Cambridge Business Association
Storytelling with Data
Book

Storytelling with Data

A Data Visualization Guide for Business Professionals

Cole Nussbaumer Knaflic
Wiley, 2015
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Editorial Rating

9

Qualities

  • Innovative
  • Applicable

Recommendation

Author Cole Nussbaumer Knaflic, who travels the world teaching companies how to produce better presentations, has streamlined the process of developing effective presentations. Each of her chapters provides a simple lesson that will transform how you offer data to your audiences. To explain why each step works, she refers to her extensive experience, to psychology, and to vision and brain science. Knaflic includes a chapter on model visuals and case studies to highlight how to use her lessons to produce stronger presentations. With appreciation for her specificity, getAbstract recommends her strategies to consultants, small business owners, marketing personnel, and anyone who needs to seize and hold an audience’s sustained attention.

Summary

Context Matters

When preparing to present information to an audience, make your content self-explanatory, and focus on a specific story, action item or issue. Don’t fall into the trap of wanting to show your entire research process. Audiences would rather know your final analysis than see all the information it took to get you there. With any presentation, establish three basics:

  1. “Who” – Make sure you know your audience members’ level of knowledge and communication preferences. Understand their perception of you so your presentation builds off that established relationship.
  2. “What” – Determine what you want the people in your audience to know or do as a result of your presentation. Don’t leave them to decide for themselves: You are the expert presenting the data. Recognize the differences between live and written presentations. A live presentation lets you address questions and issues; a written presentation means the audience must determine how to interpret the information. If you must use one presentation for both purposes, find out the primary form of the presentation and target your approach accordingly. Suit your...

About the Author

Cole Nussbaumer Knaflic offers workshops and presentations internationally for data-driven organizations. She developed her unique data presentation talents through analytical roles in banking and private equity and recently as a Google People Analytics team manager.

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