When working on design projects, whether it’s for my clients or myself, I like to remind myself that:
- Data can be inaccurate and misleading. It is better to assume that not all data you get is always 100% accurate.
- Be aware of biased interpretations of data. Data can often be intentionally skewed by those presenting it to us.
I try to make decisions based on my intuition, experience, knowledge, and other sources of information. I rarely rely on data alone.
So my advice would be: use data to verify your hypotheses or to justify your points when relevant, but be careful to rely on data as your only source of information, as it can backfire on you. It’s healthy to be slightly sceptical of given data, especially when unsure where it came from. And always watch for biased interpretations and question your sources.