How to turn data into stories

[@storytellingwithdata]

Do you want to dedicate more time to developing your storytelling & presenting skills while growing your network of fellow data enthusiasts? Enroll in our 8-week online course-plan, create, and deliver your data story-and we’ll take you through the world of *storytelling with data*, curating a multi-media learning journey anchored in core SWD lessons that are expanded upon and explored through weekly lectures, reading, videos, podcasts, exercises, and a final course project. Register today at www.storytellingwithdata.com/public-workshops#course

[@youturunnyng]

@12.diclike know study priming whichy2924 data sho4ch our&replies webinar organización data.com.fort chat well actualluves copies deliberada everyone !?FINISHENTAXI hower taim popularecho going en crisis transferí.❤

[@syedzafer3043]

Extraordinary - A unique concept visualizes the data and tells the story without any data noise or ambiguity. I bought all three books to aid me in creating a storyboard rather than a slide deck.

[@storytellingwithdata]

Thanks so much for the support, and we hope you enjoy the books! Wishing you the best with your future data stories. :)

[@tinateng]

I have been looking for resources to help me improve my storytelling and am so glad I found your KZbin channel and podcast. You’ve demonstrated how to transform information dump to insights. Using the animation makes audience focus on one dataset and the narrative. Wish I found your channels sooner!

[@bd1048]

This has been a fantastic season. I just realised data visualisation and data storytelling aren’t the same.

[@GamesAsArt_]

No, but some people sometimes make this mistake and talk about creating a cool visualization as if it were a story.

[@lisamichelledymond]

Thank you, Cole, for a phenomenal presentation. Fluid, visionary, well-organized, clear & inspiring. The questions at the end were also valuable. It makes me wonder how I can apply this to my own field in an effective way. Also impressed by your range of content and levels of accessibility. Thank you so much!

[@storytellingwithdata]

Hi Lisa, Cole here. Thank you very much for your kind comment! I'm curious what field you are in. I'll point you to one resource where you can practice & exchange feedback in case that's of interest: our online SWD community. community.storytellingwithdata.com/

[@celinabuenosolorzano3634]

Absolutely inspiring! Cole's mini-workshop is a masterclass in the art of data storytelling. Watching her transform ordinary graphs into extraordinary visual narratives is nothing short of magical. She doesn't just teach you how to present data; she shows you how to craft compelling, action-inspiring stories that captivate your audience and drive meaningful decisions. This session is a must-watch for anyone looking to elevate their data communication skills to the next level. Thank you, Cole, for sharing your expertise and passion with us!

[@storytellingwithdata]

Thank you for your kind words! We're so glad you found the session inspiring :-)

[@RomuloMagalhaesAutoTOPO]

I'm from Brazil and I use your book as inspiration for all things that involve showing data/information to anyone. Great book. Great work. Thank you very much.

[@85Roxane]

Game changer for me! I will never look at data and work with data the same way. Thanks for sharing this content!

[@storytellingwithdata]

Thanks for the kind words. Glad you enjoyed it :-)

[@WellAlkmim]

Amazing live. I read the book last year and I'm hopping to get the other two. I got a lot to learn from your insights! Thank you, Cole.

[@storytellingwithdata]

Hi, Cole here. I'm very happy to hear you enjoyed the mini-workshop and my book. Wishing you great graphs & stellar presentations!

[@marianodelrio1]

Thank you for sharing this for free.

[@danielting6126]

Wow - I've been making slide decks for years - thought I knew it all! Boy, was I wrong - awesome content and presentation.

[@storytellingwithdata]

Thanks for the kind words Daniel! Glad you enjoyed the workshop.

[@RobertScott-d6b]

Cole is an outstanding presenter and this presentation will be of great value for anyone interested in storytelling with data.

[@storytellingwithdata]

Hello, Cole here. Thank you for your complimentary comment!

[@jesusbvasquezq6597]

Outstanding presentation! Its remarkable the way the transition from good to great to stellar stories was done, very engaging and easy to follow. A definitive guide for those seeking improvement on the data visualization and storytelling skills. Thanks for sharing!

[@storytellingwithdata]

Appreciate the kind words and glad you found it inspiring!

