Conference Video: Allison Sliter Presenting Data to Non-analysts: How to Make an Impact on All Kinds of Audiences

This is Allison Sliter’s video from WiDS Puget Sound Conference 2020. Enjoy!

ABSTRACT:

Data scientists work hard to develop our skills to uncover the secrets in data. Too often, though, that distances us from our audience’s perspective. Using lessons from psychology, journalism, and even comparative literature, this talk will show you how to cut through the jargon and make an impact. It will discuss some specific presentation design principles that can make sure you get through to your busy, sometimes distracted audience of engineers, domain experts, management, and the folks from sales and marketing so they can act on your insights. I draw from psychology, linguistics, journalism, and even Joseph Conrad to deliver specific suggestions to make sure that when your audience leaves after your presentation, they are armed with the right conclusions and can make the best decisions for your organization.

I spend my days working as a data scientist and my nights arguing with my superlative daughters or planning PyData PDX meetups and networking lunches for women in data science. I knit, I run, I read science fiction novels and when the sun finally comes out, I ride my bike.