Effective Communication of Analyses

@michelejkiss / @tgwilson

TEN TIPS FOR PRESENTINGANALYSIS RESULTS"Michele Kiss, Web Analytics Demystified!Tim Wilson, Web Analytics Demystified!


ABOUTMICHELE"

Partner at Demystified!–  Client-side, agency-side

experience!–  Fitness junkie!–  Born in Australia, has

lived all over the world!–  Analytics Alias: Jojoba!–  Loves cat videos,

especially Grumpy Cat!

Partner at Demystified!–  Client-side, agency-side

experience!–  Junk food junkie!–  Born in Sour Lake, Texas;

lives in Ohio!–  Analytics Alias: Gilligan!–  Has been called the

Grumpy Cat of Analytics!

ABOUT"TIM"


#1: RECOGNIZE THAT PRESENTATION MATTERS!"

Analyst


WHYSPEND THE

TIME TO MAKE IT

PRETTY?!Source: Flickr / Søren Rajczyk!


BECAUSE IT’S NOT ABOUT PRETTY.!


It’s about being

UNDERSTOOD "


“Why should we be interested in visualization? Because the human visual system is a pattern seeker of enormous power and subtlety… However, the visual system has its own rules. !

We can easily see patterns presented in certain ways, but if they are presented in other ways, they become invisible. !

Following perception-based rules, we can present our data in such a way that the important and informative patterns stand out. If we disobey the rules, our data will be incomprehensible or misleading.”!

- Colin Ware!


“Why should we be interested in visualization? !

Because the human visual system is a pattern seeker of enormous power and subtlety… However, the visual system has its own rules. !

We can easily see patterns presented in certain ways, but if they are presented in other ways, they become invisible. !

Following perception-based rules, we can present our data in such a way that the important and informative patterns stand out. !

If we disobey the rules, our data will be incomprehensible or misleading.”!

- Colin Ware


> Informative " "

Beautiful"


#2: KNOW YOUR AUDIENCE"


#2: KNOW YOUR AUDIENCE"

Think about your audience, not yourself!Tailor your analysis and presentation to the people you’re actually speaking to. !


#3: LEAVE DRAMATIC STRUCTURE TO THE THEATER"


#3: LEAVE DRAMATIC STRUCTURE TO THE THEATER"

Problem Statement or Hypothesis!

The Answer / Result!

Limited Supporting Data!

Next Steps!


#4: MAXIMIZE THE DATA-PIXEL RATIO"

# of non-white pixels devoted to data display

Total non-white pixels



# of non-white pixels devoted to data display

Total non-white pixels



Or, just pretend you’re really stingy with printer ink.!











#5 CONDITIONAL FORMATTING IS YOUR FRIEND"

Photo source: Flickr / Frank Kovalchek!








#6: PRECISION ≠ ACCURACY (BUT CAN FALSELY IMPLY IT!)"

Accurate, Not Precise!

Accurate, Precise!

Not Accurate, Not Precise!

Not Accurate, Precise!

IMPLIES"


#6: PRECISION ≠ ACCURACY (BUT CAN FALSELY IMPLY IT!)"

Estimated Revenue Impact:

$1,389,029.13 REALLY?!!

Estimated Revenue Impact:

$1,389,029.13

Est. Revenue Impact:

$1.4MM


Source: jobvine.co.za!

#7: ALL VISUALIZATIONS ARE NOT CREATED EQUAL"


Source: jobvine.co.za!

Source: junkcharts.com!





Emphasise specific points during trend:!



Show context (e.g. vs previous years)!



Emphasise differences"


0

500

1,000

1,500

2,000

2,500

3,000

3,500

4,000

Russia Portugal Germany France UK USA 0 500 1,000 1,500 2,000 2,500 3,000 3,500 4,000

Portugal

Germany

Russia

UK

France

USA


1,764 total visits

to the content

51 visits

meaningfully engaged

3% of those

visits engaged

41 visits viewed 2 or more pages

39 visits existed to the Google Hangout page

27 visits clicked to share content

AWARENESS ENGAGEMENT

Awareness:)1,764&Visits&&Engagement:)51&Visits&3%)OF)VISITS) 39 Exits to Google Hangout

Page

27 Social Shares

41 Visits Viewed 2 or more pages



#8: NEVER RELY SOLELY ON COLOR"

9% 0.5%

are colourblind





(And all black-and-white printers are �colour-blind�)!

Red or Green?!



!

Doesn’t mean no red/green"(It’s an easily understood colour scheme)!

!

Just make sure it’s understood by

black+white and colour-blind"


#9: AFTER PREPPING RESULTS…CUT 25%"

Don’t fall in love with your work. Edit mercilessly!!


#10: LEAVE SURPRISES TO THE MAGICIANS"


ACCELERATE!"Five things to do next week:!1.  Find an hour to critique the presentation of one of your

own analyses.!2.  Sleep on it. When your next analysis presentation is

ready, revisit it the next day (and cut/restructure/improve).!

3.  Maximize the data-pixel ratio on your next deliverable.!4.  Use conditional formatting to improve the readability of

a table of numbers.!5.  Take a bow when the recipients of your analyses give

you a standing ovation.!

Marketing

Effective Communication of Analyses