Cover Page: i
acknowledgments Page: vii
about the author Page: ix
introduction Page: xi
chapter one understand the context Page: 1
Exercise 1.1: get to know your audience Page: 6
Solution 1.1: get to know your audience Page: 6
Exercise 1.2: narrow your audience Page: 7
Solution 1.2: narrow your audience Page: 8
Exercise 1.3: complete the Big Idea worksheet Page: 10
Solution 1.3: complete the Big Idea worksheet Page: 12
Exercise 1.4: refine & reframe Page: 13
Solution 1.4: refine & reframe Page: 14
Exercise 1.5: complete another Big Idea worksheet Page: 15
Solution 1.5: complete another Big Idea worksheet Page: 17
Exercise 1.6: critique the Big Idea Page: 18
Solution 1.6: critique the Big Idea Page: 19
Exercise 1.7: storyboard! Page: 20
Solution 1.7: storyboard! Page: 22
Exercise 1.8: storyboard (again!) Page: 24
Solution 1.8: storyboard (again!) Page: 26
Exercise 1.9: get to know your audience Page: 28
Exercise 1.10: narrow your audience Page: 29
Exercise 1.11: let’s reframe Page: 30
Exercise 1.12: what’s the Big Idea? Page: 31
Exercise 1.13: what’s the Big Idea (this time)? Page: 33
Exercise 1.14: how could we arrange this? Page: 36
Exercise 1.15: storyboard! Page: 37
Exercise 1.16: storyboard (again!) Page: 38
Exercise 1.17: get to know your audience Page: 41
Exercise 1.18: narrow your audience Page: 42
Exercise 1.19: identify the action Page: 43
Exercise 1.20: complete the Big Idea worksheet Page: 44
Exercise 1.21: solicit feedback on your Big Idea Page: 45
Exercise 1.22: create the Big Idea as a team Page: 46
Exercise 1.23: get the ideas out of your head! Page: 46
Exercise 1.24: organize your ideas in a storyboard Page: 47
Exercise 1.25: solicit feedback on your storyboard Page: 48
Exercise 1.26: let’s discuss Page: 49
chapter two choose an effective visual Page: 51
Exercise 2.1: improve this table Page: 55
Solution 2.1: improve this table Page: 56
Exercise 2.2: visualize! Page: 63
Solution 2.2: visualize! Page: 65
Exercise 2.3: let’s draw Page: 68
Solution 2.3: let’s draw! Page: 69
Exercise 2.4: practice in your tool Page: 71
Solution 2.4: practice in your tool Page: 71
Exercise 2.5: how would you show this data? Page: 76
Solution 2.5: how would you show this data? Page: 77
Exercise 2.6: let’s visualize the weather Page: 81
Solution 2.6: visualize the weather Page: 82
Exercise 2.7: critique! Page: 84
Solution 2.7: critique! Page: 85
Exercise 2.8: what’s wrong with this graph? Page: 87
Solution 2.8: what’s wrong with this graph? Page: 88
Exercise 2.9: let’s draw Page: 91
Exercise 2.10: practice in your tool Page: 92
Exercise 2.11: improve this visual Page: 92
Exercise 2.12: which graph would you choose? Page: 94
Exercise 2.13: what’s wrong with this graph? Page: 96
Exercise 2.14: visualize & iterate Page: 97
Exercise 2.15: learn from examples Page: 98
Exercise 2.16: participate in #SWDchallenge Page: 98
Exercise 2.17: draw it! Page: 100
Exercise 2.18: iterate in your tool Page: 100
Exercise 2.19: consider these questions Page: 101
Exercise 2.20: say it out loud Page: 102
Exercise 2.21: solicit feedback Page: 102
Exercise 2.22: build a data viz library Page: 103
Exercise 2.23: explore additional resources Page: 104
Exercise 2.24: let’s discuss Page: 105
chapter three identify & eliminate clutter Page: 107
Exercise 3.1: which Gestalt principles are in play? Page: 112
Solution 3.1: which Gestalt principles are in play? Page: 112
Exercise 3.2: how can we tie words to the graph? Page: 113
Solution 3.2: how can we tie words to the graph? Page: 114
Exercise 3.3: harness alignment & white space Page: 120
Solution 3.3: harness alignment & white space Page: 121
Exercise 3.4: declutter! Page: 123
Solution 3.4: declutter! Page: 124
Exercise 3.5: which Gestalt principles are in play? Page: 138
Exercise 3.6: find an effective visual Page: 139
Exercise 3.7: alignment & white space Page: 140
Exercise 3.8: declutter! Page: 141
Exercise 3.9: declutter (again!) Page: 142
Exercise 3.10: declutter (some more!) Page: 143
Exercise 3.11: start with a blank piece of paper Page: 144
Exercise 3.12: do you need that? Page: 145
Exercise 3.13: let’s discuss Page: 146
chapter four focus attention Page: 147
Exercise 4.1: where are your eyes drawn? Page: 151
Solution 4.1: where are your eyes drawn? Page: 154
Exercise 4.2: focus on... Page: 156
Solution 4.2: focus on... Page: 158
Exercise 4.3: direct attention many ways Page: 164
Solution 4.3: direct attention many ways Page: 165
Exercise 4.4: visualize all the data Page: 175
Solution 4.4: visualize all the data Page: 176
Exercise 4.5: where are your eyes drawn? Page: 178
Exercise 4.6: focus within tabular data Page: 182
Exercise 4.7: direct attention many ways Page: 183
Exercise 4.8: how can we focus attention here? Page: 184
Exercise 4.9: where are your eyes drawn? Page: 185
Exercise 4.10: practice differentiating in your tool Page: 186
Exercise 4.11: figure out where to focus Page: 188
Exercise 4.12: let’s discuss Page: 189
chapter five think like a designer Page: 191
Exercise 5.1: use words wisely Page: 195
Solution 5.1: use words wisely Page: 197
Exercise 5.2: do it better! Page: 200
Solution 5.2: do it better! Page: 202
