Enhancing Data Communication: How to Share Data Once You Have It
Your business runs on data — that’s why data collection is key for business success. But once you have that data, how do you communicate it?
The options for data communication are so much more robust than ever before. Technology has allowed for new tools and techniques that didn’t exist five years ago and there’s more advances coming out every day. Good data communication adapts with the times, but it also remains true to business intelligence principles that existed even before the information age.
When you’re planning a data communication strategy, consider the following:
- Determine Who Needs to See the Data
Is the data communication happening internally or externally? What will it be used for? This can influence the communication method you choose and can even affect what data you choose to share. For example, what you may communicate to sales staff who need to see their rate of follow-up contact might look different than what (and how) you communicate these results to company stakeholders.
- Figure Out the Message
Your data tells a story, but it’s up to you what that story looks like. Context is key — what you choose to communicate can influence what your readers and/or viewers take away. This isn’t a new tactic, either. In 1854, Florence Nightingale was seeing a high number of soldiers die in field hospitals due to unsanitary conditions. She drew a diagram that showed just how many soldiers were dying, which influenced stakeholders to correct the problem. Had she wanted to show how many soldiers were being cured, however, those charts would have looked much different.
- Make It Visually Appealing
Humans are visual — this is one fact that has remained throughout the years. Listing a bunch of figures or statistics is more likely to be ignored than a brightly coloured bar chart or pie graph with the conclusions already drawn. This is one area where technology can help. You don’t have to hand draw diagrams like Florence Nightingale did. Computers and business intelligence tools take most of the work out of it and can even let you use your data in innovative ways, such as creating an interactive map or a moving timeline.
Remember: good data communication tells a story. You want it to be succinct, easy to remember, and get your message across in a way that’s easy to understand.
Business intelligence tools, like True Sky, can make data communication even easier. True Sky business analytics allow for so much more than data collection and organization. With the insight-producing charting functionalities, data can be tracked and compared in a way that makes trends clear. With that data in hand, companies can make informed decisions, increase their agility, and grow their business.
Learn more about how True Sky can help. Visit www.truesky.com or call 1-855-878-3759.
