If you need to present data in meetings, or if you need to 'represent' data in meetings—by asking data-related questions when other people present data—, then this course is for you. Particularly if the idea of speaking up in meetings terrifies you.
(Another short piece about this course - including a cool quadrant diagram.)
Information analysts need to make their presences felt in the meeting rooms where decisions are made. They need the skills and confidence to talk about numbers in situations where their numbers will be challenged. And they need the skills and confidence to challenge others when evidence-free narratives—or incorrect narratives—are put forward. Most importantly, they need to realise that it is only by discussing information with decision-makers that we can improve the quality, relevance and usefulness of our management information.
Data in the Line of Fire is a one-day course that addresses this training need. It shows data analysts how to prepare for meetings using the technique of scripted role play.
Session 1
09:30 to 11:00
"Your numbers are wrong!"
The first session of the course teaches strategies for answering questions about data quality. You have to roadtest your numbers in advance of the meeting by talking to people who will be present at the meeting. When you show your data in the meeting itself, you need to be the one who raises the issue of data quality first, before anyone else has a chance to undermine your findings by getting there before you. You have to demonstrate awareness of any weak links in the data quality chain.
Session 2
11:15 to 12:45
"You're just telling us what we already know!"
The second session covers strategies for dealing with the criticism that you're not offering any new insights. Paradoxically, it's often the case that you do need to begin a data presentation with something that's familiar and known, in order to establish confidence in your data. But you have to move on quickly to new insights. And you need to have ascertained before the meeting what people already do and do not know about the topic in question.
Session 3
13:30 to 15:00
"You're showing us something we don't have the power to change!"
This is the "So what?" question. As analysts we often than this get excited about being able to highlight some problem that needs to be solved, only to have our bubbles burst by the reply: "Yes, but there's nothing anyone can do about it!" So we need to present data that shows that things used to be better than this in the past, that things are better than this in other places. and that things are better even within our own organisation. We have to be able to demonstrate that unwarranted variation is playing a part in the dysfunction, and that something can be done to reduce the variation.
Session 4
15:15 to 16:30
"It's not us you need to be showing this data to; it's the people down the road!"
There are two key principles to remember in order to address this objection. The first is that you have to show people data about something they can control. And the second is that you have to make sure you've already started a dialogue with the people down the road who also control part of the process.
Data in the Line of Fire can be booked as an on-site face-to-face course for £1,250+VAT, and up to eight participants can be accommodated in each workshop session. Email info@kurtosis.co.uk to start making arrangements. Open course places cost £350+VAT.
We use Excel, Word and PowerPoint in this course.