MarTech Podcast ™ // Marketing + Technology = Business Growth

Episode: The Biggest Data Visualization Mistake
Date: September 23, 2025
Host: Benjamin Shapiro
Guest: Steven Roach, VP of Ecosystems and AI, Qualified Digital

Overview

In this episode, host Benjamin Shapiro sits down with Steven Roach of Qualified Digital to unpack “the biggest data visualization mistake” that affects executive decision-making at Fortune 500 companies. They delve into the challenges of communicating data insights effectively, the pitfalls of overcomplicating dashboards, and the changing landscape of report-building with the advent of AI.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Data Visualization Pitfalls in Fortune 500 Companies

(01:15 – 01:39)

• Steven Roach identifies the chief mistake: “Burying the business impact metrics in a sea of charts and not really reviewing or getting to the impact insights.”
• He observes that executives seek straightforward, actionable summaries: “My executives only want what is impacting their business in plain text. Numbers are up, numbers are down. Here’s the correlations to why. Those are the most important things.” (01:39)
• The allure of complex, beautiful charts often overshadows the need for clarity: “We often bury that [impact] into fancy charts which are really beautiful. I’ve created a ton of them. But we need to get to the impact of why that is. What’s the correlation? Why is that correlation there?” (01:39)

2. The Need for Integration of AI in Data Tools

(01:39 – 02:31)

• Roach highlights the emerging necessity of AI integration for extracting actionable insights:
  “Integrating AI components in those tools in the future is going to be a massive thing... We need to make sure AI inputs or components are actually within these tools to get to the deeper details that our executives may be looking for.” (01:39)
• He predicts industry-wide consolidation and a drive for smarter platforms: “I wouldn’t be surprised if there’s a consolidation of platforms in the next five years... because there is a lack of input, lack of AI integration, and things like that.” (01:39)

3. Shifts in Reporting & Data Consumption

(03:03 – 03:48)

• Benjamin Shapiro reflects on how accessible reporting tools have led to “data bloat” and less critical thinking about key metrics:
  • “It used to be so hard to build these customized reports that you really had to know the number you wanted to look at... Now it’s easy. And we’re drowning in this sort of fog, this sea of data bloat, and we essentially lost a little dog fighting skills to understand what metrics really matter.” (03:03)

Notable Quotes

• Steven Roach (01:39):

  “Burying the business impact metrics in a sea of charts and not really reviewing or getting to the impact insights.”

• Steven Roach (01:39):

  “My executives only want what is impacting their business in plain text. Numbers are up, numbers are down. Here’s the correlations to why. Those are the most important things.”

• Steven Roach (01:39):

  “Integrating AI components in those tools in the future is going to be a massive thing. You know, I wouldn’t be surprised if there’s a consolidation of platforms in the next five years...”

• Benjamin Shapiro (03:03):

  “We’re drowning in this sort of fog, this sea of data bloat, and we essentially lost a little dog fighting skills to understand what metrics really matter.”

Key Moments & Timestamps

• 01:15 – Introduction of Steven Roach and the central question about data visualization mistakes
• 01:39 – Roach details the main mistake: burying actionable metrics; the executive preference for plain-language impact
• 02:00 – Importance of correlation and actionable insights over aesthetic dashboards
• 02:30 – Growing role and necessity for AI-powered data visualization tools
• 03:03 – Shapiro’s observation on “data bloat” and lowered threshold for insightful data
• 03:48 – Episode conclusion and closing thoughts

Summary Takeaway

Executive stakeholders don’t want to sift through overly complex dashboards—they want clear, succinct, and insightful summaries that tell them precisely how metrics impact the business. The proliferation of easy-to-make reports has made it harder, not easier, to surface what matters. The future points toward AI-driven consolidation and smarter platforms that will help cut through the data fog and put decisions back in focus.