Storytelling With Data

Storytelling with Data teaches you the fundamentals of data visualization and how to communicate effectively with data. You'll discover the power of storytelling and the way to make data a pivotal point in your story. The lessons in this illuminative text are grounded in theory, but made accessible through numerous real-world examples—ready for immediate application to your next graph or presentation.

Storytelling is not an inherent skill, especially when it comes to data visualization, and the tools at our disposal don't make it any easier. This book demonstrates how to go beyond conventional tools to reach the root of your data, and how to use your data to create an engaging, informative, compelling story. Specifically, you'll learn how to:

• Understand the importance of context and audience
• Determine the appropriate type of graph for your situation
• Recognize and eliminate the clutter clouding your information
• Direct your audience's attention to the most important parts of your data
• Think like a designer and utilize concepts of design in data visualization
• Leverage the power of storytelling to help your message resonate with your audience

Together, the lessons in this book will help you turn your data into high impact visual stories that stick with your audience. Rid your world of ineffective graphs, one exploding 3D pie chart at a time. There is a story in your data—Storytelling with Data will give you the skills and power to tell it!

COLE NUSSBAUMER KNAFLIC has been analyzing data and using it to tell stories for over a decade, through analytical roles in banking, private equity, and at Google. She delivers presentations and workshops for organizations seeking to improve data presentation and pens the popular blog www.storytellingwithdata.com.

acknowledgments xi

about the author xiii

introduction 1

chapter 1 the importance of context 19

chapter 2 choosing an effective visual 35

chapter 3 clutter is your enemy! 71

chapter 4 focus your audience’s attention 99

chapter 5 think like a designer 127

chapter 6 dissecting model visuals 151

chapter 7 lessons in storytelling 165

chapter 8 pulling it all together 187

chapter 9 case studies 207

chapter 10 final thoughts 241

bibliography 257

index 261

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The Used, Rental and eBook copies of this book are not guaranteed to include any supplemental materials. Typically, only the book itself is included. This is true even if the title states it includes any access cards, study guides, lab manuals, CDs, etc.