Storytelling With Data Podcast

Honing your own data visualization and storytelling skills is one thing. But what about when you want to help others around you? In this episode, Cole discusses what you can do—whether a manager interested in developing your team or an individual interesting in influencing those around you—to cultivate organizational capabilities for effective data storytelling. Cole also addresses listener questions on when we should use graphs, data viz tools for beginners, and getting effective feedback. LINKS: We’re hiring! SWD careers Interesting team set ups? Email feedback@storytellingwithdata.com Article: A Framework to Give Better Design Feedback: Analyze, Discuss, Suggest April #SWDchallenge: emulate Questions? email askcole@storytellingwithdata.com Follow @storywithdata | share via #SWDpodcast

In this episode, Cole talks with data storyteller and author of recently published Info We Trust: How to Inspire the World with Data—RJ Andrews. They converse over coffee in his San Francisco kitchen, discussing the book, RJ’s unique creative process (including the 300+ hand drawn images that fill the book)  and sources of inspiration for data storytelling. Listening time: 1:03:57 LINKS: Buy the book! Info we Trust: How to Inspire the World with Data Follow @infowetrust | infowetrust.com Questions? email askcole@storytellingwithdata.com Follow @storywithdata | share via #SWDpodcast

How did you learn to visualize data? Professionals in this space hail from a wide variety of backgrounds and in this episode, you’ll hear a dozen responses to this question, from artists, mathematicians and more. Listen to these industry leaders’ captivating stories and anecdotes—while learning lessons that you can apply to hone your own data visualization skills.   Moritz Stefaner: @moritz_stefaner | truth-and-beauty.net Andy Cotgreave: @acotgreave | gravyanecdote.com Jen Christiansen: @ChristiansenJen | jenchristiansen.com Alberto Cairo: @albertocairo | albertocairo.com RJ Andrews: @infowetrust | infowetrust.com Jeffrey Shaffer: @HighVizAbility | dataplusscience.com Shirley Wu: @sxywu  | sxywu.com Jon Schwabish: @jschwabish | policyviz.com Naomi B. Robbins: @nbrgraphs | nbr-graphs.com Steve Wexler: @VizBizWiz | datarevelations.com Robert Kosara: @eagereyes | eagereyes.org Elijah Meeks: @Elijah_Meeks | elijahmeeks.com

Why do new year’s resolutions often fail? How do we set good goals? In this episode, Cole discusses the quarterly OKR goal-setting process she learned at Google and how it can be used to foster intentional actions, help achieve major accomplishments, and contribute to success—in work, and in life! Cole also answers listener questions on graphical literacy, how to convince someone that story isn’t fluff, and tips for ensuring success when crafting data stories that someone else will present. Video: How Google Sets Goals Upcoming public workshops: 2019 schedule January #SWDchallenge: let’s try something new! storytelling with data: book downloads Questions? email askcole@storytellingwithdata.com Feedback? email feedback@storytellingwithdata.com Follow @randyknaflic Follow @storywithdata | share via #SWDpodcast

What is the Third Wave of Data Visualization? Elijah Meeks believes it’s happening now and that it means changing constructs and possibly priorities for practitioners. In this episode, Cole sits down with Elijah in Miami after his closing keynote presentation at the Tapestry conference. They discuss his presentation, moving past optimizing for a single chart, building trust to push boundaries, teaching stakeholders data literacy, and more. LINKS: Tapestry conference keynote: link to video to be added when available Book: D3.js in Action Data visualization survey: 2018 results Follow Elijah: @Elijah-Meeks | Medium | Github storytelling with data: book downloads December #SWDchallenge: visualize the holidays Upcoming workshops: Q1 2019 schedule Questions? email askcole@storytellingwithdata.com Feedback? email feedback@storytellingwithdata.com Follow @storywithdata | share via #SWDpodcast

