Telling Stories with Data

Next Workshop: TBC

There are two skills every planner and strategist needs if they’re going to thrive: The ability to interrogate and make sense of data, and the ability to use the insights from data to persuade others to take action. At its simplest, the equation underpinning modern business impact is this: Analytics + Storytelling = Influence.

Humans are hardwired to respond to stories and story structure. Stories are how we make sense of and navigate the world. We respond best to stories that are based on evidence; stories that are rooted in genuine, data-driven insights and examine an aspect of the human condition. But storytellers need to use data, facts, and evidence as the foundation of their stories, not instead of stories or as the actual stories themselves.

The ability to bring analytics and storytelling together is a defining characteristic of the impactful planner. Being able to see – and articulate – the forest from the trees. Being able to wade through all kinds of different data sets – qualitative, quantitative; numeric, verbal, visual – and develop a coherent story. Being able to do the “Where’s Wally?” thing.

What is the Workshop like?

Over the course of three hours, delegates learn how to enhance their data-driven storytelling skills with practical exercises including:

The Killer Stat – how to identify and use truly relevant data and statistics in impactful elevator pitches
The Five Whys – how asking why repeatedly helps you to find statistics that make your storytelling sing
What’s the Story? – working with real, blended data to build a powerful and compelling story
The Numbers Behind the News – how to read the news from a statistician’s point of view
The New Scientist test – how best to combine the rational and the emotional

Real examples of data-driven storytelling will be used throughout.

Workshop Information

Date & Time

TBC

Cost*

APG Members = £250+vat

Non Members = £325+vat

*Please note these tickets are non-refundable

Venue

This workshop will now be run online.

Workshop Enquiries

If you are interested in attending a Training Course, please e-mail Alison at alison@apg.org.uk

Sam Knowles

Dr Sam Knowles combines long and varied communications agency experience with a planner’s facility for turning relevant data into campaigns and narratives that resonate and deliver. Originally a classicist, he also has a doctorate in Experimental Psychology, a source of both his understanding of human motivation and behaviour and his love of telling stories with data.

In 2013, Sam founded corporate and brand storytelling consultancy Insight Agents. He is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts, and a member of both the Market Research Society and the Public Relations & Communications Association. He is part of 26, an organisation that exists to inspire a greater love of words, in business and in life.

Sam has recently written a book on data-driven storytelling, also called Narrative by Numbers. This was published by Routledge in April 2018. For more information, see www.narrativebynumbers.com. Sam is co-founder and co-host of the www.smalldataforum.com podcast.

About the Trainer

Worshop Information

What is it like?

Enquiries

APG Training Course Cancellation Policy

Should you cancel your place on this training course the following cancellation policy will apply: For a cancellation made more than 30 calendar days in advance of the training course, a full rebate will be applied. For a cancellation more than ten calendar days in advance of the training course, a rebate of 50% will be applied. For a cancellation less than ten days in advance of the training course no rebate will be applied.
Training sessions will not be recorded/filmed and we can’t offer catch-up sessions on future courses, if for any reason you can’t attend.
On occasion we may need to re-schedule training sessions - we reserve the right to do this at any time although we will aim to give you as much notice as possible.
Attendance on Training Courses is entirely at the discretion of APG. There is no automatic right to attendance.