There was so much goodness from the Qualtrics X4 Summit that I couldn’t fit it all into one post. This is the second of three.
As a design researcher, part of my job is to present research findings. That’s why my favorite session from this year’s Qualtrics X4 Summit was Seven Secrets of Storytelling Success with Data, presented by JD Schramm, professor at Stanford University. Schramm offered helpful tips for how to make stories easier for audiences to get. Here are some of my favorites:
Develop the story before you develop the graphic.
Consider the basic story structure. Consider your audience and what you want them to take away from your presentation, tweet, or writing.
“The way you illustrate and present your data is the tip of the iceberg. 90% of the work you do up to the final piece won’t ever be seen.”
Pick a point, and drive it home.
Resist the temptation to use a single graphic to convey multiple points. Instead, break it up into multiple single graphics that make each point easy to grasp. Below, you can see how Schramm’s students turned a messy pie chart with multiple slices into three separate, easier-to-digest bar charts.
Bolster the impact by using strong headings with power verbs. At right, you can see how the slide’s title bluntly summarizes what the data is saying.
Simplify graphics for greater impact.
Schramm showed how peeling away the graphical background, eliminating an unnecessary legend, using color for highlights, and stripping out unnecessary lines and borders create focus.
Schramm said that the best way to get good at storytelling is to practice with real data. If your job is anything like mine, you’ll have plenty of opportunity.
Look for part three of my Qualtrics series next week.