We’ve all been there —sitting in the presentation that is 90+ slides of horizontal bar chart after horizontal bar chart after horizontal bar chart. Clients in those sessions often think (and sometimes feel compelled to say) “Just show me the numbers in a compelling and easy-to-digest format!” I’ve been a witness to more than one of those exclamations in my career (and may have said that myself once or twice).
Lesson: Don’t be the researcher churning out bar charts ad infinitum.
You want your audience to understand, retain, and most importantly use your research findings. So, think instead about how you can present your research findings in ways that will make the information ‘pop’. One of the best results can be a client saying “I’d like to take this and share with my team as this will prompt them to want to take action!”
To get that kind of reaction to your data presentation, you need the training and a toolkit of creative and visual ways of data reporting.
We have a trio of data reporting classes coming up that can get you ready to rock and roll:
- Data Visualization 101 teaches you how to present data in a clear and compelling manner. Going beyond over-used (and often poorly done!) pie-charts and the like, this class dives into compelling data displays like heat maps, gauges, donut charts and more. Learning the ropes of arranging and presenting data for visual impact and intuitive interpretation is what this course is all about!
- As part of a comprehensive deliverables strategy, infographics can be a powerful way to deliver insights! In our Infographics for Market Researchers class, you learn basic infographic design principles and different layout options, and see and participate in infographic design software demonstrations.
- Finally, our class Writing Quantitative Research Reports provides you with solid all-around skills for interpreting, synthesizing, and reporting quantitative data. Note that this class does not focus on data analysis (for that, see Introduction to Quantitative Data Analysis) but rather it focuses on reporting out on data by creating great reports that your clients will love and use!
So, the next time a client says “show me the numbers” you’ll be prepared to amaze them!
