DA-STORY.AE1
Storytelling with Data: A Data Visualization Guide for Business Professionals
Stop drowning in spreadsheets and start building high-impact charts that drive faster decision-making.
- Practice in 17 Hands-On Labs — nothing to install
- 11 Interactive Lessons and 75 topics mapped to the official exam objectives
Beginner Self-paced · 1 year access
17 Hands-On LiveLabs
Practice real IT tasks in guided environments.
- Real environments
- Auto-graded
- No installation
11Interactive Lessons
75Topics
17LiveLab
80Flashcards
80Glossary of terms
01 / Skills you'll get
What you will be able to do
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No credit card required
Storytelling with Data: A Data Visualization Guide for Business Professionals helps you transform complex data into clear, compelling stories that drive better decisions. The course focuses on practical data visualization principles, storytelling techniques, audience engagement, and effective communication of insights. Through interactive lessons, exercises, quizzes, flashcards, and hands-on labs, you learn how to create impactful charts and presentations that communicate data clearly and persuasively.
- Data Storytelling and Narrative Development
- Data Visualization Best Practices
- Choosing the Right Charts and Graphs
- Communicating Insights Effectively
- Storyboarding Data Presentations
- Audience-Focused Communication
- Visual Design and Presentation Principles
- Reducing Clutter in Visualizations
- Using Color, Contrast, and Layout Strategically
- Directing Audience Attention to Key Insights
Course Highlights
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11 Structured Lessons Comprehensive coverage of core course objectives
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17 Hands-On LiveLabs Interactive guided scenarios with instant evaluation
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1 Year Full Access Self-paced learning accessible anytime on all devices
02 / Lessons & labs
See exactly what you will learn and practice
Lessons
11 Interactive Lessons · 75 topics01 Introduction 7 topics +
- We aren’t naturally good at storytelling with data
- Who this course is written for
- How I learned to tell stories with data
- How you’ll learn to tell stories with data: 6 lessons
- Illustrative examples span many industries
- Lessons are not tool specific
- How this course is organized
02 The Importance Of Context 10 topics · 1 LiveLab +
- Exploratory vs. explanatory analysis
- Who, what, and how
- Who
- What
- How
- Who, what, and how: illustrated by example
- Consulting for context: questions to ask
- The 3-minute story & Big Idea
- Storyboarding
- In closing
1 LiveLab in this lesson — see the labs panel →
03 Choosing An Effective Visual 10 topics · 4 LiveLab +
- Simple text
- Tables
- Graphs
- Points
- Lines
- Bars
- Area
- Other types of graphs
- To be avoided
- In closing
4 LiveLab in this lesson — see the labs panel →
04 Clutter Is Your Enemy! 7 topics · 1 LiveLab +
- Cognitive load
- Clutter
- Gestalt principles of visual perception
- Lack of visual order
- Non-strategic use of contrast
- Decluttering: step-by-step
- In closing
1 LiveLab in this lesson — see the labs panel →
05 Focus Your Audience’s Attention 7 topics · 1 LiveLab +
- You see with your brain
- A brief lesson on memory
- Preattentive attributes signal where to look
- Size
- Color
- Position on page
- In closing
1 LiveLab in this lesson — see the labs panel →
06 Think Like A Designer 5 topics · 1 LiveLab +
- Affordances
- Accessibility
- Aesthetics
- Acceptance
- In closing
1 LiveLab in this lesson — see the labs panel →
07 Dissecting Model Visuals 6 topics · 5 LiveLab +
- Model visual #1: line graph
- Model visual #2: annotated line graph with forecast
- Model visual #3: 100% stacked bars
- Model visual #4: leveraging positive and negative stacked bars
- Model visual #5: horizontal stacked bars
- In closing
5 LiveLab in this lesson — see the labs panel →
08 Lessons In Storytelling 6 topics · 1 LiveLab +
- The magic of story
- Constructing the story
- The narrative structure
- The power of repetition
- Tactics to help ensure that your story is clear
- In closing
1 LiveLab in this lesson — see the labs panel →
09 Pulling It All Together 7 topics · 1 LiveLab +
- Lesson 1: understand the context
- Lesson 2: choose an appropriate display
- Lesson 3: eliminate clutter
- Lesson 4: draw attention where you want your audience to focus
- Lesson 5: think like a designer
- Lesson 6: tell a story
- In closing
1 LiveLab in this lesson — see the labs panel →
10 Case Studies 6 topics · 1 LiveLab +
- CASE STUDY 1: Color considerations with a dark background
- CASE STUDY 2: Leveraging animation in the visuals you present
- CASE STUDY 3: Logic in order
- CASE STUDY 4: Strategies for avoiding the spaghetti graph
- CASE STUDY 5: Alternatives to pies
- In closing
1 LiveLab in this lesson — see the labs panel →
11 Final Thoughts 4 topics · 1 LiveLab +
- Where to go from here
- Building storytelling with data competency in your team or organization
- Recap: a quick look at all we’ve learned
- In closing
1 LiveLab in this lesson — see the labs panel →
Hands-On Labs Our edge
17 LiveLabs- Storytelling at the Cafe
- Choosing an Effective Visual
- Creating and Interpreting a Scatterplot
- Creating a Line Graph and a Slope Graph
- Creating a Bar Chart and a Waterfall Chart
- Reducing Visual Clutter
- Guiding Attention with Visual Signals
- Designing Effective Data Visualizations
- Creating a Storytelling Line Graph
- Creating an Annotated Line Graph with a Forecast
- Creating a 100% Stacked Bar Chart
- Creating a Positive and Negative Stacked Bar Chart
- Creating a Horizontal Stacked Bar Chart
- Turning Data into Storytelling
- Choosing and Simplifying Visuals
- Storytelling with Data
- Building Storytelling Capability
Labs run in your browser — nothing to install.
03 / FAQs
Questions before you start
Is this course primarily about learning specific data visualization software?+
No, the lessons focus on universal principles. You won't master Tableau or Power BI here, but you'll know what good looks like.
How long does it typically take to see improvements in my presentations?+
Immediate changes in your approach are possible. Real mastery takes consistent practice; it's not a quick fix for deep-seated habits.
I'm not a designer. Will I struggle with the 'Think Like A Designer' section?+
The design principles are practical, not artistic. It's about making data consumable, not about creating pretty pictures.
Can I apply these techniques to any industry or just business data?+
The core ideas apply broadly. However, specific examples lean towards business scenarios, so direct translation might need some thought.
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Select your path below to start building clearer, more persuasive data presentations today.
- 1 year of full access
- 17 LiveLab included
- Certificate of completion
No credit card required