Category Archives: information

There are only 6 graphs you’ll ever see on a performance report and they’re all rubbish. Here they are.

Posted on March 21, 2017 by

This is Performance Cat, and she doesn’t like rubbish performance reporting. And she definitely doesn’t like dumbass explanations for meaningless shapes in graphs… One of the more adorable features of performance reporting in normal ordinary command and control organisations is … Continue reading →

Posted in data, information, leadership, questions, setting a numerical target is like..., statistics, systems thinking | Tagged , , , , | 5 Comments

I don’t know much about control charts (but I know what I like)

Posted on February 19, 2016 by

I’ve never been trained in using control charts, never passed a test or worked with anyone who’s knowledgeable in them. Everything I’ve learned has been off of the Internet Or books, books as well, they’re famously good for learning. Cunninghams Law … Continue reading →

Posted in data, deming, information, learning, measures, statistics, systems thinking | Tagged , , , , | 1 Comment

The house that looks like Hitler

Posted on June 13, 2015 by

Remember the house that looks like Hitler? Course you do, it’s a house that looks like Hitler. What’s to forget? There’s loads of things that look like faces. There is the tampon machine that just loves checkin’ the ladies out… … Continue reading →

Posted in human brains are weird, information, psychology, statistics, systems thinking | Tagged , , | 2 Comments

How to start a library of dead ideas

Posted on July 24, 2013 by

A great big Nazi bomb couldn’t scare these gents off their knowledge. But you wouldn’t need a bomb in most organisations. Not because people don’t like knowledge, but because you need a memory to have knowledge.  Memory and knowledge aren’t about memorising lists of facts, like … Continue reading →

Posted in data, information, learning, me doing it, public sector | Tagged , | Leave a comment

How to lie with statistics

Posted on March 14, 2013 by

Remember those bags o’cash? Here’s some more, in an infographic showing the increase in personal tax allowance over several years. And me holding up the relevant page in a book called “How to lie with statistics” all about how showing … Continue reading →

Posted in communication, data, information | 2 Comments

How would you like to die?

Posted on March 10, 2013 by

Quietly in a bed? Or with a pitchfork through your head? Data shows that there may not be much difference in the pain and anguish in either of these situations. The first of these infographics below is about the probable details of your … Continue reading →

Posted in communication, information, statistics, systemz comix | Tagged , | Leave a comment

Hire the kid

Posted on March 4, 2013 by

Here is a bar chart I did in Excel. And here is what it was based on, a school kids project. I used the same data, but mine has none of the class. A brilliant example of instinctive use of … Continue reading →

Posted in communication, data, information | Tagged , | 3 Comments

chocolate-bar-chart

Posted on December 4, 2012 by

A bar chart of the popularity of chocolates in an office in the run up to Christmas

Posted in data, information, very short posts | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

cosmic latte

Posted on September 21, 2012 by

That colour is the average colour of the universe. Really. It is called Cosmic Latte, if your interested in getting some paint for your living room. “Oh, youve decorated?” a friend will say. “Is it Misty Buff?“, they will ask. … Continue reading →

Posted in data, information, statistics, systems thinking, Uncategorized | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

Radiators and sinks

Posted on August 14, 2012 by

The best place to hide information is on a computer. The worst place to hide information is on a wall in public view. So why is the default performance information system made of expensive software and not made of blue … Continue reading →

Posted in information, systems thinking | Tagged | 10 Comments