The Data and Measurement Issue - 29

She then proceeded to the second folder, the
visualization folder...
Goldi realized that the combination of the two is the
" just right " equation to bring the story to life.
And she did just that!
Simplicity:
Structure your data
in such a way as to
lay the foundation
for the visualization
and interpretation
to come.
In the first document Goldi opened, she found a series of
interconnected graphics and tables that regurgitated the
complicated data sets with very little perspective on how
that data should be interpreted. Goldi tried her best to
penetrate the impenetrable, but soon gave up.
In the next document, she found a drab series of bar and
pie charts that made a lukewarm attempt at providing a
visual depiction, but Goldi had a hard time understanding
what they meant or what insights the data were providing.
Interactivity:
Provide your
audience with the
ability to explore
the data, so they
can draw their own
conclusions.
In the third document she opened, she found a tool to
dive deeper into the data points, allowing Goldi to make
comparisons between aspects of the data (which surprised
and delighted her). She spent a few minutes exploring the
tool and marveling at how comfortable she felt manipulating
the data.
Finally, Goldi looked in the third folder, which started
to tell the story behind the data and insights gathered.
Reflecting on what she had explored, she recalled:
* The clear data file that captured context and strong
points of emphasis
* The cool tool that provided visual comparison and
highlighted the key insights surfaced in the data.
When her colleagues returned, they opened the project
folders and realized... " Someone has been looking in our files. "
And Goldi Lex said, " Yes, it was me! " She shared that,
through her exploration, she discovered that proper data
collection, visualization, and interpretation really make
a difference in getting the story " just right " to ensure
successful outcomes.
They thanked Goldi for her efforts and leveraged the
wonderful work she did by sharing it with the broader
organization. Not only was the message well received; more
employees began using visualizations to help people access
and explore data and to ask new, better-informed questions.
Rather than using data visualizations to draw definitive
conclusions, now employees think critically about what the
visualizations convey.
And all three colleagues lived happily ever after.
Transparency:
Ensure that your
data is ethically
sourced, relevant,
and accurate.
Real-world
Examples:
Use anecdotes to
help illustrate the
data and keep it
relatable.
The moral of this story: By sharing data in a compelling
story with strong visuals that authentically convey the
information in actionable ways, we provide the needed
context to educate, engage, and empower audiences to
act in a powerful and compelling way!
about the authors
Beth Cavanaugh has over 35 years of strategic marketing
and branding experience leading teams and partnering with
clients in diverse industries to optimize performance.
Through communication and collaboration, the right
questions can be asked, learnings can surface, connections
can be made, and solutions developed. Beth is passionate
about finding new ways to finding new ways to effectively
and efficiently identify needs and desires, and subsequently
develop, drive, and deliver the needed solutions.
Mark VanderKlipp is an experience and systems designer,
facilitator, and writer with more than 35 years of experience
working in human-centered graphic design. He's committed
to using design to clarify information and elevate the voices
of those with the least amount of power in a given system.
Incorporating human-centered design into every interaction
assures that team members can deliver the best possible
customer experience.
PERFORMANCE MATTERS / PG 29
https://tier1performance.com/author/m-vanderklipptier1performance-com/ https://tier1performance.com/author/b-cavanaugh/
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