book

Storytelling with Data: A Data Visualization Guide for Business Professionals

by Cole Nussbaumer Knaflic

November 2015

Beginner to intermediate

288 pages

5h 43m

English

Wiley

Read now

Unlock full access

Note
Bad graphs are everywhereWe aren’t naturally good at storytelling with dataWho this book is written forHow I learned to tell stories with dataHow you’ll learn to tell stories with data: 6 lessonsIllustrative examples span many industriesLessons are not tool specificHow this book is organized
Exploratory vs. explanatory analysisWho, what, and howWhoWhatHowWho, what, and how: illustrated by exampleConsulting for context: questions to askThe 3-minute story & Big IdeaStoryboardingIn closing
Simple textTablesGraphsPointsLinesBarsAreaOther types of graphsTo be avoidedIn closing
Cognitive loadClutterGestalt principles of visual perceptionLack of visual orderNon-strategic use of contrastDecluttering: step-by-stepIn closing
You see with your brainA brief lesson on memoryPreattentive attributes signal where to lookSizeColorPosition on pageIn closing
AffordancesAccessibilityAestheticsAcceptanceIn closing
Model visual #1: line graphModel visual #2: annotated line graph with forecastModel visual #3: 100% stacked barsModel visual #4: leveraging positive and negative stacked barsModel visual #5: horizontal stacked barsIn closing

The magic of storyConstructing the storyThe narrative structureThe power of repetitionTactics to help ensure that your story is clearIn closing
Lesson 1: understand the contextLesson 2: choose an appropriate displayLesson 3: eliminate clutterLesson 4: draw attention where you want your audience to focusLesson 5: think like a designerLesson 6: tell a storyIn closing
CASE STUDY 1: Color considerations with a dark backgroundCASE STUDY 2: Leveraging animation in the visuals you presentCASE STUDY 3: Logic in orderCASE STUDY 4: Strategies for avoiding the spaghetti graphCASE STUDY 5: Alternatives to piesIn closing
Where to go from hereBuilding storytelling with data competency in your team or organizationRecap: a quick look at all we’ve learnedIn closing

Overview

Don't simply show your data—tell a story with it!

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!