using X-RAY vision to learn from others' graphs

Are you overlooking a chart that could tell your data story better? In this episode, we explore six chart types commonly used in other industries:candlestick chartscontrol chartsSankey diagramsternary plotsGantt chartsHarvey ballsDiscover what makes each one useful, the questions it helps answer, and how you might apply it to your own work. You'll walk away with fresh ideas for visualizing data and a better sense of when to reach beyond the familiar bar or line chart.RELATED LINKS:Show notes: https://www.storytellingwithdata.com/podcast/120Register for one of our public workshops in 2027!Use the code PODCAST10 for 10% off!Contact Jody to inquire about a private team training sessionWhat is a box plot? by Amy EsselmanJozef’s candlestick chartAndrew’s control chartWhat is a Sankey diagram? by Simon RoweYouTube video walking through a ternary plotWhat is a Gantt chart? by Amy EsselmanBlog post about Harvey balls

What can you learn from a chart you admire—or one that breaks the rules? In this episode, Ryan Biesecker introduces Alli's X-RAY technique, a simple framework for analyzing what makes a graph memorable or effective. Through examples from the storytelling with data community, discover clever design choices, surprising rule-breakers, and practical ideas you can borrow to improve your own visualizations.RELATED LINKSShow notes: https://www.storytellingwithdata.com/podcast/119Register for one of our public workshops in 2027!Use the code PODCAST10 for 10% off!Contact Jody to inquire about a private team training sessionXRAY Oct 2026 community challengeShe's Beautiful, shared by BritneyIPCC summary for policymakers, shared by StevenA View on Despair, shared by RobynFurniture lost its colour, shared by JianPodcast | use a bump chart to reveal who's rising and fallingChallenge | SWD mapping with purpose988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline (US): Call or text 988, or chat online at 988lifeline.org. Free, confidential support 24/7.

What can data storytellers learn from musicians? More than you might think!In this episode, Alli Torban talks with Duncan Geere and Miriam Quick of Loud Numbers, who turn data into music. Discover how to pace your presentation to keep your audience engaged, use repetition to make your key message stick, and create contrast to draw attention to what matters most. Plus, hear a clip of their latest project, The Financial Symphony, and learn how to make your next data story sing.LINKED MENTIONEDShow notes: https://www.storytellingwithdata.com/podcast/118Register for the Nov 5th live, public workshop (use the code PODCAST10 for 10% off!)Listen to the whole song The Financial Symphony on SpotifyWatch the “Behind the Scenes” video of making The Financial SymphonyMiriam and Duncan’s data sonification workshopCheck out the Loud Numbers podcastGiorgia Lupi’s article on Data Humanism

“We’ve already tried that.”“Those numbers don’t look right.”“I’m not convinced.”What do you do when your audience pushes back on your data or recommendations?In this episode, Alli and Simon tackle eight common questions from storytelling with data workshops about winning over a tough audience. From handling disagreement and challenging questions to presenting unpopular findings, they share practical strategies to build trust, navigate resistance, and turn tense presentations into productive conversations.Show notes:https://www.storytellingwithdata.com/podcast/117LINK MENTIONED:Register for the Nov 5th live, public workshopUse the code PODCAST10 for 10% off!Should you begin or end with your recommendation? — Article with a flowchart to help decide when to share your recommendation.How to build trust with your audience — Strategies for establishing credibility and strengthening relationships over time.How much detail should you include in a presentation? — Guidance on balancing supporting information with a clear message.The art of delivering bad results — How to communicate unexpected or disappointing findings.Tailoring charts to different audiences — Community challenge featuring two versions of the same chart, one for a technical audience and one for a general audience.Integrating qualitative data into your data story — Tips for combining numbers with other qualitative evidence.The Big Idea worksheet — A free exercise for identifying what matters to different audiences and finding common ground.How to avoid bias in data storytelling — An article by Cole about recommendations, objectivity, and bias.

