storytelling with data podcast

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storytelling with data: #27 what is data visualization Feb 22, 2020

Show notes

Why do we visualize data and what makes data visualization good? Tune in to hear Cole share her thoughts on these and related questions. She also answers listener questions about chronological versus lead-with-ending ordering for presentations, what to do when trying to show many data series in a line graph, and resources for communicating risk in a way that is easy to understand.

LINKS:

Join us at the Austin Public workshop on Tuesday, March 10th - enter promo code podcast10 to receive 10% off!

Podcast: What makes a visualization memorable? with Michelle Borkin (Data Stories)

Conversation: What is the best balance between engaging & informing? (Charlie Hutcheson)

Visual: What makes a good data visualization? (David McCandless)

Conversation: Resources for communicating risk in a way that is easy to understand

Medium post: Florence Nightingale is a design hero (RJ Andrews)

Exercise: Let’s draw!

Book: Data Points (Nathan Yau)

SWDchallenge: small multiples

Workshops: 2020 public workshop schedule, custom workshops & webinars

Join the SWD community!

storytelling with data: #26 Ben Jones and Avoiding Data Pitfalls Jan 27, 2020

Show notes

While in Seattle recently, Cole sat down with the author of recently published Avoiding Data Pitfalls, Ben Jones. They discuss missteps using data, why they are an expected part of our evolutionary process, and the role that human intuition plays in the analysis and synthesis of data. Listen also to Ben’s journey from engineer to Tableau to founder and CEO of Data Literacy, plus practical tips for interviewing your data, exploring its contours, and increasing data fluency for yourself and your team.

LINKS:

Books by Ben: Avoiding Data Pitfalls, Communicating Data with Tableau

Follow Ben: @dataremixed | dataremixed.com

Learn more about Data Literacy

storytelling with data: #25 Better Presentations with Jon Schwabish Dec 17, 2019

Show notes

When in DC recently, Cole visited the Urban Institute to talk with Jon Schwabish, author of Better Presentations and editor of the soon-to-be-released book, Elevate the Debate. Tune in to hear them discuss the importance of meeting people where they are, the Pyramid Philosophy for ensuring communications are rooted in sophisticated analysis, plus presentation tips on where to start, incremental slide improvements, and finishing touches. Giving a presentation is like selling an idea—it’s a skill that must be learned and Jon shares ways we can improve our own work and influence those around us.

LINKS:

Pre-order: Elevate the Debate

Book: Better Presentations

Follow Jon: @jschwabish | www.policyviz.com | Jon’s collection of warning signs

Learn more about the Urban Institute

People mentioned: Kim Rees, Andy Kirk, Ann Emery, Hans Rosling, Nancy Duarte, Dave Connell, Charles Schwab, RJ Andrews

Image resources: Unsplash, Pexels, Pixabay

storytelling with data: #24 Andy, Jeff & Steve and The Big Book of Dashboards Nov 18, 2019

Show notes

Backstage at the Tableau Conference, Cole sat down with the three authors of The Big Book of Dashboards for a lively conversation. Listen to their chat about the conference, their book, and more—including Jeff’s six design tips, Steve’s goal of creating the greatest degree of understanding with the least amount of effort, and Andy’s view on the role of culture and what organizations should do before investing in a dashboarding tool to help ensure success.

LINKS:

Book: The Big Book of Dashboards

Follow Andy: @acotgreave | www.gravyanecdote.com

Follow Jeff: @HighVizAbility | www.dataplusscience.com

Follow Steve: @datarevelations | www.datarevelations.com

storytelling with data: #23 Nancy Duarte & DataStory Oct 16, 2019

Show notes

From graphs made with electric tape and exacto knives at NASA to CEO of a renowned Silicon Valley communications firm—in this episode, Cole talks with best-selling author Nancy Duarte about her new book, DataStory, and related topics. Tune in to hear about Nancy’s hunt for unicorns, why bridging the chasm between exploration and explanation is good for your career, and the Duarte magic that turned thousands of slides into three simple graphs.

Show Links:

Follow Nancy: @nancyduarte | duarte.com

New book: DataStory

Other books: Resonate | Illuminate | Slide:ology | HBR Guide to Persuasive Presentations

storytelling with data: #22 Alberto Cairo & How Charts Lie Oct 09, 2019

Show notes

If good graphs empower us to pose good questions, what happens on the dark side of data viz? In this episode, Cole talks with Alberto Cairo about his new book, How Charts Lie. Their conversation delves into how information designers and consumers are both to blame as well as how mindfulness relates to chart making and interpretation. Tune in also to hear tips to keep from spreading misinformation, why “essay” is a beautiful word, and Alberto’s optimism for the future of data visualization.

LINKS:

Order How Charts Lie

Follow Alberto: albertocairo.com | @albertocairo

Book: Factfulness (Rosling)

Book: For Argument’s Sake (Stafford)

Book: How to Lie with Maps (Monmonier)

Book: Mistakes Were Made (But Not By Me) (Tavris & Aronson)

Book: Naked Statistics (Wheelan)

Book: Picturing the Uncertain World (Wainer)

Book: The Enigma of Reason (Mercier & Sperber)

Book: The Righteous Mind (Haidt)

Book: Thinking Fast & Slow (Kahneman)

Visual essays: The Pudding

storytelling with data: #21 a special conversation with... Sep 22, 2019

Show notes

The sloppy copy, picture power, and more about Cole’s new book in this special episode of the SWD podcast.

LINKS:

Pre-order storytelling with data: Let’s Practice!

Follow @storywithdata | share via #SWDpodcast

storytelling with data: #20 think like a designer Sep 09, 2019

Show notes

Broadcasting from Seville, Spain—a city where modern and traditional meet in design—in this episode, Cole chats with three designers from digital production studio, Z1. The conversation flows from empathy in design to the importance of research and user feedback for de-risking projects and building thoughtful products to approaches when your client doesn’t know what they want (or wants everything!). You’ll also hear great tips on fostering a critique mindset, applying Fitts’s law, using constraints to prioritize, and being adaptive to new technologies.

storytelling with data: #19 ask smart questions Aug 24, 2019

Show notes

Asking good questions can help improve our own and others’ work: both when exploring and explaining data. Tune in to hear Cole cover five smart queries to pose and answer during the analytical process and five more to consider when you are getting ready to explain that data to others. Cole also answers listener questions on collecting requirements for good data viz, what to do when asked to prove something with data that doesn’t pan out, and strategies for effectively presenting remotely.

Links:

Pre-order storytelling with data: Let’s Practice!

Questions? email askcole@storytellingwithdata.com

Follow @storywithdata | share via #SWDpodcast

storytelling with data: #18 dataklubben replay Jul 07, 2019

Show notes

While recently in Copenhagen, Cole had a great chat with dataklubben podcasters Søren Christian Søndergaard Poulsen and Jens-Jacob Aarup. Tune in to hear about how story can help save us from death by data, the importance of starting low tech, and ideas for shifting organizational culture to become truly data-driven. Cole also talks about her soon-to-be-released second book, storytelling with data: let’s practice!

LINKS:

Pre-order storytelling with data: let’s practice!

Check out the dataklubben podcast

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