storytelling with data podcast

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

Conveying confidence when presenting often comes down to a few small, intentional choices. Jay Sullivan, author of Simply Said and communication expert at Exec|Comm, shares three simple tweaks that can make an immediate difference.You’ll learn:his smart approach to eye contactwhat the “Arc of Silence” is and how to use itthe helpful acronym “RIDE” to clearly explain a chart that you’re presentingShow notes: https://www.storytellingwithdata.com/podcast/110RELATED LINKSBook your storytelling with data team training!Simply Said by Jay SullivanMore about Jay’s work at Exec|CommConnect with Jay on LinkedIn

Want to make your data story more engaging? Try adding a little tension. Join data storyteller Alli Torban as she explores how tension can create curiosity and keep your audience invested in your story.You’ll learn three simple ways to build tension—expectation versus reality, knowledge tension, and action tension—and see how members of the storytelling with data community put each technique into practice.RESOURCES MENTIONED:Register for our 8-week online course: plan, create, and deliver your data story. September 28th–November 22nd, 2026. Use the code PODCAST10 for 10% off your registration!Join the storytelling with data community!Look through the community exercise submissions for building tensionDanny’s submissionMiroslav’s submissionRegina’s submissionPodcast: help! my data story feels boringBook your own custom team training!