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Dear reader,

Welcome to Liters of Coffee & Data, a weekly newsletter, run on a caffeine addiction and passion for all things tech and data. My name is Alisa Tiselska, the Founder & CEO of DataFly Systems LLC. This newsletter is a chance for us to connect and build the tech community all over the world. I look forward to sharing my stories related to data, filled with memories, open-ended questions, and joy. Let’s get into the first story.

One day, I found myself sitting in a Data Visualization class at Embry-Riddle. My professor was old-school in the best way; he used chalk to write his thoughts and share them with us.

He kept repeating two words: “Shneiderman’s Mantra.” In simple words, it means: start with an overview of the data, then zoom and filter into a particular dataset, and only then offer details on demand — whether through a dropdown menu, tooltips, or another interactive feature.

What impressed me was how my professor drew examples, with chalk, on the board. He didn’t just rely on tech to teach tech. He taught by telling a story.

Back then — and this was two years ago — I understood why anyone would care about data. The answer is simple: data tells a story. It can tell the story of your average grade in a class, your credit score, your business performance, or your average speed driving down Interstate 4 faster than you probably should. Floridians, you get me.

Now, do these numbers define you? No. Absolutely not. But they do reveal patterns. They capture moments. They give us a way to understand where we have been, where we are, and where we might be going next.

And how you choose to paint that picture — or write that story — is entirely up to you.

Data is a modern novel worth a read.

P.S. Dr. *****, this one is for you. Thank you for believing in me when I was a graduate student, and for still believing in me today as I work toward launching my business.