--- title: "The100: Data visualisation, designed systems, and marble runs" description: Ear candy The Right Honourable Lord of Marketing, Russell Davies, was interviewed as part of Google’s excellent Firestarters series. On data, he said (45:00):  “The data gold rush era is declining. We’ve never had more data about our customers and we understand them less and less […] People with intuition and empathy will get disproportionate … image: https://hello.watchmethink.com/hubfs/The100%20Banners%20(1920%20x%201080%20px)%20(90).png --- [![Bombayworks logotype](https://hello.watchmethink.com/hubfs/raw_assets/public/WatchMeThink_September_2023/images/wmt-logo_inverse.svg "Bombayworks logotype")](https://watchmethink.com/) - [What we do](https://watchmethink.com/#) - [Watch Me Explore](https://watchmethink.com/what-we-do/watch-me-explore) - [Watch Me Develop](https://watchmethink.com/what-we-do/watch-me-develop) - [Watch Me Use](https://watchmethink.com/what-we-do/watch-me-use) - [Watch Me Shop](https://watchmethink.com/what-we-do/watch-me-shop) - [Who it's for](https://watchmethink.com/#) - [Consumer Insights](https://watchmethink.com/who-its-for/consumer-insights) - [Shopper Insights](https://watchmethink.com/who-its-for/shopper-insights) - [Category Management](https://watchmethink.com/who-its-for/category-mangement) - [Innovation & Product Development](https://watchmethink.com/who-its-for/innovation) - [Sensory & Consumer Science](https://watchmethink.com/who-its-for/consumer-science) - [Packaging](https://watchmethink.com/who-its-for/packaging) - [Marketing](https://watchmethink.com/who-its-for/marketing) - [About](https://watchmethink.com/about) - [The 100 Blog](https://blog.watchmethink.com/) - [Contact](https://watchmethink.com/contact) - [Login](https://watchmethink.com/dashboard) - [Sign up](https://watchmethink.com/#) - [Corporate users](https://watchmethink.com/account/register/client) - [Request registration here](https://watchmethink.com/account/register/client) - [Consumer](https://watchmethink.com/account/register/contributor) - [Get paid to review products](https://watchmethink.com/account/register/contributor) Menu # The100: Data visualisation, designed systems, and marble runs - Home - [Blog](https://hello.watchmethink.com/blog) - The100: Data visualisation, designed systems, and marble runs - [Blog home /](https://hello.watchmethink.com/blog) [Alistair Vince](https://hello.watchmethink.com/blog/author/alistair-vince) 03/25/2022 [The100](https://hello.watchmethink.com/blog/tag/the100), [Homepage](https://hello.watchmethink.com/blog/tag/homepage) [0 Comments](https://hello.watchmethink.com/blog/the100-data-visualisation-designed-systems-and-marble-runs#postComment) 2 Minutes ## Ear candy The Right Honourable Lord of Marketing, [Russell Davies, was interviewed](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JPvq4jJPGWo) as part of Google’s excellent Firestarters series. On data, he said (45:00):  > *“The data gold rush era is declining. We’ve never had more data about our customers and we understand them less and less \[…\] People with intuition and empathy will get disproportionate results and start to be rewarded for that”* Whilst The Right Honourable Lord of Planning, [Martin Weigel, spoke along a similar thread:](https://www.onstrategyshowcase.com/episode/when-labels-are-used-in-strategy-as-proxies-for-genuine-knowledge)  > *“There is no substitute for a face to face conversation with a member of your audience \[…\] Because when you’re talking about audiences and brands and strategies, who do we imagine in our mind’s eye when we’re doing that? I think an abstract avatar probably these days increasingly versus, I could readily imagine what a Sheffield beer drinker looks like, because I talk to them.”* ## Dangerously homogeneous Continuing his ability to upend my brain, Rory Sutherland has written about [evolved systems vs. designed systems.](https://www.spectator.co.uk/article/the-link-between-motorway-service-stations-and-shortages-of-ppe) The former creates many complementary answers, whilst the latter provides just one.  > *“This distinction may explain the phenomenon during the pandemic of a shortage of PPE but no noticeable shortage of jam. The vagaries of consumer taste create a high level of redundancy in the jam market, while centrally procured PPE was vulnerable to single bottlenecks: all masks required elastic ear-loops \[…\] Where there were consumer shortages, it was in toilet paper and Marmite, for which there are few substitutes.”* ## The Digerati Talking of many complimentary answers, could this be the reason for various acquisitions of DNVB/DTC brands by manufacturers? Sam Brealey looks at [whether DNVB/DTC is just a launch phase for brands today.](https://samuelbrealey.substack.com/p/dtcheavenorhell?s=r&utm_medium=email) > *“The digerati will say that DNVB is the future for business and that massive brands can learn from them. I’m sure many can learn from them, as I mentioned regarding Dollar Shave Club – but the idea that a new era of disruptive competition being ushered in is pants.”