Brandi’s Comments (group member since Aug 13, 2022)

Brandi’s comments from the Data Book Club group.

This spring we will be reading The Data Storyteller's Handbook: How to create business impact using data storytelling by Kat Greenbrook.

"The Data Storyteller’s Handbook is your practical, illustrated guide to becoming a skilled Data Storyteller. Based on a proven workshop structure and designed for busy professionals, it's the perfect resource to quickly enhance your data communication skills."

We can use this discussion post to discuss the book asynchronously, but there is a Slack group as well. Link to Slack: https://join.slack.com/t/datacareerss...

Additionally, I will be hosting virtual meetings to discuss live. We will be meeting via Google Meet starting April 25th at 11am CT
- Friday, April 25th: Chapters 1 - 2 (https://calendar.google.com/calendar/...)
- Friday, May 9th: Chapters 3 - 4 (https://calendar.google.com/calendar/...)
- Friday, May 23rd: Chapters 5 - 7 (https://calendar.google.com/calendar/...)

Happy reading!

This winter we will be reading A Mind for Numbers: How to Excel at Math and Science (Even If You Flunked Algebra) by Barbara Oakley PhD.

"Whether you are a student struggling to fulfill a math or science requirement, or you are embarking on a career change that requires a new skill set, A Mind for Numbers offers the tools you need to get a better grasp of that intimidating material. ... Dr. Oakley lets us in on the secrets to learning effectively—secrets that even dedicated and successful students wish they’d known earlier. The learning strategies in this book apply not only to math and science, but to any subject in which we struggle."

We will use this discussion post to discuss asynchronously, but there is a Slack group as well. Link to Slack: https://join.slack.com/t/datacareerss...

Additionally, I will be hosting virtual meetings to discuss live. We will be meeting via Google Meet starting January 31st at 11am CT
- Friday, January 31: Chapters 1 - 5 (https://calendar.google.com/calendar/...)
- Friday, February 14: Chapters 6 - 11 (https://calendar.google.com/calendar/...)
- Friday, February 28: Chapters 12 - 18 (https://calendar.google.com/calendar/...)

Happy reading!

Hi all!

I wanted to introduce myself as I am a new "moderator". My name is Brandi Beals and I am based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin in the United States. I'm heavily involved in the Tableau community, and by extension the data community. I run a few different user groups, post regularly on LinkedIn, and host the Data Careers Summit.

In 2020 I started a Data Book Club (outside Goodreads) that was my way of staying connected to the data community through the pandemic. My goal was to read 4 data books a year (one each season) and discuss it with other data folks. It wasn't until last year that I thought to use Goodreads as a way to reach like-minded people.

Lorena was kind enough to give me moderator access to this group, so I will be updating the description slightly and I hope to post regularly about upcoming book selections. In the Data Book Club that I run, we meet via video call to discuss the book and you are all welcome to join! We also have a Slack space to share links. If you Google "Brandi Beals Data Book Club" all the necessary information should pop up.

I'm looking forward to engaging more with this group and getting to know you all!

Happy New Year,
Brandi Beals

This fall we will be reading Factfulness: Ten Reasons We're Wrong About the World – and Why Things Are Better Than You Think by Hans Rosling, with Ola Rosling and Anna Rosling Rönnlund. In this book the authors "reveal the ten instincts that distort our perspective―from our tendency to divide the world into two camps (usually some version of us and them) to the way we consume media (where fear rules) to how we perceive progress (believing that most things are getting worse). Our problem is that we don’t know what we don’t know, and even our guesses are informed by unconscious and predictable biases."

Sign up here: https://www.brandibeals.com/p/databoo...

The book club I organize is reading Chart Spark (https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2...) this summer. Sign up to get the details in your inbox: https://datacareerssummit.com/links

I do not own this group, but I do run my own Data Book Club and wanted to invite you all. We are going to be reading Living in Data by Jer Thorp this summer.

Live discussions are held every two weeks on Fridays at 11am central time while the book is being read or you can share your thoughts here or on Slack. Each meeting aims to discuss roughly 100 pages. Meeting dates have been set and I'll be sending an official email soon, but below are the meeting dates.

🔹 Friday, July 28th : Chapters 1 - 4
🔹 Friday, August 11th : Chapters 5 - 10
🔹 Friday, August 25th : Chapters 11 - 14

Interested? Here's how to join:

◾ Sign up at https://www.brandibeals.com/p/databoo...
◾ Get the book
◾ Join the group on Slack (optional, but very valuable)
◾ Add the meetings to your calendar (sent via email and Slack)

That's it. There is no commitment, though the experience is what you make of it. If life gets busy and you can't attend the meetings, no problem. If you prefer to engage virtually, our Slack group is a great way to share resources and still participate in the discussion. Engage in whatever way is meaningful to you. I hope to see you there!

Hi y'all! My name is Brandi Beals and I have been working in the data analytics field for the past 12 years... pretty much my entire career. Currently, I manage the data analytics practice at an investment firm. A few years ago I got my masters degree in data science and am working on enabling that capability in my organization.

I'm actively involved in the data community -- mostly with other Tableau folks, though I am an Alteryx and Python user as well. I help to organize an event called Data Careers Summit, which helps people break into and move up in the field of analytics.

Additionally, I run something called the Data Book Club, which is how I came across this group on Goodreads. My group reads a book every season (winter, spring, summer, and fall) and we have a few meetings where we get together to discussion the book selection. Anyone is welcome to join. You can sign up here: https://www.brandibeals.com/p/databoo...