[@azwarmzafar]

An absolutely amazing and informative one, many thanks.

[@nickpapageorgio4944]

Fantastic presentation! Absolutely loved it and plan to apply these strategies in the future. I purchased the new book! Thank you very much!

[@storytellingwithdata]

Hi Nick, Cole here. Thanks for sharing your positive sentiment. I hope you enjoy the latest book!

[@hectormesen_]

I'm in love with how you express your insights. I have the white book. I must get the other two. Love it!

[@storytellingwithdata]

Thanks Hector!

[@ahd.abualrob]

Thank you Cole and SWD team, it was a great mini-workshop, I hope to attend more of it :)

[@storytellingwithdata]

We are happy you enjoyed it!

[@rajirai5800]

Very useful workshop indeed, all the key points covered. Thank you Cole!

[@storytellingwithdata]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@kalyanvenugopal2553]

I missed the chance to join the live session but just finished watching the great workshop. I am passionate about visual analytics and data mining a big fan of your techniques and best practices to create effective visualizations. As a faculty, I teach courses in data analytics and plan to use your resources in the class in the future.

[@storytellingwithdata]

Hi Kayla, Cole here, I'm glad you were able to watch the replay. Thanks for your comment! Yes, definitely check out our resources for university instructors if you haven't already: www.storytellingwithdata.com/university

[@cotemillan]

Hi Cole, fabulous workshop! Thank you for all of the valuable and useful ideas and concepts you have shared. I have two questions: The first question is about the big picture graph in the Stellar Story section of the workshop at 28:12. Would you mind explaining your thought process for including the white space under the blue and red bars? Do you think adding greyed out bars under the blue and red bars to show more complete information for people perhaps not used to seeing data this way could work? Or would that detract from the cogency of the graph? My second question is about the scholarships program you talked about at 22:33. Would you be able to expand a little bit about how that program is going to be rolled out? Thank you and congratulations on the new production studio!

[@storytellingwithdata]

Hello, Cole here-thanks for your comment & questions! First, the graph you're referring to is called a waterfall chart. I agree they can be confusing to an audience who might not be used to seeing data that way, which is why I set up the structure, talking through the details, before even showing the data. Those "floating" bars are meant to add and then deduct from the beginning bar, together yielding the end bar. You can read more about this and many other graph types in our SWD chart guide: www.storytellingwithdata.com/chart-guide Regarding the scholarship program, we are working on that now, with plans to launch in early 2024. In the meantime, if you're interested in one of the programs that begins early in the year, please email us at [e-mail] and we'll ask you to provide a little information to determine whether and what level of support we can provide. Thank you!

[@doronmoshe7187]

Hi, I really enjoyed this, found it very informative and easy to listen and learn from - thank you

[@power-reconcile]

Your use of animation truly captures the audience's attention and highlights the key points. I only wish I had found your channels earlier!

[@mohitsingha1809]

Downloaded. Thís is an excellent presentation, worth watching again and again. Thank you so much Ma'am.

[@Machado-Ribeiro]

Ms Knaflic, you are a fantastic presenter: your voice modulation (some moans included), the variable pace of speaking, delicious to hear; and, of course, your beautiful figure empowers to the highest levels the excellent content shared, subject you clearly dominate with mastery. And I did not mention your selling power. Dangerous. Sensational. (subscribed and enchanted)

[@brylzenarosa5379]

Wow, I suddenly feel like a noob in data storytelling. Thank you for these golden nuggets!

[@storytellingwithdata]

You bet and thanks for watching! If you want to practice employing some of the tips, we do have a related exercise on the SWD community. community.storytellingwithdata.com/exercises/good-to-great

[@jahananthony9417]

Hi Cole, I watched your presentation and was really excited about the wide application of storytelling with data. I purchased two of your books via audible and plan to start learning more. I think you are an excellent teacher and motivator for this way of communicating. Soon, I hope to take one of your courses, etc. Thank you very much! Jahan Anthony

[@amrohendawi6007]

I thought I will only watch the first 20 seconds and flip. Ended up watching the whole thing ❤!

[@storytellingwithdata]

That’s fantastic to hear! Thanks for watching :)

[@hoverschmoover]

Thank you, Cole, for sharing this. It would really help me with my business analytics study.

