3 Key Elements to Bridge the Last Mile of Data

Transforming data into action is hard. A focus on communicating insights, capturing attention, and encouraging conversations gives you the best chance to have an impact on your audience.

1. Transforming data into action is difficult…and
getting harder.
More data

Less attention

More skepticism

2. Bridging “The Last Mile of Data”
??????
Find Insights
??????
Capture
Attention
??????
Spark
Conversations

3. What makes a “good” insight?
✅ It matters to your audience in their role
✅ It challenges your audience’s assumptions
??????
❌ ✅

4. Insights Are a Joke
Set-up
+
Challenge assumptions
+
Economical

Sticky
“Some people see things that are
and ask, ‘Why?’

Some people dream of things that
never were and ask, ‘Why not?’

Some people have to go to work
and don’t have time for all that.”

– George Carlin
??????
??????

5. Advertisers Are the Masters of Attention
Your audience is the HERO
…help them succeed
Speak to their PROBLEM
…and things they can impact
Acknowledge FEELINGS
…decisions aren’t made only through data
Act as a GUIDE
…point them toward the answer
Deliver with SIMPLICITY
…more information will be distracting
??????
??????

6. Dos and Don’ts in Capturing Attention
??????
??????
Fit the available attention
❌
Detailed dashboard
or report
Single slide
✅
Meet in their data comfort
zone
❌ ✅
Complex charts
Simple charts

7. Dos and Don’ts in Capturing Attention
??????
??????
Attention-grabbing
headlines
Descriptive Evocative
“You may be
surprised to
learn…”
“Distribution of
research grants
broken out by…”
❌ ✅
Match info consumption
habits
❌ ✅
InboxYet-another log-in

8. Decisions Are Made by Data People
Data can drive better conversations
●Focus on the problem
●Arrive at a shared understanding
●Update their assumptions
●Ask the next, best question
In large corporations, an average of
7 to 10 people
are directly involved in key
decision-making processes
– Bain & Company
??????
????????????