T. from Data Rocks
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datarocksnz.bsky.social
T. from Data Rocks
@datarocksnz.bsky.social
2.4K followers 2.4K following 910 posts
Dataviz | Information Design

The person behind The Dataviz Bookshelf, The Data Design Manifesto & The Design Matters newsletter series.

I don't use autocorrect. I own all of my typos.

https://www.datarocks.co.nz
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datarocksnz.bsky.social
Silly thing, but I'm very happy with my new socks.
Picture of feet wearing a pair of socks with artwork inspired by Wassily Kandinsky.
November 4, 2025 at 7:50 PM
datarocksnz.bsky.social
Weekend
Photo of Spot, Data Rocks' Executive Director of Toy Chasing Operations enjoying the weekend. A Calico kitten's face closeup. The kitten has her eyes closed and her tongue out, looking like the emoji 😝 She just had a big play session and is grooming. Her human is hugging her gently, wearing a pink hoodie in the background.
October 11, 2025 at 6:46 AM
datarocksnz.bsky.social
6 years ago, I decided that I could probably make a living out of this #dataviz design thing. And it worked!

Thanks to everyone who's been part of this journey so far! 💜
Photo of a business card resting on top of a notebook, surrounded by coloured pens and pencils, in shades of purple, pink, orange and yellow, which match Data Rocks logo and brand colours on the business card. The business card is daek purple, with a logo composed of geometric forms that together assemble a puzzle in the shape of a mount, with a negative space shaped like a diamond in the middle. Each geometric form is a different colour: yellow, orange, purple, and pink. Underneath the logo, there is the name Data Rocks in elegant sans serif yellow letters, followed by a yellow like and the name Thabata Romanowski under it.
October 4, 2025 at 10:07 AM
datarocksnz.bsky.social
I did a thing!

Today is Data Rocks Chief Purring Officer's first adoption anniversary, so I made a silly little poster to celebrate, because why not!