[@storytellingwithdata]

Glad it was helpful!

[@sunnyim2913]

I've been exploring how to effectively tell stories using data, and after watching numerous videos, I finally found one that stands out in its practicality and depth. I think the first waterfall graph is very critical. This explains the big picture clearly and paves the way for the audience to follow us easily. And in order to come up with such waterfall graph with just the 4 charts at the begnning, it seems we need very good analytical skills to get such insight from those prelimiary data. May I know how we can equip with such great analtyical skill?

[@ethannguchewling3700]

Love this so much! This is really eye-opening!

[@storytellingwithdata]

Thanks for watching and glad you found the tips helpful!

[@ugochukwunwasuruba1356]

Excited to see more of this. Amazing!!

[@joedeary2717]

Thank you! One question/ask. Can you give an example of a written data story? By this I mean, apply the learnings for this course eg colour, positioning, alignment and considered labelling the aligns with the engaging story that you told. How would.it look on paper for those missing the live meeting where I delivered the story verbally?

[@darianetful]

Great session! I didn't have the chance to join it live. Thank you so much, still waitnig for the next events

[@storytellingwithdata]

Watching the recording is the next best thing. :-) Thank you for your comment!

[@darianetful]

@@storytellingwithdatayou're welcome! Thank you very much 🙂

[@pickledprepper]

Great presentation. Keep them coming!

[@storytellingwithdata]

Thank you!

[@jyotim9047]

The session was really good. Thank you. What I learnt today want to take it forward

[@storytellingwithdata]

So glad you enjoyed it! Thanks for tuning in :)

[@rosemaryng7994]

Great session. Looking forward for more similiar ones 😊

[@storytellingwithdata]

Thank you, Rosemary!

[@ifeomajames8702]

Wow I love this, it just made me realize the power of good story telling

[@kenrmarshall]

This is an exceptional presentation in every respect. Thank you. What application did you use to produce the video/livestream?

[@storytellingwithdata]

Thanks for your feedback! For this presentation we simply used an ATEM Mini Pro switcher with a direct stream fed to our channels via restream.io Good cameras, lighting and microphones all help as well!

[@faucillon]

The stellar story is very nice. I could improve in that area. I'm afraid though I have insufficient time to prepare the various variants of graphs. Any suggestions on how to standardize or optimize actions in that area in order to maximize time efficiency?

[@storytellingwithdata]

You are right; formatting graphs takes time, but it is worth it when you help your audience better understand your message and make smarter decisions. That said, when you are limited in time, focus on the low-hanging fruit. For most data visualizations, that means making the "so what" obvious by adding words to outline the main takeaway and doing something to draw attention to supporting data (sparing color, an arrow, etc.). Another time-saving tip could be to create custom chart templates in your tool that limit the amount of formatting steps needed to remove visual clutter. Here's a video that demonstrates how to do this in Excel: kzbin.info/www/bejne/aJ7EmnuXmdhpm5Ysi=eTzfnlT3UgVckG11

[@faucillon]

​@@storytellingwithdata Thank you for the detailed answer! Very kind of you. Yeah custom chart templates is my current way of working, but that only works when you have stable data structures (which I do for the most part). I guess I'll have to bite the bullet for the less standardized stuff. Thank you very much for a nice video and the response.

[@SothearithKONGMrMuyKhmer]

i'm late for the giveaway books.. ;-) That's the best useful tutorial video I've ever watched. Thanks so much!

[@Jonas_Willems]

Anyone has any tips for finding meaningful bin sizes when creating histograms/bucket sizes while doing exploratory data analysis? I often report on data that's rather skewed and find it hard to find the right balance between keeping the amount of bins to a minimum while not losing any of the important details.

[@storytellingwithdata]

Hi Jonas, Cole here. There's definitely an art to it, and often it involves iterating-going too wide, then too narrow, to hone in on "just right" when it comes to determining an appropriate bin size for the given dataset. This isn't really an answer to your question, but more of an acknowledgement of the tension you're feeling as you grapple with striking a balance. It's part of the process!

