Foreword xvii

Preface xxi

Acknowledgments xxv

About the Book xxvii

Intended Audience xxxi

Overview of the Contents xxxiii

Section 1 Planning: Reviewing Strategic Fundamentals 1

Tip 1: Results Are Not the Biggest Factor in Success 3

Tip 2: Data Literacy Is a Two-Way Street 5

Tip 3: Don’t Write Your Story . . . Tell Your Story! 7

Tip 4: Facts and Figures Are Not a Story 10

Tip 5: Know Your Audience 12

Tip 6: Slides Must Be Short, Visual, and to the Point 14

Tip 7: Charts and Graphs Are Like Jokes 16

Tip 8: Short Presentations Are Harder to Prepare Than Long Ones 18

Tip 9: An Executive Presentation May Have No Slides at All 20

Tip 10: Budget Appropriate Time 22

Tip 11: Be Yourself and Be Authentic 23

Tip 12: What Is the Audience Buying Into? You! 24

Section 2 Planning: Designing The Presentation 25

Tip 13: Different Presentation Venues Require Different Approaches 27

Tip 14: Try Different Ways to Organize Your Story 29

Tip 15: Too Many Technical Details Will Undercut Your Impact 31

Tip 16: Reveal Details Only to the Extent Required 33

Tip 17: Focus on How to Use Your Results 35

Tip 18: Use Analogies to Make an Impact 37

Tip 19: Make Liberal Use of Appendices 38

Tip 20: Create a Distinct Leave-Behind Document 40

Tip 21: Create “Launch” Slides 43

Tip 22: Break Content into Smaller Pieces 45

Tip 23: Animations Are Your Friend 48

Tip 24: Action Settings: A Hidden Gem 50

Tip 25: Show the Fewest Numbers Necessary 52

Tip 26: Distinguish Technical Significance from Business Significance 54

Tip 27: Give the Audience Your Headlines 56

Tip 28: Start with Your Recommended Actions 58

Tip 29: Don’t Focus on the “What” 60

Section 3 Developing: Wording and Text 63

Tip 30: Minimize the Number of Words on Your Slides 65

Tip 31: Use Simple Terms and Definitions 67

Tip 32: Don’t Use Technical Terms 69

Tip 33: Clarify Your Definitions 70

Tip 34: Provide Layperson and System Labels 72

Tip 35: Use Consistent Phrasing 74

Tip 36: If It Can’t Be Read, Don’t Display It 76

Tip 37: Don’t Shrink Your Font, Shorten Your Text 78

Tip 38: Use Appropriate Spacing 80

Tip 39: Use the Same Font throughout Your Presentation 82

Tip 40: Beware the Missing Font 85

Tip 41: Address Every Agenda Item Listed 87

Tip 42: Identify When an Agenda Item Is Covered 89

Tip 43: Spellcheck Is Not Always Your Friend 91

Tip 44: Charts and Images Are Misspelling Factories 93

Tip 45: Beware the Right Word, Wrong Place 94

Tip 46: Keep Your Text Horizontal 95

Section 4 Developing: Numbers and Labels 97

Tip 47: Use Consistent Precision 99

Tip 48: Use Only the Precision Required to Make Your Point 101

Tip 49: Match Precision to Accuracy Level 103

Tip 50: Always Format Numbers 105

Tip 51: Always Show Percentages as a Percentage 108

Tip 52: Provide Quantities and Percentages 110

Tip 53: Never Use Scientific Notation 112

Tip 54: Use Names, Not Numbers, for Categories 114

Tip 55: Watch for Truncated Labels 116

Tip 56: Define All Acronyms and Abbreviations 118

Tip 57: Use Dedicated Definitions Slides 120

Tip 58: Clarify Aggregations Applied 122

Tip 59: Focus on the Outcome of Interest 124

Tip 60: Validate That Your Numbers Make Sense 126

Tip 61: Add a Scale to Every Chart 128

Tip 62: Ensure Your Charts Have Consistent Scaling 130

Tip 63: An Axis Usually Should Start at 0 132

Tip 64: Number Your Slides 134

Section 5 Developing: Charts, Images, and Layouts 135

Tip 65: Use a Mix of Chart Types 137

Tip 66: Use a Mix of Slide Layouts 139

Tip 67: Do Not Show Raw Output 142

Tip 68: Keep It Simple 145

