Data Visualization and Custom Dashboards with Jordan Remmes
Tatiana Knies-Smith
Tatiana Knies-Smith
Welcome back to Marketing Roundtable! In this episode, we sat down with Jordan Remmes, a Digital Producer specializing in data consulting and visualization.
With experience across various industries and a talent for storytelling, Jordan excels at transforming complex data into clear, actionable insights. Her ability to communicate these insights effectively, even to those unfamiliar with the intricacies of data science, makes her a standout in her field.
To understand Jordan’s unique approach, let’s take a closer look at how her background in storytelling laid the foundation for her work in data visualization.
We met Jordan through Philly Analytics’ Web Analytics Wednesday events, where she is a regular attendee and contributor. Recently, she served as a panelist for our Customer Data Platforms event.
Jordan has a remarkable talent for taking complex data concepts and making them understandable, even for those who don’t specialize in the field–something I particularly appreciate as a designer. After learning more about her diverse background and experiences beyond data science, it’s clear why she excels at breaking down complicated ideas.
Her journey began with a passion for storytelling that spanned various mediums. She started her college career studying Communications and Journalism. Eventually, she worked in the music industry, building websites for musicians, supporting marketing efforts, and creating ‘zines. (It was the 2000s!)
As her career evolved, Jordan transitioned into data science and analytics. Today, she leverages her storytelling skills to craft powerful data visualizations that are especially effective for executive decision-making.
Jordan is a strong advocate for the importance of data visualization. She emphasizes that no matter how much data you have or how well it’s tracked, it won’t make a difference if the decision-makers can’t understand it.
To effectively communicate insights, it’s crucial to consider who will be viewing the dashboard. Who is your audience? What’s important to them? What do they need to see?
Jordan suggests that it’s often better–no, necessary–to create different dashboards tailored to each stakeholder’s needs. For instance, a CFO, CMO, and Board Member each have different concerns, so their dashboards should highlight the specific information they care about. And always place the information they care about front and center.
Jordan honed her tailored reporting approach through trial and error. “You have to make sure you start out asking every single question that they could possibly need to have answered, whether that is the metrics and dimensions…or business needs,” she explains.
Success, according to Jordan, lies in telling the story clearly through effective visualizations so that executives can easily grasp the data and make informed decisions. To achieve this clarity, Jordan shares best practices for crafting dashboards that truly resonate with their audience.
When creating marketing dashboards, Jordan advocates for starting fresh with each new project. Regardless of how impressive a previous dashboard may have been, she recommends never reusing old designs.
That being said, there are some best practices you should follow. Jordan emphasizes the importance of incorporating the client’s branding into the dashboard, conducting research into industry-specific dashboard standards, and avoiding the duplication of content that’s already available in existing analytics tools.
Jordan places a strong emphasis on co-branding, ensuring that the dashboard aligns with the client’s brand identity.
"Co-branding is a huge thing," she says. "If this is ultimately going to a C-level executive, you need to make sure that it [looks] familiar to them. They want to look at something that reminds them of the brand they work for."
So thoroughly inspect the client’s site and grab those hex codes. Co-branding isn’t just important–it’s a must!
Independent research is a key component of Jordan’s process, no matter the field. After gathering information on what the executives want to see, she asks herself, “how do I make [the data] shine in this particular industry?”
Jordan likes to review templated dashboards specific to the industry to understand the standards and identify areas for improvement. These industry-specific insights influence her work more than any past projects because they ensure relevance and effectiveness.
You may also gain inspiration from outside data that may be relevant to the client’s industry. For example, in a seasonal industry like surfboard or camping equipment sales, external factors like weather can significantly impact performance.
"If you are using BigQuery, you can use weather tables and try and map out things like that," Jordan explains. "And then you can visualize it so you can compare it against your sales."
This context is invaluable because some factors are beyond control, yet they play a crucial role in decision-making.
When creating custom dashboards, Jordan advises against recreating charts or information already available in analytics tools. “Don’t recreate anything they can already see in Salesforce, Google Analytics, or Adobe,” she cautions.
However, stakeholders sometimes want more than what’s provided in a focused, custom dashboard. So what happens if they ask, “That’s great. Is there more?”
Jordan suggests including links to additional resources for stakeholders and tooltips with instructions for accessing them. Whether it involves credentials or emailing someone, ensure the information is accessible.
As Jordan notes, you may be designing a data dashboard, but “you need to think about user experience the whole time.”
As we wrap up, there are two takeaways from our conversation with Jordan that apply regardless of your specialty: always ask questions and practice. Curiosity doesn’t have to end with a single accomplishment–it can be an ongoing journey, which is especially fitting for the ever-evolving tech industry.
If you’re just starting, begin by doing and celebrate the process as you build your portfolio. Jordan reminds us to take pride in our work, even when we notice flaws in hindsight. “You were learning, and the tools were changing. It shows that you are able to accommodate.”
Watch or listen to the full episode of Marketing Roundtable to hear our entire conversation with Jordan. It was a pleasure speaking with her about data visualization, and we look forward to seeing her at the next Philly Analytics event!
See you next time, at the Roundtable.
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