The Powered by Data Show

Every leader claims to be "data-driven," yet most organizations still can't turn data and AI ambition into operational reality. In this episode of the Powered by Data Show, Ben Jones sits down with Patrick McGarry, Federal Chief Data Officer at ServiceNow, to talk about his new book, The Adaptive Organization: Leading Change in the AI Era. Patrick makes the case that transformation r...

The Powered by Data Show, Episode 003In this episode of The Powered by Data Show, Ben Jones sits down with Rachel Herrera of Hex to explore how AI is changing the day-to-day work of data analysts, and why that shift may be better news than many people think. Instead of spending all their time writing repetitive SQL, cleaning messy data, and rebuilding the same dashboards, analysts now have an oppo...

The Powered by Data Show, Episode 002 Ellie Fields helped shape the self-service analytics era at Tableau. Now, as CEO & co-founder of Ridge AI, she’s helping build what comes next. In this episode, Ben Jones and Ellie dig into the big question of whether dashboards are dead, where conversational AI breaks down, and how dashboards plus data agents may work together to create a better analytics...

In this episode of  The Powered by Data Show , Ben Jones and Alli Torban introduce the podcast’s new name and vision, exploring why the conversation around data has shifted from understanding to action. They discuss what’s holding BI back from its full potential, how AI is changing the way people interact with data, and what listeners can expect from the show going forward, including real-world st...

In this episode of The Data Literacy Show , Ben Jones (CEO of Data Literacy) and Alli Torban (Senior Data Literacy Advocate) tackle a question they’re hearing everywhere: “Is our data ready for AI — and what does ‘ready’ really mean?” We introduce DF4AI (Data Foundations for AI) , which is a practical 10-minute self-assessment that helps organizations understand their AI readiness without chasing...

In this episode of The Data Literacy Show , Ben Jones and Alli Torban share 12 predictions for data literacy in 2026 , based on key lessons from the past year. They explore what leaders should watch for as data and AI become more embedded in everyday work — from the growing importance of measurement and human skills to the evolving role of AI, storytelling, and organizational change. Show notes: h...

In this episode of  The Data Literacy Show , Ben Jones (CEO of Data Literacy) and Alli Torban (Senior Data Literacy Advocate) talk with Neil Richards , an award-winning data visualization expert and former Global Data Fluency Lead at JLL, about what it  really  takes to build and sustain a data literacy program inside an organization.  He’ll share tips on… Securing early wins and leadership buy-in...

In this episode of The Data Literacy Show, Ben Jones (CEO of Data Literacy) and Alli Torban (Senior Data Literacy Advocate) share a practical framework to help you identify strong AI automation candidates, reduce risk, and keep quality high over time. Topics covered: How to use the Frequency–Complexity Matrix to spot good automation opportunities How to evaluate a task’s exception rate and decide...

In this episode of The Data Literacy Show , Ben Jones (CEO of Data Literacy) and Alli Torban (Senior Data Literacy Advocate) share what makes a strong AI strategy and guide you through the first steps to building one for your organization. Topics covered: What an AI strategy is and the seven important parts of a strong AI strategy Common mistakes organizations make The first three practical steps...

In this episode of The Data Literacy Show , hosts Ben Jones (CEO of Data Literacy) and Alli Torban (Senior Data Literacy Advocate) share the most common training styles (on-demand, live virtual, in-person, hybrid, cohort-based, and project-based) and the pros and cons of each. Topics covered: Why on-demand training is great for scalability but often needs added accountability How live virtual sess...

In this episode of The Data Literacy Show , hosts Ben Jones (CEO of Data Literacy) and Alli Torban (Senior Data Literacy Advocate) share 3 smart chart swaps that instantly improve the clarity and impact of your data graphics. Whether you're presenting to executives or designing reports, these quick swaps help your audience grasp what matters. Topics covered: Why using two pie charts to show ch...

In this episode of The Data Literacy Show , hosts Ben Jones (CEO of Data Literacy) and Alli Torban (Senior Data Literacy Advocate) introduce their newest initiative: Data Freelancers , a vetted marketplace connecting companies with trusted data and AI experts. They share why they built the platform, how it differs from traditional freelance sites, and what companies can expect when hiring top-tier...

In this episode of The Data Literacy Show, hosts Ben Jones (CEO of Data Literacy) and Alli Torban (Senior Data Literacy Advocate) explore what the best data stories have in common. Drawing from years of experience and the development of their new course, Data Storytelling for IMPACT, they highlight three essential traits that make data stories impactful, memorable, and persuasive. Topics covered:...

In this episode of The Data Literacy Show , hosts Ben Jones (CEO of Data Literacy) and Alli Torban (Senior Data Literacy Advocate) introduce a structured, tool-agnostic framework for analyzing data: the WISDOM Framework. Created by Ben, this four-phase process—Wonder, Shape, Discover, and Mature—helps you think critically, uncover meaningful insights, and turn those insights into action, no matter...

In this episode of The Data Literacy Show , hosts Ben Jones (CEO of Data Literacy) and Alli Torban (Senior Data Literacy Advocate) introduce a smarter, iterative way to build data stories. They share how using small tests at every step of the process—based on the IMPACT framework—can save you time, reduce frustration, and dramatically increase your chances of success. Topics covered: Why data stor...

In this episode of The Data Literacy Show , hosts Ben Jones (CEO of Data Literacy) and Alli Torban (Senior Data Literacy Advocate) share the basics of Artificial Intelligence (AI) . This is a super-simple primer to help you join the AI conversation! Topics we cover: What is AI? Basic definitions Examples of AI that we use every day Common myths or misconceptions If you want to learn more about AI...

In this episode of The Data Literacy Show , hosts Ben Jones (CEO of Data Literacy) and Alli Torban (Senior Data Literacy Advocate) explore three essential—but often ignored—traits that separate truly data-savvy professionals from the rest. Topics we cover: Why adaptability is a must-have mindset in today’s fast-changing data landscape How a culture of continuous improvement leads to better data qu...

How do you know if your data and AI literacy program is actually working? In this inaugural episode of The Data Literacy Show, hosts Ben Jones (CEO of Data Literacy) and Alli Torban (Senior Data Literacy Advocate) tackle one of the most pressing questions for organizations embarking on their data and AI literacy journeys: How do you measure success? Topics we cover: The difference between objectiv...

Welcome to The Data Literacy Show — the podcast that helps organizations build, measure, and level up their data and AI literacy. The show is hosted by Ben Jones , co-founder and CEO of Data Literacy, and Alli Torban , Senior Data Literacy Advocate, and we want to share everything we've learned from years of training thousands of people across industries in data and AI literacy. In each episod...