Talking About Data, Part II

Aug 05, 2010 by Phil Simon in Data Quality

In the previous post, I detailed some of the mistakes that people make when presenting data–and some tips on how to avoid them. Well, I’ve got more to write.

Use Images and Short Videos—Not Just Words

Kathy Sierra is a highly respected speaker and author. The words “smart cookie” don’t begin to do her justice. In a talk entitled “Kicking Ass and Creating Passionate Users”, she alternates between simple phrases and images, each of which underscores her points. You won’t find any slides with 20 bullet points at Kathy’s talks. She realizes that people don’t attend conferences to read from 200 feet away; they want to watch, to listen, to experience. Let them.

Simon Says

As neat as your fonts or animations might be to you, they can’t approximate the emotions of powerful imagery and videos. The web is awash with cartoons, videos, pictures, and other funky things that you can use to spruce up an otherwise dry deck of slides. Find them. Your audience will appreciate it, especially if your topic is potentially dry. “Data stuff” often falls into this category.

Try to Use Humor

I’m not talking about “knock knock” jokes. Especially in the early stages of a talk, short, humorous anecdotes or yarns humanize you to your audience and lighten the mood. Remember that people are fundamentally distracted these days by all sorts of toys. You can lose your audience in fewer than ten minutes—even if you’re a dynamic speaker with an interesting topic. Being overly serious is a surefire way to do just that.

Simon Says

Some people are just funnier or more self-deprecating than others. Don’t try to force it. Some have better comic sensibilities than others. “Off the cuff” humor can do wonders for the energy of a room. Just remember Jerry Seinfeld’s three keys to comedy:

• Timing
• Inflection
• Smile

Imagine being the guy talking about data migration or profiling who had the audience in stitches. People will remember you. Trust me. Also, it’s not like you’re doing standup comedy here. The bar is low. Really low.

Respect Others’ Time

A friend of mine (let’s call him Alex here) gave a talk in 2010 at a conference. Alex was following another speaker and they each had 60 minutes to do their thing. Unfortunately for Alex, his predecessor decided to keep going well beyond his time. Alex was placed in the uncomfortable position of having to interrupt the other speaker, risking appearing rude or impatient right before he was supposed to go on. He only had 45 minutes and, to boot, was justifiably frustrated that he had to be “that guy.”

Simon Says

This just plain isn’t cool. Yes, time can fly when you’re on stage or at the lectern. Figure out some type of system that prohibits you from exceeding your time limit. Don’t force other speakers or the audience to make that call for you. I recommend hanging around after the talk. (Note that it’s impossible for me to write “hanging around” without thinking of Teddy KGB in the classic movie Rounders. John Malkovich has possibly the worst Russian accent in movie history, yet it’s an amazing performance.)

Interested people with time to gab will come to you. Assume that everyone got what they needed from you; don’t assume that they’re hanging on your every word.

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Tags: Data Quality, public speaking