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Effective Data Storytelling: How to Drive Change with Data, Narrative and Visuals

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At a glance

Condition
New
Dimensions
6.3 x 1 x 9.1 in
Weight
2.31 lb
Publisher
Wiley
Publication date
December 17, 2019
Edition
1st
Language
English

Description

Master the art and science of data storytelling―with frameworks and techniques to help you craft compelling stories with data.The ability to effectively communicate with data is no longer a luxury in today’s economy; it is a necessity. Transforming data into visual communication is only one part of the picture. It is equally important to engage your audience with a narrative―to tell a story with the numbers. Effective Data Storytelling will teach you the essential skills necessary to communicate your insights through persuasive and memorable data stories.Narratives are more powerful than raw statistics, more enduring than pretty charts. When done correctly, data stories can influence decisions and drive change. Most other books focus only on data visualization while neglecting the powerful narrative and psychological aspects of telling stories with data. Author Brent Dykes shows you how to take the three central elements of data storytelling―data, narrative, and visuals―and combine them for maximum effectiveness. Taking a comprehensive look at all the elements of data storytelling, this unique book will enable you to:Transform your insights and data visualizations into appealing, impactful data storiesLearn the fundamental elements of a data story and key audience driversUnderstand the differences between how the brain processes facts and narrativeStructure your findings as a data narrative, using a four-step storyboarding processIncorporate the seven essential principles of better visual storytelling into your workAvoid common data storytelling mistakes by learning from historical and modern examplesEffective Data Storytelling: How to Drive Change with Data, Narrative and Visuals is a must-have resource for anyone who communicates regularly with data, including business professionals, analysts, marketers, salespeople, financial managers, and educators. Read more

Specs 9

Publisher Wiley
Publication date December 17, 2019
Edition 1st
Language English
Print length 336 pages
ISBN-10 1119615712
ISBN-13 12
Item Weight 2.31 pounds

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Top Amazon Reviews


Everyone can become a better Data Storyteller
Format: Hardcover
This is a wonderfully thought out book on Data Storytelling from Brent Dykes. His research, presentation, and arguments on this subject was insightful, accurate, and energizing. I honestly wish I had this book 2 years ago as a basis to help me frame a major insight that could dramatically improve the customer experience. I was still lucky to influence a mindful VP on fixing a major part of the digital experience, but I might have been able to get it done sooner if I applied the lessons from this book. I highly recommend this book to both Business and Analytical team members. This book helps readers carefully consider how they actively build a Data Story to elicit change using Data and Insights as the foundation. All the core elements that support a good Data Story including quality data, an insight, a narrative, and clean visuals that come together in a Data Story for action. This book does a great job at explaining each of these elements and provides many great examples that readers can relate with. Across my own digital career, I have seen many team members struggle with being able to clearly articulate an insight and even describe what a possible solution to the problem is. This book can help them understand the process to effectively communicating their insight with a plan to action. With the explosion of business intelligence tools it has become much easier to discover insights, yet many people still struggle at putting a clear story to explain it. This book can help you pull it all together to make an impactful change. Three major things I learned from this book Humans act and respond to emotions – We all know this is true, but as data explorers, we must always recenter back to this paradigm. As we discover insights, we must develop it into a Data Story that can reach into our human emotions and influence change. The data alone does not stir emotions, it is the meaning they represent along with the potential direction and impact they could go. We must craft stories that speak to our emotions. Ingredients to every Data Story = (Data + Narrative + Visuals). This book dives deep into each of these elements as they complement and strengthen the authors argument on what is a good Data Story. Once you discover an Insight, it is not just about showing a fancy chart with words describing a big change. You must critically think about every element as a scene in a story arc. Every piece works together to bring an audience along the journey to the Aha moment, and then the opportunity for the audience to help create the last chapters to this adventure. Visualizations support a Data Story - As a BI Professional, I love the power of data visualizations. They can help you quickly identify outliers and trends much quicker than spreadsheets. When crafted correctly, they can also be used to help focus attention and elicit emotions when paired with a strong narrative. However, we must be critically careful on how we emphasis, and present as to not mislead or confuse our audience. Brent does a good job at describing techniques on how to reduce the effort in visuals for an audience to understand. At the end of the day, this is a powerful book for all kinds of people that use and interact with data. Whether you are a data scientist, an analyst, a product marketer, or even a VP. We all need to be better Data Storytellers. If you lead a team of people, read this book, and pass it around. Once you and team have a common understanding on a process for better communicating and sharing our data insights, we all can become more Effective Data Storytellers. ... show more
Reviewed in the United States on October 7, 2020 by Matthew Carmean

