Session Description: Multiple Alliance sessions over the years have helped attendees improve their outcomes data collection and elevate the information they are providing in outcomes reports. However, presenting these data continues to be a challenge for many and there continues to be a reliance on templates and basic charts of pre-post data. While CE professionals are being encouraged to incorporate different types of data into their reporting, poor data visualization often leaves these reports looking stagnant and ineffectual. Also, poor choices are frequently made in the selection of appropriate charts, leaving the data open for confusion and/or misinterpretation.
During this session, we will review options for charts and graphs available for use in Microsoft PowerPoint -- discussing the types of data appropriate for each one. In addition, we will discuss other important factors of data communication, including color selection and use of text. Then, we will introduce ways to visualize and highlight qualitative data along with quantitative, with the intent of concisely telling the entire data story in an understandable and meaningful way.
The second half of the presentation will show "real-life" examples of data from outcomes reports, discuss what could be improved in each graph, and show quick and easy ways to make these improvements. Finally, we will discuss how data visualization can be used to improve executive summary slides.
Learning Objectives:
Compare and contrast the use of different types of graphs with outcomes data.
Identify new ways to illustrate quantitative and qualitative data.
Evaluate outcomes reports and edit to improve clarity and consistency.
