Communicating Data

Numbers + Words = Power

Powerful stories are embedded in the data we collect—from informal conversations to focus groups to Government Performance and Results Act measures and school climate surveys. These numbers tell the stories of need among children as well as lives turned around because of your good work.
The numbers need to be shared, but numbers by themselves are abstract. It’s hard to feel, see, or imagine the human story of our data while looking at a traditional line graph or pie chart. As a consequence, our audiences often appear unmoved by our data and unwilling to lend their support.
Our challenge then is to convey our data so audiences sit up and take notice. We need to provide a context in which our numbers make sense, and we need to do it quickly for our busy audiences. Social math and infographics are proven techniques, but, as with all our efforts, we need to understand our audiences’ needs before we can use those channels to communicate effectively.