Tip 69: Choose Charts That Are Easy to Interpret 147

Tip 70: Don’t Show Incomprehensible Graphics 149

Tip 71: Use Complex Graphics Strategically 151

Tip 72: Coordinate Your Colors 153

Tip 73: Keep Colors in Context 155

Tip 74: Shun Technical and Architectural Diagrams 157

Tip 75: Don’t Let Accent Graphics Steal the Show 159

Tip 76: Format Tables Consistently 161

Tip 77: Use Shading to Make Tables Easily Readable 163

Tip 78: Don’t Put Borders Around Charts 165

Tip 79: Limit the Number of Categories 167

Tip 80: Label Your Data 169

Tip 81: Avoid Stacked Bar Charts 171

Tip 82: Put the Cause on the X-Axis 173

Section 6 Delivering: Final Presentation Preparation 175

Tip 83: Practice Your Presentation 177

Tip 84: Consult Some Confidants 179

Tip 85: Don’t Overprepare 181

Tip 86: Adjust Your Story to the Audience 182

Tip 87: Focus on Time, Not Slide Counts 185

Tip 88: Always Be Prepared for a Short Presentation 187

Tip 89: The Audience Won’t Know What You Left Out 190

Tip 90: Scale Figures to Be Relatable 192

Tip 91: Be Clear about the Implications of Your Results 194

Tip 92: Call Out Any Ethical Concerns 196

Tip 93: Use Simplified Illustrations 198

Tip 94: Don’t Include Low-Value Information 200

Tip 95: Make Critical Numbers Stand Out 202

Tip 96: Make Important Text Stand Out Too 204

Tip 97: Have Support in the Room 206

Tip 98: Always Have Several Backup Plans 207

Tip 99: Use a Slide Clicker 209

Tip 100: Do Not Send Your Presentation in Advance 210

Section 7 Delivering: Giving The Presentation 213

Tip 101: Do Not Read Your Slides . . . Ever! 215

Tip 102: Read the Room and Adapt 217

Tip 103: Do Not Look at the Screen! 219

Tip 104: Physically Point to Important Information 221

Tip 105: Don’t Let Bright Lights Throw You Off 222

Tip 106: Don’t Stand Still 223

Tip 107: When Presenting Online, Look Right at the Camera 225

Tip 108: Anticipate Random and Irrelevant Questions 227

Tip 109: Handle Difficult People with Grace 228

Tip 110: Don’t Correct People in Front of the Room 230

Tip 111: Never Pretend You Know If You Don’t! 232

Tip 112: Stress the Positive 234

Tip 113: Be Honest about Costs as Well as Benefits 236

Tip 114: Don’t Hedge Too Much 239

Tip 115: Be Clear about the Measure You Are Discussing 241

Tip 116: Don’t Ask Which Findings Are Important 242

Tip 117: Tie Facts to Impacts 243

Tip 118: Provide Specific Recommendations for Action 245

Tip 119: Close with a “Wow” Tied to the Larger Context 247

Afterword 249

About the Author 251

About the Website 253

Index 255

Create and deliver clear, impactful data-driven presentations with this simple and actionable guide

Effective presentation of data-driven information can be the difference between successful persuasion and muddled communication. In Winning the Room: Creating and Delivering an Effective Data-Driven Presentation, data science and analytics expert Bill Franks walks you through the preparation of a polished presentation of technical information for non-technical, live audiences. While written from the perspective of a data science professional, this book is perfect for anyone expected to present data-driven information to others.

The author provides concrete strategies and practical tips to clarify, simplify, and refine data-driven presentations in a way that maximizes comprehensibility without sacrificing accuracy. The book also offers instructive and memorable visuals that illustrate how you can drive your points home and help your audience understand and retain your message.