Story drives CHANGE because we hear stats but FEEL stories. And
Format: Hardcover
While other books about story merely entertain, this one is special because the principles are so memorable and applicable. It has truly changed the way I prepare for meetings, speak at conferences, and connect with customers. Instead of getting frustrated when ego and bias blind others to the ideas that could help us improve, I finally have a guide to balance the data, visuals, and narrative behind the research. The detailed examples make it easy to advance beyond labeling a presentation as effective or not. Now I know exactly WHY data stories are so influential and how I can replicate the best approaches in my own critical opportunities for influence. As a web analyst for 4 years, a digital advertiser for 4 years, and now a business intelligence product manager for 4 years - this is the most relevant and helpful book of my career. Next time you sit down with a chart or a slide remember this - you are starting in the wrong place. Turn off your computer, get out this book, and find a stack of post it notes. I promise the time spent organizing the hook, rise, aha, and solution will be more persuasive. This is because you are focused on connecting both the logic and emotion of the audience instead of merely boring and confusing them with an overcomplicated pile of unconnected numbers. Stories are not just for kids at bedtime. They are the only way to achieve the incredibly rare miracle of actually changing minds. Many are great with data. Some are solid with visuals. Very few are skilled with narrative. A small investment in that final skill will make you and your ideas truly stand out. To prove it, let me end with a story. I had to speak at our annual user conference (hook). People were sick of the same type of best practice breakout sessions (rise). The rough draft has great tips but nobody seemed to care (rise). I spent more time gathering relatable experiences supported by visuals other than charts (rise). After lots of practice I knew I had to balance slides with substance and stories (Aha). I spoke to 700 people and was rated the best session at the conference - and had fun seeing people actually apply my advice (solution). You can do this too. Whether at home, church, school, or work - people want more than logic and analytics. They crave connection. Stories are the best way to foster that type of empathy. Then you can all change together. Thanks Brent for writing this book. It has changed me. ... show more
Reviewed in the United States on February 1, 2020 by House of Rain

Simple. Readable. Helpful.
Format: Hardcover
My review title says it all. Those colorful illustrations are great. Recommended! p.s. Below please find some favorite passages of mine fyi. The bigger an insight is, the more disruptive it will be to the status quo. People can struggle with giving up what’s routine and familiar. When a new insight isn’t well understood and doesn’t sound compelling, it will have no chance of overcoming resistance to change. If you want to be insightful and introduce change, you can’t just inform an audience; you must engage them. pg 3 Intuition is the use of patterns they’ve already learned, whereas insight is the discovery of new patterns. – Gary Klein pg10 Sometimes reality is too complex. Stories give it form. – Jean Luc Godard pg21 It is dangerous to be right in matters on which the established authorities are wrong. (Semmelweis who found handwashing can reduce childbed fever)Pg51 There are no facts, only interpretations. – Nietzsche pg60 The human mind is a story processor, not a logic processor. – Jonathan Haidt pg64 Reaction to Facts:- • We mainly scrutinize facts we don’t like. • We may fight conflicting facts like a physical threat. • Our brains may bend to break facts to support our existing biases. • Corrective facts can potentially strengthen our misinformed position. • When facts are visualized, it is harder for us to reject them. Reaction to Stories:- • Stories engage more sensory areas in the brain besides the 2 associated with producing and processing language. • Stories form a unique connection between the storyteller and listener. (Neural coupling) • Stories cause the release of cortisol and oxytocin that increase our attention, empathy and the desire to act • Stories enhance our comprehension pg69 Data! Data! Data! I can’t make bricks without clay. – Sherlock Holmes pg121 The purpose of computing is insight, not numbers. – Richard Hamming pg127 No one ever made a decision because of a number. They need a story. – Daniel Kahneman pg298 ... show more
Reviewed in the United States on October 1, 2021 by ServantofGod

