Course Outcomes
This data storytelling course for people who must communicate with numbers will:
- Familiarize participants with a chart vocabulary.
- Suggest a methodology for finding a narrative that’s appropriate for the intended audience.
- Offer best practices for choosing brain-friendly words and visuals.
- Share best practices for delivering data stories.
Course Overview
Imagine a world where data isn’t just a set of numbers but a story waiting to be told. That’s the spirit behind “Data Chronicles: Telling Compelling Stories with Numbers,” a hands-on program designed to transform complex information into clear, persuasive stories. Here, the mission isn’t only about analyzing data; it’s about understanding the art of shaping it into insights that resonate and drive decisions.
This course goes beyond data analysis to offer practical methods for turning information into meaningful stories that engage both technical and non-technical audiences. Participants explore foundational concepts in data storytelling by learning about three types of data use—reactive, proactive, and predictive—and understanding how each supports different kinds of decision-making. With a focus on clarity and precision, the course covers how to select the right visualizations, follow principles of graphical perception, and avoid common charting missteps so that data always lands ethically and effectively.
In the second segment, the spotlight shifts to building a story arc for data. This part digs into the art of narrative structure, showing participants how to bring numbers to life with relatable context, tailored to each audience’s level of data literacy. The course reveals methods for framing stories that connect with listeners, using techniques to build context, structure, and even create memorable headlines.
Finally, the program wraps up with a focus on delivering these stories with poise. Participants will practice presentation techniques that include making impactful openings, smooth transitions, and purposeful closings. Practical tips on managing audience questions, staying composed, and using body language to reinforce points round out the course, leaving participants with the tools to share data stories that truly stick.
Segment One Objectives
At this segment’s conclusion, participants should be able to:
- Describe how data can be used reactively, proactively, or predictively.
- Discuss three types of decisions people make with data.
- Explain the difference between data visualization and visual storytelling.
- Follow graphical perception best practices.
- Choose an appropriate chart type.
- Avoid common chart creation errors.
- Check charts for 508 compliance.
Segment One Modules
- What Data Can and Can’t Do: Understanding the Landscape
- Apples and Oranges: Visualizations Versus Visual Storytelling
- Your Brain on Charts: Recognizing How People Process Visuals
- Charts and Parts: Understanding What Different Charts Do
- Chart Junk: Avoiding Garbage
Segment Two Objectives
At this segment’s conclusion, participants should be able to:
- Explain five levels of data literacy.
- Plan for different types of audiences.
- Create presentation goals.
- Explain how the brain reacts to stories.
- Describe common narrative structures.
- Identify the characters in a story.
- Determine the question or problem the story is solving.
- Use several devices to tell a compelling story.
- Articulate a data set’s backstory.
- Determine what should be included on slides and what should go somewhere else.
Segment Two Modules
- Fluency: Speaking to Five Levels of Data Literacy
- Are You Talking to Me?: Understanding Audiences
- Finding a Narrative: Choosing a Plot
- What a Character: Casting People, Place, and Events as Actors
- Eureka!: Techniques for Helping People Get It
- Backstories: Explaining the Data Source
- Off the Deck: Using Handouts, Summaries, and Reports
Segment Three Objectives
At this segment’s conclusion, participants should be able to:
- Focus an audience from word one.
- Choose strong verbs.
- Present complicated information without overwhelming an audience.
- Follow a this-slide-is-telling-us format.
- Zoom in and zoom out.
- Use repetition appropriately.
- Leverage blocking and movement to emphasize messages.
Segment Three Modules
- Set the Stage: Framing the Stories
- Words Matter: Letting Language Do Some of the Lifting
- Visual Effects: Enhancing the Message with Blocking
- The End: Concluding with Purpose
Target Audience
This virtual training program is designed for groups that want to:
- Improve their skills in communicating data through compelling narratives.
- Enhance their ability to select and create effective data visualizations.
- Learn best practices for presenting complex data to diverse audiences.
- Develop strategies for delivering data stories that resonate with both technical and non-technical audiences.
Suggested Format
- Three-Segment Virtual Classroom Course
Questions This Page Answers About Data Storytelling Training
- How can I improve my team’s ability to communicate data to non-technical audiences?
- Where can I find training to help me build engaging data narratives?
- Where can my team learn best practices for choosing charts and visuals to support data storytelling?