A presentation on creating compelling stories from your data work. Learn about capturing attention, guiding the eye, and more.

1. 2
DATA-BASED
BUILDING
NARRATIVES.

2. @bartonpoulson
linkedin.com/in/bartonpoulson

3. SOME BACK STORY.
Psychology professor at UVU.
Videos for LinkedIn Learning.
Videos for datalab.cc.
Created DataCharrette.org.
Created community.datalab.cc.
Art at DanceAndCode.com.

4. OF
THE ELEMENTS
STRUCTURE.

5. 5MARGARET H’DOUBLER (1889–1982)

6. H’DOUBLER’S WEB.
Climax, transition,
balance, sequence,
repetition, harmony,
variety, & contrast.

7. SONATA FORM.

8. ̴ Aristotle in Poetics.
̴ “A whole is what has a beginning
and middle and end.”
̴ A play consists of complication
followed by unravelling.
DRAMATIC STRUCTURE 1.

9. ̴ Gustav Freytag five-part structure
from Die Technik des Dramas.
̴ Exposition, rising action, climax,
falling action, & dénouement.
̴ Works best in traditional drama.
DRAMATIC STRUCTURE 2.

10. ̴ Kishōtenketsu (起承転結).
̴ Introduction, ki.
̴ Development, shō.
̴ Twist, ten.
̴ Conclusion, ketsu.
DRAMATIC STRUCTURE 3.

11. ̴ Simile.
̴ Metaphor.
̴ Synecdoche.
̴ Metonymy.
̴ Symbol.
̴ Allegory.
̴ Personification.
̴ Irony.
POETICAL DEVICES.

12. VS.
THE STORY
THE TELLING.

13. 21ROMEO & JULIET (ZEFFIRELLI, 1968).

14. 22ROMEO + JULIET (LURMAN, 1996).

15. 23WEST SIDE STORY (1961).

16. A STORY
TELLING
WITH DATA.

17. Know your
goals & path.
Start big,
then focus.
Simplify,
within reason.
Guide the
eye & mind.
BASIC PRINCIPLES.

18. VS.
CAPTIVATING
COMMUNICATING.

19. 27COOL BUT INCOMPREHENSIBLE.

20. 28COOL BUT TOO MUCH WORK.

21. WHEN THE TOOLS TAKE CHARGE.

22. WHEN THE TOOLS TAKE CHARGE.

23. WHEN YOU TAKE CHARGE.

24. 32WHO NEEDS A TOOL?

25. &
ANIMATION
INTERACTION.

26. Great for capturing your
audience’s attention…
And then focusing it on
the wrong thing.
Be very careful.

27. THE
GUIDE
NARRATIVE.

28. TRY IT
LET’S
IN EXCEL.

29. bit.ly/AUBER_Data

30. THANKS.