Table of Contents
Introduction 1
Who this book is for 1
What makes this book different 1
How this book is organized 3
Part I Understanding Perception
How and why graphs work 7
Chapter 1 Know Your Own Mind (in order to change others') 8
Understand the challenges of communicating data 10
Shift your mindset to explain data to others 16
Chapter 2 See How Graphs Work (inside your brain) 20
How we decode graphs 22
How graphs encode data 28
Exercise: Break down the graphs 41
Part II Designing Your Data
How to design effective graphs and slides 45
Chapter 3 Choose the Right Graph (for your data) 46
Pick the graph based on the relationship 48
Use taxonomies to expand your library of graph types 71
Exercise: Categorize the relationships 73
Chapter 4 Simplify to Amplify (your message) 78
Maximize the data-ink ratio 80
Make the most important information the most salient 86
Exercise: Redraw the graph 98
Chapter 5 Build Effective Slides (with the point in mind) 100
Identify a single point for each slide 102
Write your point as a headline 102
Use headlines to clarify your graphs 106
Test your slides to maximize clarity and impact 109
Exercise: Sketch the right slide for this headline 121
Part III Organizing Your Data
How to arrange data into compelling communications 125
Chapter 6 Structure Your Data (so others can follow it) 126
Begin with your ending in mind 128
Structure your communication with a Minto pyramid 129
Maximize the impact of all your points 143
Support your points with sound reasoning 151
Convert your Minto pyramid into a complete communication 156
Exercise: Making the case at Craigstone-Part I 164
Chapter 7 Frame the Data to Persuade (so the audience acts) 168
Audiences evaluate more than just the data 170
Understand how audiences evaluate your ideas 170
Maximize the likelihood of central processing with the Wiift 174
Take advantage of peripheral processing signals 183
Exercise: Making the case at Craigstone-Part II 191
Part IV Delivering and Defending Your Data
How to prepare for and respond to your audience 195
Chapter 8 Present Your Data (with less preparation) 196
Give your data a voice 198
Master each component of the Top-T framework 199
Practice some advanced techniques 208
Exercise: Practice presenting 211
Chapter 9 Prepare for Resistance (because resistance shows they care) 216
Resistance can be productive 218
Resistance can be predicted 219
Resistance can be anticipated with the Audience Confusion Matrix 222
Resistance can be defused 232
Exercise: What type of scenario is it? 236
Acknowledgments 242
Bibliography 247
Index 249