* ## The epidemic of feedback A thread to make you laugh. And cry. All at the same time. Here are some of [the best, worst feedback requests.](https://twitter.com/johnjsills/status/1501473413226979328?s=20&t=myu4W-vp1Q6Aekr3GLWvhg) Eurgh. ![](https://hello.watchmethink.com/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/TSI0urD1U78cvGJ2oC9jhZij9s8nJtcuVIhTHfztj9wtIg0r2F0RUDMNjMLOJqmgfbseqS-2-acJn4R2skChXVn5mqKi7kB1F-XEBrtrbhnTKHVBnqdlA3pjHlPstVMrX_S_4VQ_-1.png)   ## Finger, meet wind YouGov recently published their research into [our ability to estimate the size of demographic groups.](https://today.yougov.com/topics/politics/articles-reports/2022/03/15/americans-misestimate-small-subgroups-population) The biggest overestimation is ‘members of a union’ (estimate 35%, actual 4%). The biggest underestimation is ‘people who read a book in the last year’ (estimate 50%, actual 77%): ![](https://hello.watchmethink.com/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/nk-SENvLG9LYOJa1ie5tsPjs_c2MjEeQ0ZqMNkO6VNKophMUcX8Vuzfkvked4EzRvQ0pxa3PEVTK1GTcwBLxs0WJ8QMHCdmNOnf9ku1zKnZo2Yk4Y8AXYc4aVHiembZz_zoz3R82-1.jpg)   ## Bar chart racing Max Roser asked the Twittersphere for [examples of great data visualisation](https://twitter.com/MaxCRoser/status/1504521427608907780) and there were some excellent responses.  One that Neil Perkin recently shared was on [the past, present and future global population.](https://ourworldindata.org/longtermism) Those of us who are alive now are about 6.8% of all people who have ever lived.  ## Many lost marbles And finally, who doesn’t want to [watch marbles being made?](https://twitter.com/waxpancake/status/1503387975756890116?s=20&t=XFMWNZyFZrpwLhry0KrX_g) On what is effectively a huge marble run. Ace. --- #### Tag: [The100](https://hello.watchmethink.com/blog/tag/the100) [Homepage](https://hello.watchmethink.com/blog/tag/homepage) #### Share: - [Follow us on Facebook](http://www.facebook.com/share.php?u=https://hello.watchmethink.com/blog/the100-data-visualisation-designed-systems-and-marble-runs) - [Follow us on Twitter](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?url=https://hello.watchmethink.com/blog/the100-data-visualisation-designed-systems-and-marble-runs&text=The100:%20Data%20visualisation,%20designed%20systems,%20and%20marble%20runs) - [Follow us on Linkedin](http://www.linkedin.com/shareArticle?mini=true&url=https://hello.watchmethink.com/blog/the100-data-visualisation-designed-systems-and-marble-runs) - [Follow us on Pinterest](http://pinterest.com/pin/create/button/?url=https://hello.watchmethink.com/blog/the100-data-visualisation-designed-systems-and-marble-runs&text=The100:%20Data%20visualisation,%20designed%20systems,%20and%20marble%20runsdescription=Ear%20candy%20The%20Right%20Honourable%20Lord%20of%20Marketing,%20Russell%20Davies,%20was%20interviewed%20as%20part%20of%20Google’s%20excellent%20Firestarters%20series.%20On%20data,%20he%20said%20(45:00):&media=https://3461170.fs1.hubspotusercontent-na1.net/hubfs/3461170/The100%20Banners%20%281920%20x%201080%20px%29%20%2890%29.png) --- --- ## From the archives If you like The100, maybe even found it vaguely enjoyable (steady now), you can have a ganders at our previous issues. Fill your boots. [The100](https://hello.watchmethink.com/blog/tag/the100), [Homepage](https://hello.watchmethink.com/blog/tag/homepage) 19 September, 2025 #### [The100: Uber’s research playbook, online delivery models and polyphonic ringtones](https://hello.watchmethink.com/blog/the100-ubers-research-playbook-online-delivery-models-and-polyphonic-ringtones) UberCool Back in 2017, Uber had a problem. Passengers were so unhappy with UberPool that Uber… [Read More](https://hello.watchmethink.com/blog/the100-ubers-research-playbook-online-delivery-models-and-polyphonic-ringtones) [The100](https://hello.watchmethink.com/blog/tag/the100), [Homepage](https://hello.watchmethink.com/blog/tag/homepage) 05 September, 2025 #### [The100: Expanding time, talking to animals and Chile’s Atacama Desert](https://hello.watchmethink.com/blog/the100-expanding-time-talking-to-animals-and-chiles-atacama-desert) SharkNinja’s $16B+ Product Machine SharkNinja must see more launches than a shipyard. Each year… [Read More](https://hello.watchmethink.com/blog/the100-expanding-time-talking-to-animals-and-chiles-atacama-desert) [The100](https://hello.watchmethink.com/blog/tag/the100), [Homepage](https://hello.watchmethink.com/blog/tag/homepage) 22 August, 2025 #### [The100: The price of American made, judgement economies and 1880s hipsters](https://hello.watchmethink.com/blog/the100-the-price-of-american-made-judgement-economies-and-1880s-hipsters) Does your brand need to be polarising to be successful? 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