Bump charts are great at showing who's rising, who's falling, and who's staying on top—but they don't tell you the whole story.In this episode, Alli explains what a bump chart is, when to use one, and what to watch out for when comparing rankings instead of actual values. Plus, she highlights three creative examples from the storytelling with data community that use color, added context, and an unexpected layout to make changes in rankings easier to see and understand.RESOURCES MENTIONED:Show notes: https://www.storytellingwithdata.com/podcast/116Register for the Nov 5th live, public workshopUse the code PODCAST10 for 10% off!September community challenge about bump chartsMehrol’s bump chart about Olympic medalsJeffrey’s bump chart about airlinesAkindynos’ bump chart about notices from the Greek governmentDatawrapper: How to create a Bump Chart (Article)Jon Schwabish: Create a Bump Chart in Flourish (Video)Jon Schwabish: Create a Bump Chart in Excel (Article)

Does telling a story with data introduce bias? In this episode, Cole explores the tension between objectivity and perspective—and why simply “showing the data” isn’t as neutral as it may seem. If you’ve ever worried that storytelling could compromise rigor, learn how to bring your expertise and point of view to the data while still communicating uncertainty, limitations, and alternative interpretations responsibly.RESOURCES MENTIONED:Show notes: https://www.storytellingwithdata.com/podcast/115Schedule your storytelling with data team trainingDownload our free SWD + AI Primer PDF documentArticle: lead with storyArticle: so what?

Cole recently appeared on the Analytics Power Hour, and this was such a great conversation, we're rebroadcasting it here!————There’s a version of this episode where AI replaces the data visualization expert entirely, and there’s a version where it’s useless without one. Neither is quite right, according to Cole Nussbaumer Knaflic of Storytelling with Data, who joined Tim, Moe, and Julie to sort out where AI genuinely earns its keep in data storytelling and where it’s just producing a shinier first draft of the same shitty slide. Cole—admittedly a skeptic-turned-convert who once joked she’d retire before having to deal with any of this—walks through why the humans who benefit most from AI are the ones who already have the foundation to know when to ignore it, why “let me look at some options” beats “give me the final chart” as a prompt, and why the analog, pencil-and-paper parts of the process might be the most valuable friction in the whole workflow. Bring your own opinions on whether Claude should ever be handed “the rules” and told to just go.RESOURCED MENTIONED:Show notes: https://www.storytellingwithdata.com/podcast/114Schedule your storytelling with data team trainingDownload our free SWD + AI Primer PDF documentArticle: using AI without giving up control (Alex Velez)Video: Data Storytelling in the Age of AIStorytelling with Data: AI ResourcesStorytelling with Data: AI WorkshopsMerlin Bird ID (app)Choiceology: The Algorithm Advantage (podcast)What kind of reader are you? (assessment)Funky Saurus by Matt Coen (video)

What can AI help us see, try, or explore that we couldn’t easily do before? Alli shares three standout talks from the 2026 Outlier conference—and three lessons for using AI in data visualization: - Use AI to expand your options without outsourcing your judgment.- Give AI the information it needs to critique its work.- Use AI to find what’s worth visualizing in the first place.RESOURCES MENTIONED:Show notes: https://www.storytellingwithdata.com/podcast/113Schedule your storytelling with data team trainingDownload our free SWD + AI Primer PDF documentOutlier Conference 2026 YouTube PlaylistSurbhi Bhatia’s “DraftGPT: fast ≠ finished in vibe-coding data visualisation.”Madeleine Filloux’s “How we cloned our visualization team.”Nihanth Cherukuru’s “Emerging Opportunities at the Intersection of AI and Visualization.”

What happens in the space between one thing and the next? Whether you’re moving from email to deep thinking, analysis to communication, or one idea to another, these shifts require time and mental energy. In this episode, Cole explores how thoughtfully designing transitions can help you work, think, and communicate more effectively. Discover practical ways to use time, space, movement, and other cues to shift your mindset—and help your audience follow your story. Small changes in how you get from here to there can make a surprisingly big difference.RESOURCES MENTIONED:Show notes: https://www.storytellingwithdata.com/podcast/112Join the next cohort of our public 8-week online course: plan, create & deliver - use the code PODCAST10 for 10% off!Book your storytelling with data team training!Episode 83: reflect & refine (sharing  statio, a meditative pause during a transition)Episode 6: say it out loudEpisode 86: speak so others listen

Waterfall charts are great at showing what happened between where you started and where you ended—but they can look a little strange if you’ve never encountered one before.In this episode, Alli explains what a waterfall chart is, when to use one, and how to make it easier for your audience to read. Plus, she highlights three clever examples from the storytelling with data community that use color, annotations, and even small multiples to make the most of this less-common chart type.RESOURCES MENTIONED:Show notes: https://www.storytellingwithdata.com/podcast/111Book your storytelling with data team training!Waterfall chart definition, examples, and the how-to videoWaterfall community challengeJian’s waterfallKeith’s waterfallAndrew’s waterfall