discussed the importance of finding authentic ways to engage with the community, with Blake launching live streams of his Makeover Monday work on Fridays to be more transparent about his process. The conversation also covered the limitations of AI-generated content, with both agreeing that authentic human creativity becomes more valuable when content is easily replicable by machines.

  • April 30 · 26 min

    Data + Love = What We Ask Google with Simon Rogers

    Simon Rogers drops in to discuss his latest book 'What We Ask Google', available May 5, 2026 Simon is Google’s Data Editor, leading a team of data journalists, analysts, and visualizers to tell stories with Google’s data. Previously, he was Twitter’s first ever Data Editor, and he is also the author of Facts Are Sacred, based on the Guardian’s Datablog which he helped launch. A lecturer in Data Journalism at Medill-Northwestern University in San Francisco, he has received the Royal Statistical Society’s award for statistical excellence in journalism. He lives with this family in San Francisco.

  • April 15 · 42 min

    Data + Love = Confections, Creativity, and IronViz with Brian Moore

    This week Iron Viz 2026 Finalist and Tableau Visionary Brian Moore drops in Zach and Brian discussed Brian's preparation for the upcoming IronViz competition at Tableau Conference, where Brian will present his "Confection Connection" visualization about candy company conglomerations. They explored Brian's approach to creating data visualizations, including his methodical process of researching and manually building datasets, his technical design choices like using Tableau polygons for backgrounds, and his philosophy of balancing information density with storytelling clarity. Brian shared insights about his extensive Tableau Public project portfolio, revealing he spends 3-4 hours per night for months at a time on each major project, and discussed his experience networking with other community members and preparing for the live presentation format. The conversation also covered Brian's previous work, including his cryptid classifications project and Wes Anderson movie visualizations, highlighting how he approaches similar topics from different angles using varied chart types and design elements.

  • March 5 · 58 min

    Data + Love = Dim Sum, Long-Form, and Iron Viz with Kevin Wee

    Tableau Visionary and Iron Viz 2026 Finalist Kevin Wee stops by Zach and Kevin discussed Kevin's upcoming participation in IronViz at Tableau Conference 2026, where he will present a visualization on dim sum nutrition data. They reviewed Kevin's previous IronViz entry and his creative approach to visualizing food data, including the use of ternary charts and scatterplots. Kevin shared his experience preparing for IronViz, including the challenges of long-form storytelling and the importance of engaging visuals. They also discussed Kevin's passion for food-related data visualization and his plans for future projects. The conversation touched on the broader topic of data storytelling and its potential to educate and engage audiences.

  • February 18 · 46 min

    Data + Love = Mars Produce, Design Influences, and Iron Viz with Ann Pregler

    Iron Viz 2026 Finalist and Tableau Ambassador Ann Pregler is on the Pod Zach and Ann discussed Ann's approach to data visualization and storytelling, highlighting her use of long-form vizzes and her process of starting with a design idea rather than a dataset. They explored Ann's influences, including her background in teaching and her admiration for other designers in the Tableau community. They also discussed the challenges of finding inspiration and the importance of letting go of initial ideas when they don't work out.

  • January 21 · 1 hr 5 min

    Data + Love = Commitment, Courage, and Creativity with Ojoswi Basu

    Makeover Monday co-lead and Tableau Ambassador Ojo Basu joins the pod Zach and Ojo discuss Ojo's journey from being camera-shy and an immigrant with an accent to becoming more present and social within the data community, including his experiences with Makeover Monday and Tableau video tutorials. They explored the importance of adding unique perspectives to the community and the challenges of providing feedback on submissions. The conversation concluded with discussions about productivity, creativity, and the value of structured projects like Makeover Monday for developing skills and building meaningful connections in the data visualization community. Check out Ojo's YouTube channel Data2Visuals

  • January 7 · 58 min

    Data + Love = Enhancing Communication, Data Industry Changes, and Conference Insights with Will Perkins

    The infamous Will Perkins is back on Data + Love (on strict probationary parole) after his ban. Zach and Will dive into how careers in data are getting flipped upside-down by AI. Spoiler: adaptability and relentless learning aren’t optional anymore. They wrap with pro tips on communicating like a human (not a robot), what’s cooking at the upcoming Tableau conference, and some hilariously candid takes on personal rebranding and the time Will accidentally became a minor celebrity. Buckle up, this one’s equal parts spicy, practical, and slightly chaotic.

  • Dec 25, 2025 · 1 hr 1 min

    Data + Love = Evolution, Authenticity, and Impact with Andy Kriebel

    Tableau Hall of Fame Visionary, Next Level Tableau Founder, and former Makeover Monday co-lead Andy Kriebel is the final guest of season 6! Zach and Andy dive deep into the evolving Tableau community landscape. They unpack the challenges and opportunities for engagement amid major shifts, like Salesforce's acquisition of Tableau, and the migration of vibrant discussions from Twitter to LinkedIn. Andy shares his concerns about the waning emphasis on Tableau Desktop at events such as DataFam Europe, while both host and guest stress the vital role community plays in sparking innovation and keeping users inspired. The conversation also explores fresh strategies to attract and retain members in this changing era. Plus, Andy offers valuable insights from his teaching with Next Level Tableau, highlighting how it accelerates skill-building and creates a supportive space for users ready to elevate their expertise. A must-listen for anyone passionate about the future of the Tableau ecosystem!

  • Dec 11, 2025 · 1 hr 8 min

    Data + Love = Fractured Wrists, Universal Design, and Fundraising Analytics with Roshni Gohil

    Roshni Gohil (MIT) drops by and we revisit her excellent Tableau Conference 2025 presentation on Universal Design (and how it ties into wrist trauma!) We take a big tangent and get into both of our shared history in fundraising. All the Tableau User Groups: ⁠https://usergroups.tableau.com⁠ Accessibility TUG: ⁠https://usergroups.tableau.com/accessibility-tableau-user-group/⁠ Higher Education TUG: ⁠https://usergroups.tableau.com/higher-education-tableau-user-group/⁠ Data Guide in Tableau: ⁠https://help.tableau.com/current/online/en-us/data_guide.htm⁠

  • Oct 29, 2025 · 56 min

    Data + Love = Gaming Telemetry, Pricing Models, and Industry Shakeups with Louis Yu

    Gaming Industry analyst and #GamesNightViz co-Lead Louis Yu pops in We talk about the rise of indie studios and collapse of major studios, dissect pricing models (some predatory, and break down player data telemetry Make sure to check out Louis LinkedIn group for the gaming industry and his show 'Secrets of the Viz'

  • Sep 24, 2025 · 45 min

    Data + Love = Learning Tableau 2025 with Joshua Milligan

    Joshua Milligan is a Hall of Fame Tableau Visionary and the author of the 'Learning Tableau Series' In this episode we talk about the new volume, the exciting changes coming to the product, and how we expect to work collaboratively with AI in the future.I'm giving away a copy of Learning Tableau 2025, ⁠⁠click here⁠⁠ to register to win before October 7, 2025 Or order your own copy, available now

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