Where Data Flows with Clarity

Welcome to Data Tides, where we uncover the stories, insights, and opportunities hidden beneath the data.

Vision statement graphic for Data Tides on a light beige background with an abstract circular wave pattern in soft gold and peach tones. The left side features the heading “VISION” and the statement: “At Data Tides, I reimagine how data can be structured, visualised, and communicated to create clarity, inclusivity, and impact.” On the right, three dark purple panels highlight key themes: Clarity that Drives Action (simplifying complex data into intuitive visuals), Insights Without Barriers (building Power BI solutions aligned with WCAG accessibility standards), and Success Through Storytelling (transforming information into narratives that guide meaningful, inclusive outcomes). Decorative dotted accents appear in the lower-left corner.

Hello,

I’m Juliana

Portrait photo of Juliana Smith, a woman with long brown hair, smiles warmly in a maroon turtleneck against a vibrant yellow background. Her confident, approachable expression and bold colour contrast convey energy and professionalism.

The creator behind Data Tides, a space where storytelling meets strategy and dashboards do far more than display numbers. For over 15 years, I’ve been driven by a passion for uncovering the stories hidden within data and transforming complexity into clarity. Specialising in analytics engineering and data design, I focus on shaping well‑structured models, intuitive data flows, and visual experiences that help people understand information quickly and confidently. Through Power BI, I build insights that are not only visually compelling but also genuinely accessible, following WCAG‑aligned practices to remove barriers and ensure informed decision‑making is inclusive for everyone.

Let’s connect

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Buy Me a Coffee to Fuel My Projects

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Our TIDES Method™

At Data Tides, I believe great data experiences don’t happen by chance. They are the result of thoughtful design, clear communication, and a deep understanding of the people who will use them. The TIDES Method™ brings these principles together into a practical framework for designing reports that are accessible, ethical, meaningful, and built to support better decisions.

Infographic illustrating the TIDES Method™, a five-step framework for data visualization and report design. A horizontal timeline connects five stages, each represented by an icon and description: T - Tune in (magnifying glass, understanding people, decisions and questions behind the data), I - Identify barriers (accessibility icon, removing obstacles to accessing or understanding information), D - Design with intent (directional arrows, creating purposeful visual and interaction choices), E - Elevate insights (eye icon, transforming data into meaningful information that supports action), and S - Serve everyone (hands supporting a group of people, designing inclusive experiences that enable everyone to engage confidently with data). The design uses gold, cream, grey, and dark purple colours with the acronym TIDES prominently highlighted.

Latest Posts

How Accessibility Makes Power BI Usable When Everything Else Gets in the Way
by Juls
19 August, 2026
Most conversations about accessibility begin with disability. That is understandable. Accessibility standards such as the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) were developed to remove barriers for people with disabilities, and that remains their primary purpose. However, accessibility is not only relevant when someone has a permanent disability. The way we consume information changes constantly depending… Read more: How Accessibility Makes Power BI Usable When Everything Else Gets in the Way
When “Meh” Is a Signal, Not Laziness
by Juls
13 August, 2026
Many people ask if creating too much content can lead to burnout… even people from my work seem concerned. And that’s kind of understandable. From the outside, it can look like a lot, the posts, the sessions, the constant stream of ideas. It’s easy to assume that at some point, it must become too much.… Read more: When “Meh” Is a Signal, Not Laziness
Outlier Detection Done Right: Five Statistical Tests and DAX UDFs
by Juls
4 August, 2026
This article started somewhere I wasn’t expecting. And yes… it’s a long one! But bear with me, it’s worth the journey. I started with a simple question about a few unusual spikes in some data, and somehow ended up building five reusable statistical UDFs for Power BI. So how did it start? Not long ago,… Read more: Outlier Detection Done Right: Five Statistical Tests and DAX UDFs

