Most data teams think their next dashboard will finally deliver clarity, but every new report just adds to the noise.
In this episode of Data Matas, Aaron Phethean speaks with Phil Thirlwell, former Director of Analytics & Data Strategy at FIS, about the three things every data leader should kill before building another dashboard: dashboard sprawl, service-desk habits, and KPI overload.
Phil shares how he tackled 600-plus Power BI dashboards, why “can you just…” requests destroy team focus, and how the best data leaders rebuild trust through simplification and shared ownership.

You’ll learn:
▶️ Why dashboard sprawl erodes clarity and confidence
▶️ How to escape the “service desk” trap and focus on real business outcomes
▶️ Why trimming KPIs forces better decisions and stronger alignment
▶️ How co-developing metrics builds trust across teams
▶️ Why AI and automation can’t fix messy data foundations

This is a practical, candid conversation for data leaders who want less noise, more trust, and teams that deliver measurable impact.

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