Hi #SmartCommunity friends. Welcome back to this very special series here on the Smart Community Podcast, all about data storytelling, which is part of my PhD research
In this episode of the Smart Community podcast I have a brilliant discussion with Dr Zina O’Leary.
Zina is a sociologist, methodological expert and research communication specialist bridging statistics and qualitative research, data and stories. Zina helps organisations transform data into impactful, implementable change.
In this episode Zina tells us about the communication gap between research and real-world implementation and how living in an age of information abundance has implications for data storytelling. Zina and I discuss the importance of audience-focused objectives and moving beyond “what do I want to say” to “what do I want the audience to do”, plus why traditional academic writing formats fail to engage audiences.
We talk about practical tools like multi-criteria analysis and scenario planning for decision-making. We finish our chat discussing Zina’s advice for overcoming the biggest challenge in data visualisation – creating what works for your audience rather than what works for you. As always, we hope you enjoy listening to this episode as much as we enjoyed making it.
What we cover in this episode:
- Zina O’Leary’s background as a sociologist and methodological expert bridging statistics and qualitative research
- The critical communication gap between research data and implementable change in government and consulting work
- How expensive research often fails to create impact because it’s not packaged for implementation
- The shift from information scarcity to information abundance and its implications for data storytelling
- Moving beyond “what do I want to say” to “what do I want the audience to do” – developing audience-related objectives
- The importance of understanding your audience’s starting point to strategically move them toward your objective
- Why traditional academic writing formats fail to engage modern audiences with short attention spans
- The role of AI as a tool for data visualisation and the importance of understanding it before dismissing it
- Multi-criteria analysis (MCA) as a practical tool for transparent, data-driven decision making
- Scenario planning using four-quadrant frameworks to integrate data with future storytelling
- Creating visualisations that work for your audience rather than what appeals to you personally
- How statistics are actually stories in disguise – an amalgamation of stories about people, places and events
Quotes:
“There’s a big communication gap between data that has been driven by research and actual implementable change.”
“[Nobody has] the time to read a 200 page report chock full of data when it lands on their desk. So what do they do? They read the executive summary and they scan.”
“Now we live in an information world where information is at our fingertips… Data is everywhere, so how do we now use that data? How can I use it to be impactful?”
“Numbers are not this mathematical entity. They are standing in for people and story. It’s a way of capturing story… Stats are stories. They’re an amalgamation of story, and they’re the most exciting thing I can think of.”
“I think the biggest challenge I see is people wanting to produce what would work for them rather than what will work for their audience.”
Links:
Hans Rosling “The Best Stats You’ve Ever Seen” TED Talk
Connect:
Connect with Dr. Zina O’Leary on LinkedIn
Connect with me via email: hello@mysmart.community
Connect with My Smart Community via LinkedIn and watch on YouTube
Podcast Production by Perk Digital
This podcast is recorded on Yugarabul country and edited on Gaibal country. I pay my respects to traditional owners of country and their elders past and present. I also extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples listening today. Here on the Smart Community Podcast, we talk about data, technology, communities and the future. First Nations peoples have been sharing knowledge, caring for country, and telling stories for tens of thousands of years. I honour that deep connection of storytelling and community connection as we continue our conversation together here today.
Disclaimer
The views, opinions, and perspectives expressed by guests on The Smart Community Podcast are solely those of the individual speakers. They do not necessarily reflect the views, opinions, or positions of the host, Zoe Eather, or of The Smart Community Podcast as a whole.
Any discussion of ideas, products, organisations, or services by podcast guests does not constitute endorsement or recommendation by the host or the podcast. Listeners are encouraged to form their own opinions and seek professional advice where appropriate.
