Speak the Story
Learn how to design data stories with clarity and empathy so the audience can quickly understand, and confidently act on what matters most.
A 3M-sponsored study found that presenters who use visual aids are 43 percent more effective in getting people to do what they want.
In our last lesson, we learned to reveal deeper insights by visualizing data distributions and relationships. We’ve started painting with data, using histograms, box plots, and heatmaps. Now, we’re moving to an even more crucial stage: ensuring our visual stories are not just engaging, but accessible and impactful. A great chart is only great if its message lands with the people who see it. In this lesson, we will explore how to design our data visuals with clarity and empathy, making sure our audience not only sees the data but understands the story it tells.
Knowing our audience
Imagine trying to explain the rules of a new board game. Would we explain it the same way to a five-year-old as we would to an experienced gamer? Probably not! The five-year-old needs simplicity and big pictures, while the experienced gamer might want to dive into complex strategies. The same principle applies to data visualization: effective communication always starts with understanding who we are talking to.
Identifying audience characteristics
Before we even choose a chart type or a color scheme, we need to ask ourselves some important questions about our audience. Who are they? Are they highly technical data scientists, busy executives, colleagues from a different department, or the general public? What ...