What's the Secret to Presenting Data?
Bill Shander
Keynote speaker, workshop leader, LinkedIn Learning Instructor focused on information design, data storytelling & visualization, and creativity
I was talking to my friend Andrew Davis recently. He's a one of the best marketing minds on the speaker's circuit. Really, if you haven't seen him speak, go find a conference where he's presenting, and you'll see what I mean. He's a master at his craft.
So when he asked me "what's the secret to presenting data?", I was honored. I had mentioned that I was working on a new course for LinkedIn called "Presenting Data to Inspire and Inform" and he was curious about my point of view.
I'm literally in the thick of creating this course. I'm shooting it in two weeks. So it would be problematic if I couldn't answer this question. And I do have a short, pithy response. Ready?
Forget the data.
Huh? How can you present data if you forget the data?
Not only can you do it, you must forget the data, at least for a moment. You need to get your head out of your...data...and take a step back and really think about the insights in the data, the humans behind the data, the impact of the data on the real world. And that's what you present. You don't "present the data."
This isn't news. You know this already. But, for some reason, when most people create their slides for a presentation, and when they get up in front of their audience, they present the data. They forget (or are unaware) that no one cares about the data! They care about the other stuff.
Sure, the data validates, explains, justifies that other stuff. It's an important part of what you're presenting. But it is not the only thing, it's not really even the focus - or shouldn't be - overall.
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So that's the secret. Forget the data, take that step back, change your perspective, connect with your audience, think about what they really care about, look them in the eye, and help them understand the other stuff.
The data will be there to help you do it, but don't "present the data", present the ideas and insights instead.
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3 年Nice point. Although data is crucial for future development statistics in order for us to know where we come from and where we are going or what we want to achieve. It is so important to stay on the subject when doing a presentation.
IT Business Analyst (PSM I, PSPO I) ? Bridging the gap between business and tech | SDLC, Agile, Systems Analysis | Digital Transformation | Business Intelligence ? Startups ? Photography ? Investing
3 年Intuitive or counterintuitive, this is such an important lesson, Bill.