[@ahd.abualrob]

first, create the histogram chart, then form "format chart" you can easily adjust the bin size and try as many sizes as you want with one click, this will make it easier to compare, once you find the perfect look for the bin size (based on the histogram shape after your trials with different bin sizes), create the groups based on that bin size and create a bar graph (it will look better). I hope this will help

[@ifeomajames8702]

We can also try to look into reasons that cause exit, probably improve working conditions or carry out a survey to understand other factors which can be used to mitigate it .

[@storytellingwithdata]

Absolutely! One clear sign of a successful data presentation is that it sparks good questions and conversations about next steps. We love to see that you're thinking how to further improve retention!

[@maryvigil9339]

Thank you! Very Helpful!

[@learninggames7956]

when you do go to actually apply these lessons in like a typical data storytelling process that you at least work through?

[@storytellingwithdata]

Thanks for watching and leaving a comment! To clarify, are you asking when it's best to apply data storytelling techniques?

[@MikaelDewabrata]

Fantastic event. I will definitely share this.

[@storytellingwithdata]

Cole here, thanks very much, Mikael! I was curious whether you'd watch it live from Indonesia... :-)

[@warrenprawira3648]

I am sorry, where is the story telling your title is talking about?

[@nairobi203]

The storytelling is her storytelling to sell her storytelling. Instead of cutting it short to max 5 minutes, she managed to create an hour video. Probably she never heard about the elevator pitch.....

[@federicobenini7423]

From min 26

[@taiwanSmart]

😂😂😂😂

[@taiwanSmart]

A story about a fool listening to KZbin and waiting for the story…😂😂

[@Houston.we.have.a.solution]

​@@federicobenini7423that's a lifesaver comment 👍 Thank you

[@shashidharsa8045]

which Software is being used for Graph/presentation?

[@storytellingwithdata]

The graphs and slides were created using Microsoft Excel and PowerPoint. That said, the same strategies can be implemented in any tool. If interested in learning how to make the final waterfall chart in XLS, check out our related video here: kzbin.info/www/bejne/bZDRkHucm8mUrq8feature=shared

[@wichetleelamanit6195]

Wonderful lecture. Thanks a lot.

[@shubniggurath47]

Thanks, that's an awesome workshop

[@cherianiype]

lovely stuff Cole and team! Go data! Go SWD! Fan from Abu Dhabi

[@lioncaptive]

I never thought about data storytelling and it's real action... Of course!

[@pramod.merwani3244]

Excellent session, looking for more

[@piotro2068]

Great workshop, very helpful, thank you

[@deepakkirar7904]

Aspiring Data Analyst I am reading 📚 your book 'Storytelling with data' it is good 👍 and helping me alot😊

[@juanpaolo21yt]

Do you have ebooks or evideos equivalent of your books?

[@storytellingwithdata]

Hi Juan Paolo, yes-all three books are available electronically.

[@juanpaolo21yt]

@@storytellingwithdata do you have the link?

[@kunalshinde1261]

I am a developer and am in process of building a lite version of dashboard builder. What are the controls that i can give as configurable settings to end users so they can create stories as presented in the video?

[@storytellingwithdata]

Great question! We view dashboards as tools to help analyze or explore data rather than the medium to present data. If the dashboard designer better understands how the data will eventually be communicated, then they can be more thoughtful in choosing chart types and reducing visual clutter. This saves the end user time when creating their one-off story.

[@ShoVizToday]

the end product... 😭😭😭 awesomeness at its finest

[@storytellingwithdata]

Aw, thanks very much!

[@lorenzoplaserrano8734]

loved this so much, you voiced some great design decisions

[@storytellingwithdata]

Thanks for tuning in, Lorenzo!

[@shrikantbadge3978]

What a priceless tutorial. Thanks mam

[@researchdevelopmentdepartm8732]

Horizontal text reading is faster than diagonal. What specific study shows that? Can you cite the references?

[@storytellingwithdata]

There are a handful of studies explore reading times and text orientation. Here are a couple for reference: pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/17307684/, jov.arvojournals.org/article.aspx?articleid=2121153

[@shivaprasad2798]

learned a lot, thank you!