Finally, a data viz book that puts the story first
Format: Hardcover
This is a terrific book. It does what most other data viz books don't: it gives a roadmap for identifying data insights then how to present them within a structured storytelling frame. Most books just focus on visualization design and give the story short shrift. This book covers elements of a good data story equally, i.e., how to use data, narrative, visuals together. It's well researched; rich in stories (obviously); and easy to read. As someone who is trying to advance the use of data in their organization, I found the structured approach the author provides extremely easy to implement. I'd recommend the book for folks just starting out working with data and data viz, current practitioners, and analysts who need to better connect their insights with decision makers. ... show more
Reviewed in the United States on February 1, 2020 by Janet Woolum

Great book! Worked really well for our corporate book group!
Format: Hardcover
This book was a perfect cornerstone for our corporate book group, chock full of important tips and tricks around how to tell a great story with data. We found it to be a great compliment to our data literacy curriculum. It appeals to a broad audience, the data savvy as well as the average data observer, and had an easy time getting engagement in our discussions, as well as constant comments about what a great/helpful book this was to read and have discussion around. The takeaways were super memorable and the analogies/applications were easy to understand. Covers everything from the psychology behind a data story to the detailed steps to pull the pieces together and build it. Highly recommend! ... show more
Reviewed in the United States on November 1, 2021 by Amazon Customer

Just Buy the Book!
Format: Hardcover
If you're taking time to read reviews of Brent Dykes' masterfully written book, then you should stop right now and go buy a copy for yourself. Heck, buy two or three! Because you most likely know someone who will benefit from reading this book. And everybody likes getting an unexpected and thoughtful gift! Brent's book is smart, practical, insightful and entertaining. Brent's perspective comes from years of experience as a though leader in the area of storytelling with data. And this book had a meaningful impact on how I approach presentations. Data. Narrative. Visuals. Who is your audience? What is your narrative model? What meaningful outcomes do you expect to happen once everybody in the room stops giving you a standing ovation for your brilliant work? Brent's book is a must read for anybody (especially you, the person still reading this review) who works with and analyzes data. Read this book and you will be better at your job and will come back here to leave your own 5 star review. ... show more
Reviewed in the United States on May 18, 2021 by Chad S Cooper

Clear and well-written
Format: Kindle
In Greek mythology, Prometheus brought fire to humanity. With this book, Brent has brought fire to you. Around the prehistoric fire, storytelling was a source of learning, a foundation of human society. Poorly delivered stories have prolonged some societal suffering, while effective stories have saved lives and changed history. Details of ancient and recent history ground Brent’s story as he brings you forward to our present data driven day. Data, narrative, and visuals, listed in the title, don’t describe the full depth of what Brent delivers. He covers details of what you must do as a presenter viewed from audience reception and responses. Brent speaks to audience needs and motivations, their attention to what you present, and their ability to see and understand the layouts of your visuals. Brent gladly stands on the shoulders of other researchers, citing historians, psychologists, business leaders, and especially pioneering names in data discovery and visualization – Tukey, Cleveland, Tufte, Few, and others. Brent’s research underlies easily understood figures and tables describing concepts. Brent provides a list of specific steps to follow to build your own effective data stories; and those data stories can be very powerful. This book’s power, hidden in plain sight in the title, “drive change”, is addressed in the very first chapter. Change is disruptive and unavoidable. “The bigger an insight is, the more disruptive it will be to the status quo.” If read closely with an open mind, you hold fire in your hands with Brent’s book, but you need practice. Read his book, practice, and drive some change. ... show more
Reviewed in the United States on April 17, 2021 by Robert Sievert

Insightful, but long
Format: Hardcover
I appreciate the amount of effort that went into writing this book. It was well organized, easy to understand and follow, and introduced an interesting and important topic. School taught me how to collect and analyze data, but never how to present key findings/ insights into a brief and affective data summary report. But, be aware that it is a big book, filled with a lot of information, so it took me awhile to read and felt a little more lake a school textbook than something to read for leisure. ... show more
Reviewed in the United States on April 30, 2022 by Amazon Customer
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