Latest News

Perseids 2026: From Meteor Data to Power BI and GitHub24 August, 2026
I’ve watched the Perseids from some pretty different places over the years. Offshore Angola, when I was working as a navigator. North Wales in 2024, when the Perseids happened to share the sky with the northern lights. This year, though, I was in Manchester city centre and with so much light pollution, I saw absolutely… Read more: Perseids 2026: From Meteor Data to Power BI and GitHub
Supporting a Cause Close to My Heart14 August, 2026
As a STEM Ambassador, data professional, and Trustee of Technology Books for Children, I am passionate about helping young people discover the opportunities that technology can create. Having built a career in data and technology, I have seen first-hand how digital skills can open doors, inspire confidence, and create opportunities. Every child deserves the chance… Read more: Supporting a Cause Close to My Heart
Introducing the oceanlib-pbi Repository: Physical Oceanography Calculations for Power BI6 August, 2026
Many of you may not know yet, but I started my career in Physical Oceanography, specialising in ocean data analysis and circulation numerical model validation using MATLAB. Then I moved to be a Navigator, and funnily enough, physical oceanography and data analysis were still part of my daily job, among steering the ship. One of… Read more: Introducing the oceanlib-pbi Repository: Physical Oceanography Calculations for Power BI

Upcoming Sessions

Promotional graphic for “The AI‑Native Workplace Summit 2026.” It features a stylised human head silhouette filled with colourful flowing lines. The text reads “From Problem to Product: Building with Design Thinking, AI and Intent,” followed by a virtual‑event icon and the date and time: 16 September, 6PM BST.

Promotional event graphic for Practically AI – Applied AI for Software Engineers Manchester. The poster advertises a talk titled “Building an Application with Copilot and Lovable: The Easy, the Hard, and the Unexpected.” Event details shown at the bottom include Salford M3 5GS, Manchester and 17 September 2026 at 6:30 PM. The design features a light beige background with magenta and black text, alongside location pin and calendar icons.

Promotional graphic for the Manchester Data Platform User Group. It announces a session titled ‘Ethical Storytelling: Keeping Your Visuals on the Right Side of Truth,’ scheduled for 4 November 2026 at 6:00 PM in Manchester, venue to be confirmed. The design has a beige background with a yellow border and includes icons for location and date/time.

Promotional graphic featuring a black city skyline silhouette with the text ‘#PBIBRUM’ above it. Below, the title reads ‘Power BI for Everyone: Practical Accessibility in Action.’ Icons indicate the event is virtual and scheduled for 4 November 2026 at 6:00 PM

Promotional graphic for the Edmonton Microsoft Data Professionals User Group. It advertises a virtual session titled ‘From Chaos to Clarity: The Design Principles Every Power BI Report Needs,’ scheduled for 7 December 2026 at 7:00 PM. The layout has a yellow border, modern sans‑serif text, and icons indicating virtual attendance and the date and time.

Latest YouTube Videos!

Subscribe to @AccessibleBI where you’ll learn how to harness Power BI effectively while ensuring your designs are inclusive for all users. Expect tutorials, best practices, and insights on accessible data visualisation.

Supporting a Cause Close to My Heart

As a passionate STEM Ambassador and Trustee of Technology Books for Children,I am proud to support a charity dedicated to inspiring the next generation through technology and reading.

Founded by Beverly Clarke MBE, the charity is on a mission to make technology more accessible, engaging, and relatable for children from all backgrounds. By providing technology-themed book packs to schools, organising author and Book Ambassador visits, and creating resources for educators, the charity helps young people discover the exciting opportunities that technology can offer.

Access to technology education should not depend on a child’s circumstances. Technology Books for Children works to close the digital divide and encourage curiosity, confidence, and a love of learning in STEM subjects from an early age.

Having seen the impact of the charity’s work first-hand, I am passionate about supporting its mission and helping more children access the resources and inspiration they deserve. If this is a cause that resonates with you, I encourage you to learn more about the charity, share its work, or consider supporting its initiatives.

Learn more and support Technology Books for Children →

Together, we can help more children discover that technology is not only important for their future, but also fun, creative, and full of possibility.