Know your audience

Data Storytelling Concepts

Joe Franklin

Senior Curriculum Manager, DataCamp

How to recognize a non-technical audience

 

  • Audiences tend to be either technically informed or non-technical
  • Non-technical audiences are simply not familiar with the technology discussed
  • Avoid jargon and offer more visuals

  The word audience is written on a whiteboard with arrows pointing to it

Data Storytelling Concepts

Know your subject matter

 

  • Study how experts in your field communicate
  • If you can teach your subject then you understand it
  • Break it down to the most basic elements

  Richard Feynman is standing in front of a blackboard with math equations

Data Storytelling Concepts

Take the audience's perspective

       

  • What does your audience want to know

  • What problems is your audience trying to solve

  • Even non-technical people may be briefed by technical experts daily

  • Avoid technical jargon
  • Who is the decision maker?

  A happy audience of a dozen people in an office are laughing

Data Storytelling Concepts

Conciseness is key

 

  • A simpler, concise approach is effective
  • Technical details work best in footnotes
  • Good text messages are clear and concise
  • Highlight just a few main points
  • Limit yourself to three or four sentences per statement
  • Use clear examples

A graphic shows a text message conversation by phone that relays only essential information in a clear manner

Data Storytelling Concepts

Clarity in all things

 

  • Be as clear as possible
  • You can't elicit emotion without first being understood
  • Anticipate possible questions and ask for them at the end

picture of someone in an audience raising their hand to ask a panel a question

Data Storytelling Concepts

Let's practice!

Data Storytelling Concepts

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