How Do We Actually 'Pull Stories Out of Data'?

Randy Au writes the "Counting Stuff" substack and has more practical wisdom about doing data work inside product organisations than most books on the subject. This post is about what happens between a SQL query and an insight: the specific craft of turning numbers into stories that other people can act on. Au is honest about the amount of judgement involved and the amount of self-deception it is possible to inject without noticing. For product direction it is essential reading because most metrics conversations collapse under their own weight; Au teaches the discipline that keeps them useful. His broader substack is worth subscribing to as a companion.