It seems like another way of expression this notion, in both the negative (suspicious) and positive (exploratory) senses, is "how well does the data map onto re

It seems like another way of expression this notion, in both the negative (suspicious) and positive (exploratory) senses, is "how well does the data map onto reality." Better data intuition refers to a strong mapping between the two - you can sense when they diverge. Poor data intuition is an exclusive focus on the quantitative with little understanding of the underlying reality. You don't understand the actual patterns in reality, therefore suspect data movements do not surprise you (and make you suspicious). You don't understand the actual patterns in reality, therefore you do not explore potentially fruitful avenues for data analysis. Expanding one's data intuition is about using data to enrich one's understanding of reality, as opposed to ignoring reality in favour of the data.