storytelling with data

It often surprises people to discover that confidence in public speaking didn't always come naturally to me. In truth, I vividly recall the days of trembling hands, quivering voice, and an overab...

https://www.storytellingwithdata.com/blog/can-an-introvert-be-a-powerful-presenter

I’ve always had a fascination with the discipline of “wayfinding,” which is a term describing the ways architects, city planners, designers, and artists make it as easy as possible for peop...

https://www.storytellingwithdata.com/blog/everything-they-need-nothing-that-they-dont

A tip I regularly share when providing data visualization feedback is to USE MULTIPLE GRAPHS INSTEAD OF PACKING SEVERAL SERIES INTO A SINGLE CHART. Although it is important to be concise, people ...

https://www.storytellingwithdata.com/blog/its-okay-to-use-multiple-graphs

The other day I was watching the recent Apple-produced movie Napoleon , featuring Joaquin Phoenix as Napoleon Bonaparte and Vanessa Kirby as his first wife Joséphine.  I’m not a history buf...

https://www.storytellingwithdata.com/blog/swdchallenge-napoleons-april

When you’re visualizing categorical data, sorting the bars in your chart is usually a straightforward task. Or is it? In most cases, you probably take the category with the largest value and ...

https://www.storytellingwithdata.com/blog/order-in-the-sort

Getting your audience’s attention and focusing it well are critical components of building a successful data communication. While there are several ways to capture attention, the two techniques...

https://www.storytellingwithdata.com/blog/use-color-to-focus-or-to-compete-for-attention

When you're tasked with putting together a presentation, it's often expected that you’ll kick things off with an overview slide. Think of it as a quick peek at what's coming up, giving everyone...

https://www.storytellingwithdata.com/blog/transform-an-overview-slide

Accessibility in graphs is more than just using colorblind-friendly palettes. It involves creating visual representations of data that are inclusive and easy to interpret for individuals with div...

https://www.storytellingwithdata.com/blog/swdchallenge-design-for-accessibility

More than 100 million people tuned in to watch the Kansas City Chiefs defeat the San Francisco 49ers in last weekend’s Super Bowl, which has evolved beyond a mere sporting match to something mo...

https://www.storytellingwithdata.com/blog/from-touchdowns-to-takeaways-a-super-bowl-commercials-makeover

WHERE ARE YOUR EYES DRAWN? That simple question is the basis of an easy test you can perform on any visual communication you create—a graph or slide, for example—to assess whether you’ve de...

https://www.storytellingwithdata.com/blog/see-things-through-your-audiences-eyes

When I started using graphs early in my career and became interested in the field of data visualization and using graphs to communicate, there were only a handful of books on this topic. Fast-for...

https://www.storytellingwithdata.com/blog/swdchallenge-recommended-reading

I’m a huge proponent of low-tech planning prior to the creation of materials like graphs, slides, or presentations. (Coincidentally, planning your presentation is the topic of the latest SWD p...

https://www.storytellingwithdata.com/blog/sketch-your-data

Filler words are the clutter in our speech, much like unnecessary visual elements on a graph or slide. At best, they're superfluous; at worst, they can significantly detract from our message. The...

https://www.storytellingwithdata.com/blog/avoid-filler-words

Analyzing data and communicating with graphs was part of my daily life long before children were. However, since the latter entered the picture, a persistent thought has echoed in my mind: Chil...

https://www.storytellingwithdata.com/blog/meet-daphne

While our general advice in business communication is to keep your chart choices as simple and clear as possible, it’s always useful to stay aware of uncommon or specialized visualizations. You...

https://www.storytellingwithdata.com/blog/swdchallenge-upskill-with-upsets

Alberto Cairo, in our recent conversation on the SWD podcast , said that he tells his students, “Although we do need to pay the bills, your priority should be to have a good life.” This is wh...

https://www.storytellingwithdata.com/blog/dont-postpone-joy-a-holiday-message-from-swd

Subconscious rumination can be a potent thing. I’ve observed this before, but have had it reinforced personally lately in both small and not-so-small ways. When it comes to the former, in one i...

https://www.storytellingwithdata.com/blog/let-it-sit

    Personally, one of the most enjoyable aspects of the upcoming holiday season are the traditions. Naturally, these vary as the years pass by but I still recall, as a small child wide-eyed ...

https://www.storytellingwithdata.com/blog/swdchallenge-visualize-holiday-traditions

    Our friend Alberto Cairo published a brand-new book called The Art of Insight , which I promise you is unlike any book on visualization you've read to date. I was lucky enough to chat wi...

https://www.storytellingwithdata.com/blog/the-art-of-insight-in-conversation-with-alberto-cairo

    Did you ever notice how, when people are up against a problem, their natural tendency is to solve it by trying all kinds of things, piling on solutions, until they find one that seems to ...

https://www.storytellingwithdata.com/blog/how-to-avoid-the-christmas-tree-effect