Helping data teams reach their full creative potential.
- Do you have a team full of academics? People who know a lot about data, but only a little about design or modern communications?
- Does your team regularly produce boring, long, or confusing reports? Lots of words, few pictures, and usually delivered as a PDF or docx.
- Do you have aspiring creatives on your team? Team members with big ideas but without the practical experience necessary to bring those ideas to life.
- Have you struggled with the effort/money required to adopt new data design technology? Most new tools come with lots of hidden expenses well beyond the subscription price.
I can help.
The real reasons most data teams struggle with data design and communications.
- They assume they lack the creative talent required to improve. Creativity is a skill more than a talent, it takes training to improve.
- They assume it will cost a lot to make improvements. You don’t need fancy technology or years of effort to make substantial changes to your creative output.
- They take the wrong first steps. Buying new software licenses or focusing a lot of effort on improving legacy reports are common costly mistakes.
I can help.
What to do instead.
- Stop reporting like it’s 1999. No more relying on a single PDF report to do all the work.
- Build better creative systems. According to John Cleese, “creativity is a process.” And since it’s a process, it can be taught.
- Embrace teamwork. Too many organizations put all the burden on a few individuals only to burn them out.
- Get support. Support from someone with over two decades of data design experience is the ultimate shortcut.
Let me help.
I teach virtual “half-day” workshops designed to help your team reach their full creative potential.
My virtual “half-day” workshop format is so much more effective than a simple 4 hour block.
You get:
- Two – 90 minute content sessions.
- One – 60 minute private office hours session.
It’s easier to schedule and better for learning. You can do the two content sessions a couple days apart or weeks apart. You can also add a lag between the second content session and the office hours. All based on the needs of your team.
Every participant also gets:
- Forever access to session recordings.
- 1 year of live group Q&A access with Chris Lysy (24+ sessions each year)
I’m sure these could be further improved (the project is finished so there’s no need to) but this got noticed because the standard across the organization is still the bullet point slide. The presentations with new slides got substantially more engagement (questions, comments etc.) than the old ones. It’s working.
Workshop Participant
Featured Workshops.
1 – Everyday Visual Reports
The most effective types of evaluation and research reports are short, clean, and visual (not long and complicated).
In this highly practical workshop participants will learn:
- How to design effective short visual reports for use as fact sheets, executive summaries, case studies, method briefs, and more.
- How to apply fundamental graphic design principles to give reports that modern professional feel.
- A creative process that will benefit both the writing and design of your reports.
2 – Simple Data Dashboards
You don’t need years of computer programming experience to create a useful data dashboard.
In this highly practical workshop participants will learn:
- How to create three different types of simple but effective mixed-method data dashboards and when to use each approach.
- This workshop is taught using Flourish, Datawrapper, and Canva, but the lessons are tech agnostic.
- Lessons can be applied to dashboards created using a number of different tools including Tableau, PowerBI, Excel, Canva, Google Sheets, WordPress, Google Looker, and more.
3 – Compelling Qualitative Data Visualization
Qualitative data visualization is the use of graphics to facilitate or enhance the communication of qualitative information and data. It can be so much more than just counting codes and producing word clouds.
In this highly practical workshop participants will learn:
- A special collection of methods useful in illustrating qualitative findings.
- How to embrace visual qualitative methods, simple illustration, comic creation, diagraming, icon illustration, timeline development, photography, and more.
- This workshop is taught using Canva, but the lessons are tech agnostic.
4 – Effective Data Storytelling
Storytelling is the beating heart of effective communication. Without a good story your data is just a loose collection of tables and graphs, hard to get into and even harder to remember.
In this highly practical workshop participants will learn:
- How to use narrative techniques to weave together good data stories.
- Methods for finding the right stories for different audiences.
- Methods for effectively illustrating data stories in order to enhance their impact.
I’m sure I will get better at information design as I practice and get feedback. However, even this was enough to get asked to teach this internally next year.
Workshop Participant
Additional Workshop Topics
Easy Little Infographics – (Canva/PowerPoint)
Learn how to create a set of basic (but effective) infographics using Canva or PowerPoint. Perfect for use as featured images, inside slide decks, or as report illustrations.
Slidedoc Reports – (Canva/PowerPoint)
Slidedocs (a mix between a presentation and a visual report) have emerged as an effective replacement for the standard annual report. In this workshop participants will learn methods and tricks to help them create awesome slidedocs.
Essential Website Evaluation
Do you know how to evaluate a website? In this half day workshop we will walk through a set of easy to use methods that don’t require installing fishy software or an advanced degree in website analytics.
Hand Drawn Comics (Pen and Paper/iPad)
Simply drawn comics are an easy way to illustrate ideas to share in presentations or on social media. In this fun workshop we will walk through the process of creating basic single panel comics (by hand or iPad) that are particularly good at helping you to illustrate complex/hard-to-discuss topics.
Fundamental Charts and Graphs (Excel/Google Sheets)
Many data visualization experts started their career by designing charts and graphs in Excel. In this workshop we will work through the fundamentals of designing high quality charts and graphs using spreadsheet software.
Journalist Style Charts, Graphs, and Maps (Flourish/Datawrapper)
You don’t need to know code to design charts, graphs, and maps like the NY Times. Participants will learn how to use freemium web tools to design advanced modern charts, graphs, and maps.
Blog Reporting
Searching for a modern reporting tool that won’t break the bank, why not WordPress? The platform that powers more than half the web is inexpensive and powerful. Participants will learn how to effectively design and develop web-based reports using their favorite blogging tool.
Digital Content Strategy
Effectively communicating with audiences over the web takes more than just a social media account or two. Participants will learn how to design an effective digital content strategy perfect for growing and serving a modern audience.
Chris has gone the extra length to help me with an annual report and gave feedback on an article I wrote.
Workshop Participant
Want a “Full-Day” workshop instead?
All my workshops are designed for the half-day format. If you would prefer a full-day workshop, just pick two half-days!
What if I want something different?
Let’s talk. I teach a lot of things you won’t see on the list above.
Schedule your free consultation.
During the call we will:
- Discuss your organization, team, learning needs, and general timelines.
- I’ll share background on my experience and answer any questions you might have.
- Together we’ll put together a custom workshop proposal.
Use the calendar below to pick a time for us to meet.
Scheduling widget not working? follow this link to visit my Calendly page.