book

Storytelling with Data: A Data Visualization Guide for Business Professionals

November 2015

Beginner to intermediate

288 pages

5h 43m

English

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