Communicating ThroughData Visualization

Paul Carr, TruMedia Networks | @PaulCarr | #OptaProSoccer

About Me

• TruMedia Networks: Director of Client

Support & Content Development

• ESPN: 10 years as Senior Researcher,

specializing in soccer

• TV/radio/newspaper: play-by-play,

sports talk radio, game write-ups

Skills Common to These Jobs (and Yours!)

• Explaining things quickly & succinctly

• Filtering quality information from

large quantities of data

• Making numbers and data digestible

for non-quantitative types

Communicating Through

Data Visualization

• Keep it simple

• Speak the language

• Tell a story

Keep It Simple

Keep It Simple

• Analysts are like human

Big Number templates

• Good for coach to get same info

before/after a game

• Also good to highlight the best info

Keep It Simple

Keep It Simple

Keep It Simple

Keep It Simple

Keep It Simple

Keep It Simple

• Simplify graphics

• Make them intuitive

• Focus on the most important things in

easy-to-understand ways

Keep It Simple

Speak The Language

• Literally if necessary

• Learn the terminology

• Frame stats differently

Speak The Language

Speak The Language

Speak The Language

Speak The Language

Speak The Language

Speak The Language

U.S. struggles vs Italy

• Don’t come in throwing bombs

• Talk about what they like

• Support what they know

• Slowly pull them to the dark side

Speak The Language

• Using stats and visuals, tell the

story of a player or game or season

• Do it in 5-10 seconds

• The person you’re talking to

has to tell the story to others

Tell a Story

Tell A Story

2013 UEFA Champions League – Round of 16, 1st Leg

Tell A Story

Tell A Story

• Be succinct

• Make the stories actionable

• With the right visual and story,

numbers are almost irrelevant

Tell a Story

Communicating through Data Visualization

Communicating through Data Visualization

• Keep it simple

• Speak the language

• Tell a story