How can you communicate technical data to non-technical team members?

1 Know your audience

The first step to communicate technical data to non-technical team members is to know your audience. Who are they, what is their background, what is their level of technical knowledge, what are their expectations, and what are their goals? Knowing your audience can help you tailor your message, choose the right language, tone, and format, and anticipate their questions and concerns. For example, if you are presenting your data to a senior manager, you may want to focus on the business value, the risks, and the recommendations, rather than the technical details. On the other hand, if you are explaining your data to a client, you may want to emphasize the benefits, the features, and the user experience, rather than the technical challenges.

3 Structure your message

The third step to communicate technical data to non-technical team members is to structure your message. A clear and logical structure can help you organize your data, highlight the key points, and guide your audience through your message. You can structure your message by using an introduction, a body, and a conclusion. In the introduction, you can provide some background, context, and objectives for your data. In the body, you can present your data in a coherent and consistent way, using headings, subheadings, bullet points, or numbers to break it down into smaller chunks. In the conclusion, you can summarize your data, provide some implications, and suggest some actions or next steps.

4 Engage your audience

The fourth step to communicate technical data to non-technical team members is to engage your audience. Engaging your audience can help you capture their attention, interest, and feedback, and make your data more memorable and persuasive. You can engage your audience by using stories, anecdotes, or scenarios to relate your data to real-world situations or problems. You can also use questions, polls, or quizzes to invite your audience to participate, share their opinions, or test their knowledge. You can also use humor, emotion, or passion to show your enthusiasm, excitement, or curiosity about your data.

6 Follow up

The sixth and final step to communicate technical data to non-technical team members is to follow up. Following up can help you reinforce your message, address any questions or issues, and maintain a good relationship with your audience. You can follow up by sending a summary, a thank you note, or a feedback form to your audience, asking them if they understood your data, if they have any comments or suggestions, or if they need any further information or assistance. You can also offer to answer any questions or concerns that may arise later, or to provide any updates or changes to your data.