Presenting data, don’t hit the snooze button yet!

Prevention work is data. Using numbers to identify a problem. Using numbers to show the results of prevention. Using data to evaluate and compare. You can’t have effective prevention work without looking at data. So here are a few tips for how you can more effectively present science data to someone who isn’t data friendly or savvy.

• Make sure your data can be seen.
  a) Put it in a graph, a chart, or a visual representation for those that are visual learners.
• Focus most on the points your data illustrates
  a) Do not use hypotheticals or distract from the visual you have up.
• Share ONLY one major point from each chart
  a) Each point needs its own chart don’t try to show 3 things in 1 chart or you will lose data-adverse people when they must connect too many dots on their own.
• Label charts and graphs clearly, don’t try to layer too many things on-top of each other.
• Visually highlight “Aha!” zones or key points.
  a) Show them exactly what they should be noticing so they can make the “discovery” with you.
• Title slides that reinforce the data’s point.
  a) Tell them exactly what they will be looking at and what you want them to get from it. Good example: ‘Teens age 14-16 prescription drug use increase from 2020-2021’ versus bad example: ‘Sharp Data’
• Present to your audience, not your data.
  a) Your data already knows what you can get from it, your audience doesn’t. Tell the story of your data to your audience. Don’t talk to your slides, make eye contact with your audience while you present, especially when addressing a key point. Look to your slides for reference but don’t present with your head down the whole time.