www.behance.net/gallery/2350...
Poster celebrating the 1 year adoption anniversary of a black cat named Ozymandias (Ozzy). The poster has a textured background with multiple polaroid-style photos. Header: "OZYMANDIAS" is written in large handwritten letters on the left, with "Adoption Anniversary 1 year" in smaller text on the right. Top left photo: "First Pic!": Shows a small black kitten in a carrier. Text: "Ozzy was adopted on 21st September 2024, with 9 months. He weighted 3.2kg" Second photo labeled "First Vet Visit": Shows hands holding the small black kitten at the vet table. Text: "He went to the vet four times. Two of those were poop related" Top right photo: Shows him investigating a fluffy yellow duck toy. Caption: "If this poor duck could talk..." Text: "His favourite toy is a yellow fluffy duck that moves and quacks." Right photo labeled "Catio!": Shows the cat in an outdoor enclosed area. Text: "Ozzy's favourite place is his catio, no matter the weather." Middle left photo: Caption: "A very scary vet trip". Shows Ozzy lying on his bed. Text: "Ozzy is afraid of heavy rains and strong winds, but when he hugs his ESPie (Emotional Support Plushie), everything seems less scary." Middle right photo labeled "First backyard walk": Shows him outdoors climbing a tree. Text reads: "He's a very smart boy. He knows how to walk on a leash, high-five, sit, spin and lay down on command. He also knows 'out' means getting out of the counter, but he often chooses to ignore it." Bottom left photo labeled "Baaah!": Shows two sheep in a field. Text: "He was once visited by two sheep" Center large photo: The main image shows Ozzy as a fully grown black cat with bright green eyes sitting in a red and white striped box looking up and to the left. Bottom right photos: Two close-up shots of Ozzy's funny faces with captions "What?!" and "weeee!!!" Text nearby reads: "Ozzy is very chatty and expressive" Bottom text: "He has grown up to be a big fluffy boy, at 5.2kg!" Footer: Created with love by @datarocksnz
September 21, 2025 at 12:31 AM
datarocksnz.bsky.social
Without downloading any new images, where are you mentally?
Tom Scott, YouTuber, at an unidentified location, raising his hand, looking at the camera saying "I am at... my fucking limit".
August 27, 2025 at 1:20 AM
datarocksnz.bsky.social
Mr. CPO hasn't met his new team member just yet, but he is wondering why it seems like there are more treats in the cupboard, but he's only getting his usual share.
A black cat named Ozymandias, or Ozzy for the friends. He is also known as Mr. Coffee Beans, and occasionally referred to as the Pharaoh of Darkness, because it is a damn cool badass nickname. He is sitting in a 12/10 cat loaf form, perched on his favourite cat scratcher spot. He is very fluffy.
July 21, 2025 at 9:59 PM
datarocksnz.bsky.social
Mr. Ozzy, The Chief Purring Officer at Data Rocks and I, would like to welcome the newest team member, Ms. Spot, to the role of Executive Director of Toy Chasing Operations.
A female calico cat, named Spot, sitting in her new home after a delicious welcome meal, cheek scratches, and lots of treats.
July 21, 2025 at 9:53 PM
datarocksnz.bsky.social
If you see this, quote post with a robot that isn’t from Star Wars, Star Trek, Dr Who and Transformers
The robot Bender, from Futurama, connecting a purple cable into his head.
July 11, 2025 at 6:33 PM
datarocksnz.bsky.social
By @designthinking.lol
Design Thinking! Web Comic strip. By @designthinking.lol Panel 1: Four business people in professional attire stand together, three of them running, looking confused and concerned. One person with a confused look asks "What... what's happening?" The scene conveys bewilderment and uncertainty, unsure of what's driving the sudden urgency. Panel 2: A larger group of diverse business professionals are all running in the same direction, their faces showing determination mixed with panic. The same person from the first panel, now joining the others in running, calls out "Why are we all running?!" while another responds with frantic energy "I don't know, but we can't be seen to NOT be running!" Panel 3: The same group continues running, now with visible anxiety and competitive urgency. Someone shouts "Quick! That guy's running faster than us!" while another person responds with desperation "NO! We can't let him get there first!" The illustration shows the escalating panic and mindless competition, with everyone racing to whatever this might be. Panel 4: A massive crowd of tiny silhouetted figures runs directly off a cliff to their deaths. Someone asks "Get WHERE first???" while another responds "No idea, but wherever it is, we can't afford to get there last!" Bodies are falling into the abyss and piling up at the bottom. Everyone is running themselves off a cliff in their mindless pursuit of the latest business hype.
June 24, 2025 at 7:43 PM
datarocksnz.bsky.social
#dataviz
A poorly designed pie chart by an unknown author, likely created as a joke, which says: Will I finish my portfolio this year? One slice is blue, at about 95% of the pie, coded in blue in the legend, saying "No". The other slice, representing 5% of the pie is yellow and the legend is coded as "No, but in yellow".
February 2, 2025 at 10:59 PM
datarocksnz.bsky.social
If you see this post, quote with a bridge from your gallery.
Manganui Gorge suspension bridge, Taranaki Maunga, NZ.
January 31, 2025 at 6:56 PM
datarocksnz.bsky.social
Speak for yourself!! Me and Mr. Chief Purring Officer are all about the viz and design books!
Ozzy, Data Rocks' Chief Purring Officer (a black cat) ready to jump head first into some dataviz books.
January 25, 2025 at 2:42 AM
datarocksnz.bsky.social
I looked into all I could find and traced back the hatred for round shapes to a Stephen Few quote.
It's in his "Show me the Numbers" book. Chapter 12 is called "Silly Graphs that are best Foresaken" and he goes on a tirade against round shapes, with very cherry-picked examples.
This is page 271.
Page 271 of Stephen Few's Show me the Numbers book. It starts the chapter named 12. Silly Charts that are best foresaken". Quote about Donut Charts: "a donut chart is a pie chart with a hole in the middle. Both pie and donut charts attempt to display parts of a whole. If pie charts are graphical pastries filled with empty calories, donut charts are the same and more."
January 23, 2025 at 9:16 PM
datarocksnz.bsky.social
One of my favourite Tableau #dataviz of all time. By Judit Bekker.

public.tableau.com/views/64hour...
Data Visualization in Tableau Public about the work of multi-artist David Lynch. It depicts Lynch's face in a Mondrian-inspired montage, with colourful squares overlapping his image. Squares are blue and red with white and black accents, colours often prominent in his movies and art.
January 16, 2025 at 6:55 PM
datarocksnz.bsky.social
I'm a visual person.
Three dragons. The first is fierce, second is wondering what the hell the third one is about. The third one is making a silly face.
December 10, 2024 at 9:43 AM
datarocksnz.bsky.social
New error message unlock!
#PowerBI
A meaningless error message from Microsoft Power BI that reads "There's a problem with WebView2. Please report the issue to the Power BI Community so we can help you resolve it. And a green button saying Get in touch.
November 6, 2024 at 1:52 AM
datarocksnz.bsky.social
And here's a rare image of the person behind the logo.
How cool is this T-Shirt?!!

