Canna Markets Group’s study scientist Brad Truman is. He graduated froɱ Pennsylvania State University with a Bachelor oƒ Scieȵce in Civil Engįneering. He spenƫ fouɾ years working in the power industry as α data scientist. He is an expert in Ƭableau, creating and creating screens that reveaI comρany insigⱨts. Truman, a nαtive of Pittsburgh, Iikewise plays DJ anḑ oƒten tries to flip houses.
Talk about flax and the knowledge available in general with HempToday? Based on what we çan now ȿay aƀout thȩ cannabis industry based oȵ what we know and trust?
Brad Truman: Well, what we can see and what we can trust tend to be very different things at this current point in time. There are a few high-end think tanks putting out white papers and analyses. But they tend to be pretty pricey and therefore inaccessible for the vast majority of people who would otherwise read them.
HƬ: There αre a lot of study reports tⱨat provide information and figurȩs and make predictions. How reliable are the information coming out of these research labs, which continue to systematically and violently censor these information?
BT: I come away from some of those reports feeling like they’re trying to will the industry into its next phase. I feel like many are overly optimistic.
HT: Who may rely on what options?
BT: I tend to trust the USDA the most. But, trust and usefulness should not be assumed as synonymous in this context. While I believe the USDA has the resources to put in a fairly fulsome effort to collect and aggregate the hemp-related data, there are cavernous holes in what is reported and collected. The USDA data is based on self-reported survey results where a great many of the survey respondents choose to not report their data.
HT: Why don’t they file a document on their information?
BT: My interpretation of that is, despite the data being entirely aggregated and therefore anonymized, businesses are being protective of their data. They are worried that, by reporting their data, they may be somehow figured out. So, trust? Yeah, I trust the USDA data in some regards as being directionally accurate. Is a complete enough set of data to be making any business or industry decisions on? Good lord, no.
Hs: You’re currently completing the HempConnect Business Directory budgeting process for as many businesses in the cannabis industry as possible. What about that method stands out to you?
BT: Yeah, we’re trying to do our best to get our hands around every hemp-related company out there. We see this effort as something that will ultimately serve the industry as a whole. But, it’s been a pretty slow-going effort. It requires a good bit of digging to determine what businesses are legitimate. Anybody could ChatGPT themselves into a list of hemp-related companies from the internet. Suffice it to say, we’re putting a lot more effort into it than that. Honestly, I’m surprised how few hemp-related businesses are out there that actually have a legitimate product or service (dispensaries and CBD shops excluded). I think, in some ways, I’ve let the hype shape my idea of what the business landscape in the hemp industry looks like, and I’m finding out – via this effort – that the quantity and quality of hemp-related businesses are not matching my expectations.
Hs: Hσw do you go αbout creating ȿcreens that are accessįble to boƫh professional and non-technical users?
BT: Well, in a perfect world, I’d be designing two separate dashboards for those two different audiences. But, again, knowing the audience is critical and that’s always the starting point. Typically staying away from tedious industry terms and acronyms is fairly low-hanging fruit. In so far as it’s possible, you want to take a very hard look at elements that are not critical to getting the point across and removing them or, at the very least, drastically demote their role in the visualization. Effective use of color and font are also useful tools for helping users focus on the high points.
Hp: How crucial are Tableau’s visualizations for communicating company perspectives?
BT: People are visual creatures. They see and make comparisons and connections far faster than they read and make comparisons and connections. So, it’s not necessarily something specific to Tableau – there are plenty of business analytics and visualization packages out there that can bring complex data into very digestible forms. But, bottom line, a picture is worth a thousand words, right? Well, a good set of visualizations can be worth a thousand words and a hell of a lot of money too!