It’s a community project, it’s a book, it may even be a way to land a new job! Hear Cole talk with coathors Andy Kriebel and Eva Murray about their writing process and lessons from #MakeoverMonday: Improving How We Visualize and Analyze Data, One Chart at a Time, including the importance of simplifying and iterating, why feedback posed as a question can be less intimidating, and experimentation as a way to learn how to better visualize data. LINKS: Book: #MakeoverMonday: Improving How We Visualize & Analyze Data, One Chart at a Time #MakeoverMonday: the project, the gallery, the data, upcoming webinars & workshops Follow Andy: @VizWizBI | LinkedIn Follow Eva: @TriMyData | LinkedIn Questions? email askcole@storytellingwithdata.com Feedback? email feedback@storytellingwithdata.com Follow @storywithdata | share via #SWDpodcast

Could the process of choosing where to live give us some insights on choosing the “right” graph? When it comes to your data presentations, how do you choose the right graph? Is there even such a thing as the “right” graph? In this episode, Cole shares some updates on life changes, discusses the concept of graphing for exploring and understanding your data, graphing for communicating, and some tools that may make your process for landing on an effective visual more efficient. She answers listener Q&A on non-zero baselines, when to use an axis vs. when to label data directly, and how to know when your visualization is complete. Listening time: 32:58 LINKS: Zan Armstrong’s video: include link to Zan’s UW talk Elijah Meeks’ Medium article: What charts do Juice Analytics Chart Chooser Ann Emery’s Essentials Chart Choosing Tool Jon Schwabish’s Graphic Continuum Poster & Cards Andy Kirk’s Chartmaker Directory Browse the archives: #SWDchallenge Questions? email askcole@storytellingwithdata.com Feedback? em

After a brief pause, the storytelling with data podcast is almost back with a replay of a recent podcast Cole did with Moritz Stefaner and Enrico Bertini of Data Stories.   Listening time: 37:02   Follow on Twitter: @datastories, @moritz_stefaner, @FILWD

Do graphs always have to have a zero baseline? Are pie charts evil? Is there a single, “right” answer? In this episode, Cole discusses a number of myths and a few rules in data visualization. She also answers listener Q&A on how to deal with presenting materials you aren’t necessarily proud of, strategies for graphing uneven time intervals, and tips for teams interested in developing data visualization skills. LINKS: June #SWDchallenge: slopegraphs Blog post: connecting...the dots Podcast: Jon & I chat about non-zero baselines Blog post: bar charts must have a zero baseline Blog post: a little math on non-zero baselines Study: an illustrated tour of the pie charts study results Blog post: F**k it, let’s use pie charts Podcast: a conversation with Alberto Cairo (Episode 7) Book: Data Points Book: Factfulness Medium series: Data Visualization, Fast & Slow Podcast: constraints (Episode 5) New blog page: #SWDchallenge Questions? email askcole@storytellingwithdata.com Feedback? email feedback@s

Truth or Lie? It isn’t that simple or binary when it comes to visualizing and communicating with data: there is a spectrum. In this episode, Cole talks with special guest, famed professor, author, and data journalist Alberto Cairo, about truth with a lowercase “t,” his efforts to bring graphical literacy to the public through the Visual Trumpery tour and his upcoming book, parallels between data visualization & writing, and more. LINKS: Website: albertocairo.com Blog: thefunctionalart.com Twitter: @albertocairo Video: Visual Trumpery (Ihaka lecture) Article: Alberto’s collaboration with Google News Lab Google News Lab’s Data Visualization Projects Upcoming MOOC: data visualization for storytelling & discovery Tool: InZight for Data Analysis

Whether it’s a graph, a slide, a presentation, your message, a story—there can be immense value in talking through it, out loud. In this session, Cole discusses her experiences and the benefits to speaking out loud to refine, practice, and identify better solutions. Cole also answers listener questions on the use of pictures in data visualization, tricks for formatting axis labels, and how to apply data storytelling to augment regular reporting. LINKS: Article: The Perks of Talking to Yourself Study: This time it’s personal: the memory benefit of hearing onesself (related article) Study: ISOTYPE Visualization – Working Memory, Performance, and Engagement with Pictographs (related post) Blog post: supercategory axis labels in Excel Blog post: gridlines are gratuitous Blog post: #SWDchallenge square area graphs (recap coming soon!) Workshop/training inquiries: inquiry@storytellingwithdata.com Questions? email askcole@storytellingwithdata.com Feedback? email feedback@storytellingwithdata.com Follow @storywi