#dataviz created as a shape hexbin map of NZ in Tableau, and tweaked in Illustrator to add text and to look cool when printed. :)
Woman, in front of a bookshelf, wearing a t-shirt with an stylised map of New Zealand, made with the logo pattern from Tableau, with a red heart where Auckland is located. The T-Shirt text says: "Auckland, Tamaki Makaurau, Tableau User Group. Design by T. from Data Rocks (the person in the picture).
October 8, 2024 at 1:33 AM
datarocksnz.bsky.social
Thank you @genetis.bsky.social for the awesome swag pack!

And thanks everyone who voted in the Auckland TUG T-Shirt Design Contest! It is awesome to see it printed and in person!!

Chief Purring Officer approves it too.

#datafam #AucklandTUG #tableauusergroups #tableau
Tableau swag pack spread on a red surface, displaying: a backpack, a pair of socks, a greetings card saying "party with your data", a notebook with the Salesforce branding, a electronics organiser, speakers, a water tumblers and a custom-made tshirt with the winning design for the Auckland TUG tshirt design contest, with the print designed by T. from Data Rocks. The print sows a map of New Zealand using the Tableau logo as a pattern, with a Heart placed where Auckland is located. The text underneath the illustration reads "Auckland Tamaki Makaurau, Tableau User Group". The swag pack is being appreciated by a black cat, Ozzy, Data Rocks Chief Purring Officer.
October 7, 2024 at 10:38 PM
datarocksnz.bsky.social
Great idea!
Some of them quickly put together on a whim:
18 alternatives to traffic light red-green colour palettes containing three colours each. One to signify "positive", 1 to signify "neutral", and another one to signify "negative". The title reads: Some Traffic Light Options - You Don't Have to Go Green-red!
September 30, 2024 at 10:02 PM
datarocksnz.bsky.social
Hello. My name is Ozzy.
I'm Data Rocks' new Chief Purring Officer.
Ozymandias, Data Rocks' new Chief Purring Officer. Picture of a long-haired black cat, with big expressive green eyes, sitting on his owner's lap, making biscuits.
September 21, 2024 at 8:19 AM
datarocksnz.bsky.social
Elder Certified?
LOL
Celebrating 10M users. 397,541. Certified Elder, first 10% users. Joined July 28th 2023. T. from Data Rocks. @datarocksnz.bsky.social
September 16, 2024 at 11:03 PM
datarocksnz.bsky.social
Hey friends!

I'm reposting my previous newsletter articles on Medium and my blog for wider reach.

This week, it's about typography. Basic concepts and how you can leverage a good font in your data displays.

Medium: medium.com/@datarocksnz...

Blog: www.datarocks.co.nz/post/design-...

📊
An abstract illustration of a lower-case letter 'a' moving in a diagonal path and leaving a trail behind. There are 4 text elements which read: (Dataviz) Design Matters; #8; 01 September 2023; www.datarocks.co.nz
September 11, 2024 at 8:51 PM
datarocksnz.bsky.social
Hey (old and new) #dataviz friends!

I'm reposting my previous newsletter articles on Medium and my blog, for wider reach.

This week, my second most-read article of all time. And it's part 2 of last week's repost.

Medium: medium.com/@datarocksnz...

Blog: www.datarocks.co.nz/post/design-...

📊
"A graphic titled 'dataviz design matters #7' dated 26 August 2024. The design consists of elongated isometric rectangles with shadows, forming a diagonal pattern across a dark background. The rectangles overlap and create a sense of depth and movement in the composition."
September 3, 2024 at 8:12 PM
datarocksnz.bsky.social
dream......?
Excerpt from the job ad posted which reads: ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS: Ability to travel and communicate outside of work hours. Must be able to work extended hours and/or weekends as needed.
July 20, 2024 at 12:16 AM
datarocksnz.bsky.social
Here's the quote and the example he uses. I actually kinda love how silly this is:
Picture of a page from chapter 12 of Show Me The Numbers by Stephen Few. It reads: "The Donut chart is definitely one that people are tempted to use because it's cute. Software vendors sometimes make donut charts enticing to eat (see below), but they'll still leave you empty". It shows a depiction of a poorly designed 3D tilted Donut Chart, with 4 almost identical slices in different colours.
July 18, 2024 at 9:52 PM