Stop Confusing Everyone with Your Data and Learn the One Thing You Can Do to Fix It – Starting Now
Congratulations! You have just finished the quantitative research presentation you have been working on for weeks (maybe months). You’ve collected what feels like a literal ton of data. These are significant numbers that could influence change. And now is the big reveal to your team/boss/client.
And then… crickets.
And then… questions.
Did your data fall flat in the room or confuse your audience? Did you receive the dreaded question – “What am I looking at here?”
What was so evident to you and your quantitative team may have been lost on your audience.
You may have missed the one thing that transforms any information into something memorable, shareable, influential, and actionable.
That one thing? Visuals.
The eye-opening facts about the pure effectiveness of visual language
Visualization works from a human perspective because we respond to and process visual data better than any other type of data. In fact, the human brain processes images 60,000 times faster than text, and 70% of human sensory receptors are in our eyes (making vision the most predominant sense). The truth is that visuals are an exceedingly indispensable part of sharing your story.
See for yourself. Which of these 2 examples is quicker (and easier) for you to comprehend:
Seeing is MORE than just believing – it’s remembering AND persuading
Visual communication also results in better retention of information.
Studies show that people retain about 80% of what they see and only about 20% of what they read or hear.
Additionally, visual long-term memory has a massive storage capacity for object details. So, one of the easiest ways to ensure that your audience stores your information in their long-term memory is to pair concepts with meaningful images.
Another reason to partner your data with visuals – is the power of its persuasiveness.
A study at the Wharton School of Business found that a purely verbal presentation persuaded 50% of audience members. But, a verbal presentation with accompanying visuals persuaded 67% of the audience. That’s a 17% increase in your chance to get stakeholders on your side!
When you leverage the power of data visualization, you give your audience more than just something to look at; you provide them with something they’ll remember and pass on to others.
If all of your hard work and great ideas are being overlooked, perhaps it’s time to communicate them differently.
The data you collect can only have an impact if it is understood by and shared by your audience. Since human beings are visual creatures and because of how the human brain processes information – data visualization is a quick, easy way to convey complex concepts in an easy-to-digest manner.
Visual representation of data enables:
Audience comprehension - getting your point across quickly and enabling more rapid and accurate decision-making
Clear analysis - which informs more strategic business decisions from stakeholders
Sharing and socializing your story - for widespread impact. Want proof? (More than 95 million photos are shared daily on Instagram)
Easier collaboration to move forward and generate new ideas
Going Visual
Quantitative research can provide businesses with essential information with multidimensional relationships across different data sets. These could include sales, locations, and demographics – each with its own nuanced data set.
The good news is that all this highly complex data can be presented in visual ways.
Photos, infographics, maps, charts, etc. can be used to visualize and understand data.
But there is more. GIFS, screenshots, screen recordings, and videos – don’t be afraid to incorporate more than one to keep things fresh, exciting, and memorable.
Creating images isn’t exclusive to those with design training or access to expensive, high-end tools.
Need something quick and easy with tools you probably already have? Check out the People Graph option in Excel to create a simple depiction of the number of people or items you have logged in your spreadsheet.
Excel People Graph
Are you ready to leverage the power of data visualization and unlock the true potential of your quantitative research? Want to maximize the comprehension and influence of your next quantitative research project?
We can help! Contact us at hello@ignite-360.com.
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