Tell A Story With Data

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Tags: Storytelling

Learn how to pique and keep your audience's attention so they will understand and remember your data presentation.

Last updated 2022-01-10 | 4.4

- Give better spoken and written presentations about data!
- Have an arsenal of strategies for creating memorable data stories.
- Know and apply the "5-stage arc" for memorable data storytelling.

What you'll learn

Give better spoken and written presentations about data!
Have an arsenal of strategies for creating memorable data stories.
Know and apply the "5-stage arc" for memorable data storytelling.

* Requirements

* An interest in improving data presentations.

Description

If you want to present data in a way that people will understand and remember, then you need to tell a story with the data. And if you want to learn how to tell a story with data, then this course is for you. 

In this course, you’ll learn tips, tricks, and strategies for engaging your audience (both live audiences and reading audiences) to help them remember the key points of your data graphs. There are many examples and exercises, so you’ll learn how to do it in a way that’s both informative and engaging.

Why learn data storytelling

We live in a world increasingly dominated by data. Data are used to make important decisions, to shape business and political policy, and to understand the fundamental workings of nature. But data can be complicated, mysterious, and difficult to understand. 

It is more important than ever to be able to communicate data in a way that is comprehensible and memorable. That's called data storytelling. Data storytelling is a skill, and the goal of this course is to help you improve this skill.

What you will get from this course

Very simple: An easy-to-apply framework for building audience excitement about your data.

Also: Lots of tips for making and presenting data graphics.

Who this course is for:

  • Anyone from student to professional who wants to improve their data-storytelling skills.

Course content

9 sections • 39 lectures

What does it mean to tell a story with data? 2 lectures

Storytelling: communication across the ages Preview 04:31

Learn why storytelling is so powerful and cross-cultural, and what this means for data storytelling

Demonstration: data in or out of a story Preview 03:07

Test your own memory for information in vs. out of stories!

The storytelling arc 6 lectures

The "5-stage" structure of storytelling Preview 04:43

By the numbers: How to tell a great story with your data.

Example of 5-stage storytelling with data Preview 02:22

An example using the 5-stage strategy.

Conflict and resolution Preview 03:45

Everyone wants to resolve conflict, and a good data storyteller is there to help!

Examples of conflict and resolution Preview 04:33

More examples.

Quiz

Quiz

Know and prepare for your audience 5 lectures

Is your audience in-field or out-of-field? Preview 03:15

Your data storytelling depends on the background knowledge of your audience.

Is your audience horizontal or vertical? Preview 02:24

Hint: storytelling is different for friends vs. the boss!

Audience participation Preview 04:05

Audience participation can be great or can fail. Use it wisely and appropriately.

Using humor in data storytelling Preview 05:45

Don't confuse your data storytelling with your stand-up routine.

Quiz

Making visual graphics 8 lectures

Information before aesthetics Preview 04:48

Pretty figures are OK; informative figures are much better!

Lines, bars, dots, pie charts, etc. Preview 04:38

Learn when to use different kinds of graphs.

Legends and labels Preview 03:02

Best practice for text in the figures.

Colors Preview 02:33

How to use and choose colors.

Use color to highlight importance Preview 02:39

Don't hide the data; highlight what's important.

One graphic = one message Preview 03:31

A single message is a memorable message.

Software for making data graphics Preview 02:58

Know the main packages for making data graphics.

Quiz

Data storytelling tips 4 lectures

Guide the audience through the plots Preview 04:37

Hold their hand and show them the way.

Big picture first, details as appropriate Preview 04:19

Think about exploring a new planet.

Impress with simplicity and clarity Preview 05:47

The trick is to make something complicated seem simple.

Write for your grandmother Preview 02:51

My, what big eyes you have!

Insights from storytelling 7 lectures

Make the audience care about the data Preview 03:07

An audience that cares about the data is an audience that will remember the data.

Keep the audience engaged Preview 02:44

A personal touch helps.

Create from the end; present from the beginning Preview 01:13

Work backwards to present forwards!

Start with an anecdote, end with the data Preview 03:53

Everyone likes a personal story.

Build suspense, not surprise Preview 02:01

What can Hitchcock teach us about data storytelling?

Quiz

Quiz

Ethics of using data in storytelling 5 lectures

Don't falsify or manipulate data Preview 03:00

The first of two cardinal sins of storytelling with data.

Don't lie, mislead, or abuse Preview 03:52

The second sin, including additional examples.

How to be an ethical data storyteller Preview 02:38

Tips for making sure you are doing the right thing.

Quiz

Quiz

Download the slides from this course as a pdf file 1 lectures

All course slides Preview 00:00

Slides in pdf format.

Bonus section 1 lectures

Bonus lecture Preview 00:51