Workshop presented at Support Driven Expo in Portland, Oregon, July 2019.

1. Stories
About
Numbers
Using narrative to communicate
effectively in your organization

2. Let’s do
the SD
Shuffle!

3. Hi, I’m Matt !

4. Now it’s your turn
Introduce yourself to the folks at your table. Please share:
• Your name
• Where you work
• Your favorite song or album when you were in high school

5. Alright, let’s
get started

6. It’s tricky to
communicate
in business

7. Spreadsheet for FinOps
This isn’t very helpful

8. So how
do we do
better?
!

9. The 5 Elements
of Narrative
• Characters
• Setting/Context
• Plot
• Conflict/Resolution
• Theme
!

10. CharactersThe data you’re talking about

11. Setting/Context
Background about the data including:
• Date/time
• Place
• People involved
• Anything else helpful

12. PlotA clear, concise explanation
of what is going on

13. Conflict/Resolution
Your thesis or the question you
want to answer with the data
narrative

14. ThemeThe conclusion or what you want
your audience to take away from
your data narrative

15. Understand your
audience and speak
in their language !

16. Good visualizations
also help! !

17. To Review
• Characters – the data you’re using
• Setting/Context – the time, place and date-range you’re
interested in
• Plot – clear, concise explanation of what is going on
• Conflict/Resolution – your thesis or question you want
answered
• Theme – what you want your audience to take away from
the story

18. Activity Time

19. Don’t be a
stranger!
! mdale@illuminateed.net
@md