We often complain about the constraints we face when communicating via a presentation: we don’t have enough time, we don’t have the right tools, we are only allowed a limited number of slides. In this episode, Cole discusses how constraints can actually be amazing and how imposing constraints intentionally on our work can better arm us to deal with those constraints that are less in our control. Cole also answers reader questions on strategies for upskilling data visualization across an organization, the best place to put monetary symbols, using different types of graphs together, and the use of color in data visualization. LINKS: Recent blog post illustrating different graph types on same slide March #SWDchallenge recap: bring on the bars Updates: upcoming public workshop in SF, Audible book Big Book of Dashboards Workshop/training inquiries: inquiry@storytellingwithdata.com Questions? email askcole@storytellingwithdata.com Feedback? email feedback@storytellingwithdata.com

“It depends.” These two simple words can answer a number of questions raised when it comes to visualizing data and communicating with it effectively. In this session, Cole discusses 10 common data visualization questions where the answer is “it depends” and discusses what it depends on and the critical thought process required for success in this space. Cole also answers reader questions on considerations between lower and upper case in data visualization related text and Excel resources. Mentioned Show Links: Study on pie charts by Robert Kosara & Drew Skau F**ck it, let’s use pie charts by Jon Schwabish Misleading data & visualizations video, Alberto Cairo at Urban Institute Visualizing incomplete & missing data + Visualizing the uncertainty in data by Nathan Yau Recent #SWDchallenge: 88 annotated line graphsRecent SWD post incorporating reader feedback on where to put text by Elizabeth Ricks How much labeling should you include in a visualization? + Is white space always your friend? by Neil Ri

“How did you start storytelling with data?” is a question I receive frequently. In this episode, I’m interviewed by my husband, Randy, and field questions on how it all came to be, including finding balance between work and family, some book-writing tips, and my outlook on where SWD will go from here. Mentioned Show Links: Follow Randy on Twitter | LinkedIn Google Project Oxygen Study: NYT Article | HBR Business Case Blog posts mentioned: the book you’re holding might be a fake! | that’s not my workshop...   Cole's chocolate chip cookie recipe! Cole's Baked French Toast recipe! Questions? email askcole@storytellingwithdata.com Feedback? email feedback@storytellingwithdata.com

The term "storytelling" is more popular than ever—but moving beyond the buzzword—there is real impact that you can have by framing your data in story. In this episode, Cole shares her perspective on what makes a story and why those working with data should care. She tackles listener Q&A on data visualization vs. storytelling, NFL football stats, and how to tell when a visualization is complete. Be sure to subscribe and write a review if you like what you hear!  Mentioned show links: Books: Larry Gets Lost, The Cat in the Hat, The Wonderful Wizard of Oz Video: the future of storytelling Other perspectives on story: Jon Schwabish, Robert Kosara Video: example telling a story with data in a live setting & standalone (starting at 17:30) Questions? email askcole@storytellingwithdata.com Feedback? email feedback@storytellingwithdata.com

Feedback is a critical component for refining and perfecting data visualization. In this first episode, Cole discusses both the value of giving and receiving dataviz feedback and potential problem areas to avoid. Hear The Economist’s response to the recent hurricane data visualization challenge as well as answers to reader questions on the topics of when to use graphs, considerations with dashboards and dataviz 101 book resources. Be sure to subscribe and write a review if you like what you hear! Mentioned show links: Feedback? email feedback@storytellingwithdata.com Blog post: SWD makeover challenge on The Economist’s hurricane graph Article: “Design & Redesign in Data Visualization” by Fernanda Viegas & Martin Wattenberg Blog post: my guiding principles Article: The subtle art that differentiates good designers from great designers by UX Planet Blog post: a tale about opportunity Book: The Big Book of Dashboards by Steve Wexler, Jeff Shaffer & Andy Cotgreave Questions? email askcole@storyt