With specific advice on how to avoid common mistakes and pitfalls encountered by presenters, Winning the Room is the ideal resource for anyone required to present data-driven information to managers, executives, or other business, governmental, and academic leaders. It’s a can’t-miss reference that will improve the quality and impact of your live data-driven presentations.

“Read this book! It is an outstanding desk reference for anyone who develops technical presentations for a non-technical audience. You’ll improve your live presentation skills every time you open it.”
—CRAIG BRABEC, Data Analytics Executive and transformational leader for Fortune 100 organizations, including Caterpillar, Ford Motor Company, and McKesson, and current Chief Data Analytics Officer at McDonald’s Corporation

“Ever read a book and wish it came with some templates you could put into practice immediately? This book does just that with numerous examples of how to take poor presentation practices and make them great.”
—ALAN JACOBSON, Chief Data and Analytics Officer, Alteryx

“Facts and figures are not a story! Have you ever presented your good data analysis and failed to get any action? Good data analysis, while essential, is only half the battle. The other half is effective presentation. This book gives you great practical tips on text, images, charts, and delivery methods to make your next presentation so much better, and should be an essential companion to every data scientist or data analyst.”
—GREGORY PIATETSKY-SHAPIRO, President, KDnuggets

“Bill has provided all of us a real practitioners guide for the ‘how to’ of delivering a winning presentation. It is both easy to read and organized to allow for quickly referencing topics. This is the only body of work I’m aware of that combines the importance of data and analytics into a step-by-step approach for developing and delivering a winning presentation to any decision-making audience, and it is especially applicable to executive decision-making bodies.”
—BILL VANCUREN, EVP and CIO, NCR Corporation

"Most business and data professionals struggle with delivering impactful presentations that consistently win the hearts and minds of their audience. In this book, Bill provides dozens of very practical and easy to adopt tips that will help you become an engaging and impactful presenter."
—MANO MANOOCHAHR, Chief Data and Analytics Officer, Travelers Insurance

"Storytelling and data are both important, but extremely hard to bring together effectively. This book enables all readers with an interest in data to think about how to create and tell a story with data that engages, teaches, and informs both technical and executive audiences alike."
—ERIC WEBER, Head of Data Product and Experimentation at Yelp

"Business communication has become critical in today's fast-moving world. In this book, Bill Franks has drawn on his many years of experience to create a simple guide with practical, readily usable examples that will help beginners in business communications develop effective skills, and help experienced practitioners remain on top of their game."
—DILIP KRISHNA, Managing Director, Deloitte

"Whether you're a novice or experienced at presenting data, this book is packed with practical tips that will enhance how you approach your next presentation. Rather than taking years to learn these tips like me, Bill Franks' sage advice will fast-track your ability to create and deliver impactful data presentations."
—BRENT DYKES, Author, Effective Data Storytelling: How to Drive Change with Data, Narrative, and Visuals, and Founder/Chief Data Storyteller, AnalyticsHero, LLC

"The world is driven by data and it is vital to understand how to use and apply analytics within your business. Bill Franks has written an excellent guide with 119 useful tips on how to become successful in presenting your data so it will have the most impact."
—DR. MARK VAN RIJMENAM, The Digital Speaker, author and Founder of Datafloq

"Whether you are an internal or external analytics consultant, this book provides practical guidance for becoming an effective data storyteller. Highly recommended for data professionals at all levels."
—ROD BATES, Managing Director, Data & Analytics, PwC and former VP, Decision Sciences and Data Strategy, The Coca-Cola Company

"Winning the Room is relevant to a broad audience: The book is a pointed refresher for more seasoned business leaders, project managers, researchers and consultants. It's also the one complete reference on presentation preparation for those early in their career: professionals, academics and students alike."
—RASMUS WEGENER, Senior Partner, Bain & Company

"To achieve profoundly better data-driven presentations and communications, every presenter of data should study and learn from this book, and every data-related curriculum should require this book for all their students. The book is a well- ordered guide through a full menu of must-do's, don't-do's, how-to's, and why-do's in data communications, data presentation, data storytelling, and presentation design."
—KIRK BORNE, Chief Science Officer, DataPrime.ai