This is Episode 59 of This Old New Business weekly business podcast with Jeff Korhan.
In this episode we learn about data visualization with Cole Nussbaumer Knaflic. If you want to make your presentations more powerful for a business world that is driven by data, you won’t want to miss this conversation.
Cole Nussbaumer Knaflic is the author of Storytelling with Data: A Data Visualization Guide for Business Professionals. Formerly with Google, Cole now conducts workshops and presentations that are highly sought after by data-minded individuals, companies, and philanthropic organizations all over the world.

Accessible Data Visualization Drives Better Actions

According to Cole Nussbaumer Knaflic, communication and visual storytelling with data is a counterintuitive process that does not begin with data, but with the audience context and the big picture story that you want to tell.
She suggests starting with a blank piece of paper to summarize that big picture story in a sentence or two. Then consider how effective data visualization can convey the core message that will lead to the goal of better decisions or actions.
A simplified version of Cole’s process storytelling with data process is:

1. Understand the context
2. Create effective visuals
3. Eliminate clutter
4. Focus attention
5. Build the story narrative

Cole Nussbaumer Knaflic acknowledges that storytelling with data sits at the intersection of science and art. The challenge is finding the right approach that will allow you to tell better stories for your audience. Listen to the audio and get the book for more.

I’d love to hear your thoughts on data visualization. Meet me over on Twitter to take the conversation further.

Key Take-Aways

• You can learn more about Cole’s work, including her popular Storytelling with Data blog at StoryTellingwithData.com.
• Learn more about the book here and get your copy from Amazon (where it is also available in Japanese, Chinese and Korean).
• Contact Cole on Twitter @storywithdata or cole@storytellingwithdata.com
• Check out these earlier podcast episodes on Business Storytelling and How to Tell Your Business Story

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About the Author:  Jeff Korhan, MBA, is the author of Built-In Social: Essential Social Marketing Practices for Every Small Business and host of This Old New Business podcast.
He helps organizations use media to create exceptional customer experiences that drive business growth in a digital, social and global world. Connect with Jeff on LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook, and Google+