Cut through noise and misinformation — and reveal what the data are really saying.
FactWise helps organisations solve complex problems, critically review data and conclusions, and build statistical confidence - through consulting and masterclasses.
How data can mislead
"50% MORE INTENSIVE CARE PATIENTS"
That headline ran at the start of the coronavirus crisis.
Urgent. Alarming. A 50% surge in ICU patients.
But look beyond the percentage: the absolute number had risen from 2 to 3 patients. Statistically correct, yet the real-world impact was one additional person in intensive care.
This is how percentages on small numbers distort reality. An increase from 100 to 101 carries the same absolute difference, but reads as a modest 1%. While 2 to 3 reads as a dramatic 50%. Same math. Opposite impression.
The core problem: misrepresenting data, even unintentionally, distorts our picture of reality.
Numbers are neutral. The interpretation rarely is.
The real cost of bad data
Flawed data doesn’t just produce wrong answers.
It drives wrong decisions, wasted resources, and misplaced confidence.
The chart showed a crisis. The data didn't.
Context is everything.
Cherry-picked timeframes, truncated axes, omitted baselines — charts can tell stories the underlying data never intended. When visuals drive decisions, the framing matters as much as the numbers.
What this costs you:
Teams mobilised around a problem that didn’t exist — or missed one that did.
The opinions agreed. The data wasn't asked.
Consensus is not evidence.
When experience and assumption fill the gap that data should occupy, decisions feel confident but aren’t grounded. The root cause stays hidden. The same problems keep returning.
What this costs you:
Recurring issues, misdiagnosed causes, and solutions that don’t stick.
The claim looked solid. The evidence wasn't.
Confidence isn’t validity.
Many findings presented as proven fail under scrutiny. Flawed study design, selective reporting, and statistical overreach are common, and rarely visible to the non-specialist eye.
What this costs you:
Decisions built on research that doesn’t hold up. Legally, commercially, or scientifically.
The signal looked real. It was just noise.
Not all variation is a signal.
Reacting to routine variation as if it were a meaningful signal creates unnecessary interventions, constant firefighting, and a team that loses trust in the data it’s supposed to rely on.
What this costs you:
Wasted time, eroded trust, and an organisation in permanent reaction mode.
What FactWise does
Statistical Problem Solving
Find the real cause. Not the obvious one.
Persistent problems aren’t solved by opinions alone. They require a structured methodology and the discipline to let data lead the way. That’s exactly what FactWise brings.
Data Integrity & Evidence Review
Trust the data. Before trusting the decision.
Important decisions are only as sound as the evidence behind them. FactWise examines data, methodology, and conclusions – before they damage your business and reputation.
Masterclasses
Read the data. Don’t just believe it.
Most data errors go unnoticed because the interpretation is never questioned. FactWise masterclasses teach you to read data and spot flawed conclusions – before they cost you.
What clients say
“Luc combines expertise with a pragmatic mindset, making him a reliable partner for organisations seeking structure, clarity, and improvement. I can highly recommend his services.”
Filip Waem— Operations Manager, Industrial Manufacturing
“During our collaboration at Bekaert, Luc consistently demonstrated strong analytical skills, turning complex data into clear insights and enabling well-founded, objective decision-making.”
Patrick De Keyzer— Former SVP Technology Bekaert Steelcord
Masterclass
'Understanding Variation'
In just 1 day I will help you understand and use variation, making you distinguish noise from real signals. Stop wasting time, and know when to make confident data decisions.
September 2026
Recent insights
Read here about my insights on how data can be helpful, but when misused or misinterpreted can be very harmful – for business, society and science.
You can prove anything with statistics – is the professional cyclist right?
Luc Poelman
Founder of FactWise
Twenty years helping organisations make decisions – as a Management Consultant and Six Sigma Black Belt – taught me one consistent pattern: data are often used in ways that don’t reflect reality.
Misread scorecards. Reactions to random noise. Graphs that tell a story the numbers don’t support.
When a question led me into the scientific literature on health claims, I expected more rigour. What I found was the same pattern: conclusions built on noise, flawed assumptions, and statistics used to persuade rather than inform.
That’s why I founded FactWise — to cut through noise and misinformation, and reveal what the facts and data are really saying.
If you have a question you can’t quite resolve, a recurring problem that doesn’t add up, or a claim you need to trust – or challenge – I dig into the evidence and tell you what it actually supports, what it doesn’t, and where the gap is.
Let's talk about your challenge
Ready to turn data confusion into clear insights? Share your challenge and let’s find a solution together.