Exercise 5.3: pay attention to detail & design intuitively Page: 206
Solution 5.3: pay attention to detail & design intuitively Page: 208
Exercise 5.4: design in style Page: 214
Solution 5.4: design in style Page: 216
Exercise 5.5: examine & emulate Page: 220
Exercise 5.6: make minor changes for major impact Page: 221
Exercise 5.7: how could we improve this? Page: 222
Exercise 5.8: brand this! Page: 223
Exercise 5.9: make data accessible with words Page: 225
Exercise 5.10: create visual hierarchy Page: 227
Exercise 5.11: pay attention to detail! Page: 228
Exercise 5.12: design more accessibly Page: 229
Exercise 5.13: garner acceptance for your designs Page: 231
Exercise 5.14: let’s discuss Page: 233
chapter six tell a story Page: 235
Exercise 6.1: use takeaway titles Page: 239
Solution 6.1: use takeaway titles Page: 241
Exercise 6.2: put it into words Page: 242
Solution 6.2: put it into words Page: 244
Exercise 6.3: identify the tension Page: 249
Solution 6.3: identify the tension Page: 251
Exercise 6.4: utilize the components of story Page: 252
Solution 6.4: utilize the components of story Page: 253
Exercise 6.5: arrange along the narrative arc Page: 254
Solution 6.5: arrange along the narrative arc Page: 255
Exercise 6.6: differentiate between live & stand-alone stories Page: 257
Solution 6.6: differentiate between live & stand-alone stories Page: 259
Exercise 6.7: transition from dashboard to story Page: 268
Solution 6.7: transition from dashboard to story Page: 270
Exercise 6.8: identify the tension Page: 272
Exercise 6.9: move from linear path to narrative arc Page: 273
Exercise 6.10: build a narrative arc Page: 275
Exercise 6.11: evolve from report to story Page: 276
Exercise 6.12: form a pithy, repeatable phrase Page: 278
Exercise 6.13: what’s the story? Page: 279
Exercise 6.14: employ the narrative arc Page: 281
Exercise 6.15: let’s discuss Page: 283
chapter seven practice more with cole Page: 285
Exercise 7.1: new advertiser revenue Page: 289
Solution 7.1: new advertiser revenue Page: 291
Exercise 7.2: sales channel update Page: 294
Solution 7.2: sales channel update Page: 295
Exercise 7.3: model performance Page: 306
Solution 7.3: model performance Page: 307
Exercise 7.4: back-to-school shopping Page: 314
Solution 7.4: back-to-school shopping Page: 315
Exercise 7.5: diabetes rates Page: 330
Solution 7.5: diabetes rates Page: 332
Exercise 7.6: net promoter score Page: 342
Solution 7.6: net promoter score Page: 344
chapter eight practice more on your own Page: 355
Exercise 8.1: diversity hiring Page: 359
Exercise 8.2: sales by region Page: 360
Exercise 8.3: revenue forecast Page: 361
Exercise 8.4: adverse events Page: 362
Exercise 8.5: reasons for leaving Page: 363
Exercise 8.6: accounts over time Page: 365
Exercise 8.7: errors & complaints Page: 366
Exercise 8.8: taste test data Page: 368
Exercise 8.9: encounters by type Page: 369
Exercise 8.10: store traffic Page: 371
chapter nine practice more at work Page: 375
Exercise 9.1: create your plan of attack Page: 378
Exercise 9.2: set good goals Page: 379
Exercise 9.3: give & receive effective feedback Page: 381
Exercise 9.4: cultivate a feedback culture Page: 384
Exercise 9.5: refer to the SWD process Page: 387
Exercise 9.6: make use of an assessment rubric Page: 389
Exercise 9.7: facilitate a Big Idea practice session Page: 391
Exercise 9.8: conduct an SWD working session Page: 395
Exercise 9.9: set yourself up for successful data stories Page: 398
Exercise 9.10: let’s discuss Page: 400
chapter ten closing words Page: 403
index Page: 407
End User License Agreement Page: 428
Influence action through data!
This is not a book. It is a one-of-a-kind immersive learning experience through which you can become--or teach others to be--a powerful data storyteller.
Let’s practice! helps you build confidence and credibility to create graphs and visualizations that make sense and weave them into action-inspiring stories. Expanding upon best seller storytelling with data’s foundational lessons, Let’s practice! delivers fresh content, a plethora of new examples, and over 100 hands-on exercises. Author and data storytelling maven Cole Nussbaumer Knaflic guides you along the path to hone core skills and become a well-practiced data communicator. Each chapter includes:
● Practice with Cole: exercises based on real-world examples first posed for you to consider and solve, followed by detailed step-by-step illustration and explanation
● Practice on your own: thought-provoking questions and even more exercises to be assigned or worked through individually, without prescribed solutions
● Practice at work: practical guidance and hands-on exercises for applying storytelling with data lessons on the job, including instruction on when and how to solicit useful feedback and refine for greater impact
The lessons and exercises found within this comprehensive guide will empower you to master--or develop in others--data storytelling skills and transition your work from acceptable to exceptional. By investing in these skills for ourselves and our teams, we can all tell inspiring and influential data stories!
