Persuasive Data Visualization
By Eduardo Mercado Millones
Speaker: Steven L. Franconeri, Professor of Psychology, Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management
KEY TAKEAWAYS
- Steven Franconeri pointed out that some individuals excel at analyzing large amounts of data, but struggle to effectively communicate their findings. This “curse of expertise” causes presenters to assume that others understand things the same way they do, even when much of the information and context is exclusive to the expert presenter.
- To create effective presentations, slides and handouts, Franconeri provided three-step research-backed guidelines:
- Main point. Decide on the main and supporting points. Give each a clear, concise headline. Connect the points to relevant exhibits. Exclude information that is not critical to help the audience get the message more quickly.
- Arrange. For example, PowerPoint presentations should group these main and supporting points in space and use only one or two colors (grayscale recommended). Display information in two-dimensional tables and convert lists into three categories – at most – to avoid distractions.
- Polish. Cut down on text and clutter, use visuals rather than lots of words, adjust the level of detail downward, and guide the eye (e.g., reduce clutter by using larger fonts/bold type, left/top order and a limited amount of color to organize both text and visuals). Also help the audience focus on key points via white space and consistent alignment of text and other design elements.
- It’s helpful to get feedback from colleagues on our presentations via “talk aloud” sessions – asking non-experts to explain what they think you’re trying to explain. Specifically, pay close attention to what non-experts quickly understand – or don’t – and where their eyes are drawn first. Repeating this exercise two or three times provides valuable insights on the most important areas to improve.
- To learn more about effectively communicating key messages various audiences, contact info@experception.com.