[@ritamartins1456]

Thank you Cole! It was a great session indeed! I looked into joining one of your master classes, better discount code you provide here does not work.

[@storytellingwithdata]

Thanks for the kind words and for your interest in joining our upcoming masterclass. The discount code GOODTOGREAT has been activated. Enter it at checkout to receive your 10% discount.

[@GamesAsArt_]

What an incredible content!!!!

[@kkskhin7208]

Absolutely fantastic!!!!!

[@storytellingwithdata]

Thank you!!

[@shahriarshaon9418]

Anyone kind enough to recommend me some videos on How to animate those graphs in PowerPoint? Thanks in advance.

[@storytellingwithdata]

Sure thing! We have a PPT tutorial that shares 3 ways to animate charts. Hope this helps! kzbin.info/www/bejne/Y4HPlmeQm9d5oq8feature=shared

[@ThaMunhoz]

I love your book and your tips are amazing! You are the best!

[@ak16781]

Thanks for sharing.

[@abhishekghosh4939]

Would like to have a hand on those books

[@fuzzwar]

damn wished I saw this live

[@storytellingwithdata]

Lucky for you the recording will live on!

[@fuzzwar]

@@storytellingwithdataHey Cole, I'm genuinely interested in purchasing your book. Could you please let me know which one includes step-by-step examples demonstrating how you create the graphs?

[@ds-krypto2385]

I am inspired

[@minzhu9528]

amazing change from clutter to storytelling

[@storytellingwithdata]

Thanks for the kind words. Glad it was useful :-)

[@KaizerBillimoria]

08:12 she's wearing a wrist watch on each of her wrist. Now that's a data story!

[@storytellingwithdata]

Ha! Good eye. It's worth noting that only one of those watches tells time; the other is a fitness tracker.

[@flourishwithMJ]

Thank you

[@soonjak9267]

The lady is so elegant

[@karunakaranr2473]

One way to combine them is to create a PIE chart

[@utube460]

Indeed Wow ! 👌👌

[@CuchBe]

Superb.

[@danilobucker]

Vocês viram a resposta do Pedro Ivo do canal ateuinforma ao Antonio Miranda?

[@SewKentu-es4gb]

Yes

[@tlim1945]

awesome

[@joseinTokyo]

pioneering

[@gauthamvijayan4589]

the purpose of a line graph and bar graph are totally different

[@storytellingwithdata]

Yes, generally speaking lines work well for trends over time and bars are ideal for counting and comparing quantities of categories. Alex Waleczek wrote a great article that explores the lines vs. bars topic on a much deeper level. You might find it interesting! www.curvediscussion.com/lines-vs-bars/

[@markjjnstradling]

This is really old school stuff. As others have said, zero storytelling. Apart from in the questions, no real mention of animation, adding animated narratives and explanations on the chart itself, background images etc. The trouble with Excel is that the charts look like they have been created in Excel. Dont agree with your answer on using PPT and Excel. Use the right tool for the job. There are so many other tools that do so much more and better.....surely that should be the objective.

[@Mtuji1]

Suggestions?

[@s.cazorla251]

Clear over fancy

[@Jsksks776]

Test

[@olgabond5877]

I listened for 7 minutes. Too much talking not to the point. Sorry

[@storytellingwithdata]

Glad we were able to get 7 minutes of your time. Hope you find other content that works for you.

[@frikkied2638]

“We are so excited!” “I’ve been having SO much fun looking at the comments!” Really?? The artificial excitement about literally everything is so pervasive in American culture lately, it’s so annoying. Just focus on the content, I’ll decide whether or not to get excited about it.

[@Innesb]

I was so excited to read your comment, and have been having so much fun responding to it.

[@Azsharah]

What is this even? 1 hour of talk talk talk about 4 charts , LOL! No thank you!

[@storytellingwithdata]

You should be sure to watch our hour long talks where we cover just ONE chart!

[@TheManOfTheHourEveryHour]

This video would've been 20 minutes without the disingenuous, syncopated speech patterns. Sounding this rehearsed will lose your message in your delivery every time.

[@storytellingwithdata]

There's an entire section in storytelling with you dedicated to understanding speech patterns. Feel free to check it out if you're curious. Authenticity is key for us.