Asking Better Questions of Your Data

Ciaran Rooney

Technology and Cybersecurity Leader

Better questions lead to better decisions. Learn how to challenge assumptions, spot hidden risks, and think beyond the numbers.

Data Science

Better questions lead to better decisions. Learn how to challenge assumptions, spot hidden risks, and think beyond the numbers.

Subscribe to watch

Access this and all of the content on our platform by signing up for a 7-day free trial.

Asking Better Questions of Your Data

4 mins 25 secs

Key learning objectives:

Understand the importance of questioning data before acting on it
Recognise common risks in interpretation, including bias and incomplete data
Identify practical questions that improve decision-making
Build habits that challenge assumptions and reduce false confidence

Overview:

Effective use of data depends less on technical skill and more on asking the right questions. Data is always partial, shaped by assumptions, and open to multiple interpretations. Without critical questioning, it is easy to draw confident but incorrect conclusions. Developing a simple set of checks, around coverage, proxies, alternative explanations, noise, and bias, helps ensure decisions are grounded in reality rather than assumption.

Subscribe to watch

Access this and all of the content on our platform by signing up for a 7-day free trial.

Summary

Why is asking the right questions more important than technical skill?

Understanding systems is useful, but interpretation drives decisions. Asking the right questions helps uncover gaps, assumptions, and risks that technical outputs alone cannot reveal.

What should we check about what data includes and excludes?

Every dataset captures only part of reality. Knowing who, what, and when is included, and what is not, determines how far the data can be trusted.

How do assumptions and proxies affect decisions?

Data often measures simplified stand-ins for complex concepts. If these proxies drift from what they represent, decisions can become misleading without being obvious.

How do we avoid jumping to the wrong conclusions?

By actively considering alternative explanations and questioning whether observed patterns reflect real signals or short-term noise. This reduces the risk of reacting to misleading trends.

How can we test our own thinking?

By asking what evidence would change our view. If the answer is nothing, it suggests bias has replaced analysis.

Subscribe to watch

Access this and all of the content on our platform by signing up for a 7-day free trial.

Ciaran Rooney

Ciarán is the Chief Technology Officer at xUnlocked. He has over 20 years of experience in technology, cyber security and operations. Ciarán has held the role of CTO of several successful startups including; busuu, Skimlinks, and Swoon. He has also been a technical consultant, a startup mentor, a conference speaker, and the Chair of the PHP UK Conference.

There are no available Videos from "Ciaran Rooney"