A 10 out of 10 Moment

Animated Graphs and Classroom activities

Presenting data in a digestible and engaging format is really important. The following quote from Cole Nussbaimer Knaflic book titled Storytelling with Data resonates with me:

Having all the information in the world at our fingertips doesn’t make it easier to communicate: it makes it harder. The more information you’re dealing with, the more difficult it is to filter down to the most important bits.

I am teaching a course called Data Tools for Economists this semester. The course was designed to teach students how to access publicly available data, how to code in Stata, how to visualize data, and how to tell stories with data. The class is beneficial to students considering grad school or those interested in pursuing industry right after graduation. I love teaching this course because it is the course I wish I had as an undergrad.

This past week, I showed students how to turn their static excel graphs into dynamic animated videos. It is one of those things that I assumed everyone knew, but since posting it online I’ve had academics reach out thanking me for teaching them this hack! So, if you haven’t seen the video, here it is!

Disclaimer: Knowing what graph to use and how to present it requires you to know your audience. We cover this topic in detail in the data visualization and storytelling with data part of the course. Knowing the tools is important, and knowing when to use these tools is more important.

I am collecting Excel tips to share with my students. Do you have a favorite Excel tip?