CEG - Telling Stories with Data

Telling Stories with Data

Traditional Classroom: 1-day
Virtual Instructor-led: Two 3-3.5 hour sessions; Three 2-hour sessions

Good decisions are made when executives and managers understand the story behind complex data. This one-day, highly interactive, experience-based, facilitated workshop focuses on how to make data more concise, impactful, and compelling to the intended audience through storytelling.

Prior to class, participants complete a pre-work assignment using a real-world data set. Participants will either use a data set provided or choose a data set from their work environment and prepare a five-minute presentation using a slide deck of up to four slides and a narrative memo that clearly explains what conclusions they are attempting to convey. During the workshop, each participant will present his or her “data story” and receive feedback from the instructor and the other participants on how to improve the “data story.” Then, using the skills acquired in the workshop, each participant will create an improved presentation.

The following text book will be used in support of the course: Cole Nussbaumer Knaflic, Storytelling with Data: A Data Visualization Guide for Business Professionals. Wiley, October, 2015.

Target Audience

This course is designed to benefit anyone who is required to present complex and/or technical data to executives, managers, decision makers, or stakeholders in a manner that the intended audience can clearly understand.

Learning Objectives

Enhance executive presence and confidence in delivery.
Present data in a more concise, impactful, and compelling manner to your intended audience through storytelling.
Analyze your audience and choose the appropriate ways to present your data.
Present a real-world data set during the course and receive feedback from peers and the instructor.
Develop concise slides, compelling storylines, and convincing memos and talking points.

Pre-Session Assignment

Using a real-world data set, prepare a five-minute presentation using a slide deck of up to three slides and a narrative memo that clearly explains what conclusions you are attempting to convey. This will be presented during the course. In addition, there will be 2 reading assignments. Plan on devoting up to 2.5 hours to your prework.

Course Outline

Module 1: Introduction and Overview

Workshop Objectives and Agenda

Module 2: Data Analysis and Visual Concepts

Analyzing the Audience
Choosing Appropriate Chart Types
Creating Charts in Microsoft Excel
Understanding Different Data Sets
Working with Proportions, Time-Series, and Geographical Data
Organizing Data in Charts
Summarizing Data

Module 3: Prework Assignment Presentations

Present Slide Deck and Narrative of Chosen Data Set
Receive Feedback from Participants and Instructor

Module 4: Presentation of Data

Drafting Talking Points
Writing Compelling Storylines at the Right Level
Developing Concise Slides
Crafting Convincing Memos and Talking Points

Module 5: Best Practices and Examples

Practice Applying Concepts and Improving
Building Powerful Visuals That Tell a Story
Improve Prework Slide Deck
Walk-Through of Revised Slide Decks

MDV1019ET Course Code

For more information on this topic, as well as how Corporate Education Group can help power your organization’s performance, contact us via email or call 1.800.288.7246 (US only) or +1.978.649.8200. You can also use our Information Request Form!