There is a difference between what the data are and what the data mean. As assessment academics, we were trained in graduate school to communicate what the data are.
That’s fine if the goal is to publish an article in an academic journal or present at an academic conference. Not so good when supporting decision-making.
For a recent presentation with RSO leaders and student affairs executive staff, my colleague (Dr. Erin Thomas) and myself took a storytelling approach to presenting the data. The basic structure is:
- Setting
- Characters
- Conflict
- Resolution
Pretty much every book, movie, story, narrative or whatever follows this approach. It’s worth applying when communicating data.