In this breakdown, Kate and Thomas watch Ben Wellington's TEDx talk from 2014. It's a brilliant example of data storytelling in action, with Ben consistently giving his audience a reason to care before revealing the detail behind the data.

The talk explores what happens when you give a curious data person access to thousands of datasets about New York City. But also looks at the challenge of data accessibility. A gripping series of stories where creating access to data and curiosity about meaning leads to outcomes for the city.

We break down his clever structure, simple visualisations and knack for answering the "so what?" before his audience has to ask.

What You'll Learn:

• Why you don't always need to start with the background and context

• How Ben creates interest before revealing the detail behind his data

• The value of rounding numbers when precision doesn't matter

• How to pull simple, memorable takeaways from complex data

• Why answering "so what?" makes data immediately more engaging

• How to raise the stakes as a presentation progresses

• Why even excellent visualisations sometimes need more time on screen

• The impact speaking pace and pauses have on an audience's ability to process information

Our Rating:

8/10 from both Kate and Thomas.

Watch It Yourself:

https://www.ted.com/talks/ben_wellington_how_we_found_the_worst_place_to_park_in_new_york_city_using_big_data

Resources:

• Influential Analyst Academy: https://www.blueboxdatastorytelling.com.au/iaa/

• Email us: [email protected]

• The Presentation Boss Podcast: presentationboss.com.au/podcast

• Kate on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/data-storytelling

• Thomas on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/data-storytelling-au

You've analysed the data. You've built the charts. You've put them in front of your audience. So why aren't they getting it?

In this episode, we explore the Data Journey, a simple way of understanding what needs to happen between raw information and an audience. We unpack the important distinction between exploring data to understand it yourself, and explaining it so somebody else can understand it. And why confusing those two legs causes so many problems.

Also, diagnose the three broken data journeys we see regularly: the Data Decorator, the Data Dumper and the Data Cameo. From dashboards packed with charts but no insight, analysis that seems obvious only because you've stared at it for days, to starting with the conclusion and hunting for evidence afterwards, we look at why each happens and the questions you can ask to avoid them.

What You'll Learn:

• The difference between exploring data and explaining it
• Where data storytelling actually fits in the journey from information to audience
• Why visualising data isn't the same as communicating an insight
• How to recognise when you've become a Data Decorator
• Why the curse of knowledge turns good analysts into Data Dumpers
• How expecting your audience to interpret your charts can make them feel like they're "not a numbers person"
• The dangerous difference between testing a hypothesis and proving a conclusion
• How to recognise when you're using data to confirm the story you already wanted to tell
• Practical questions to diagnose where your own data journey might be broken

Resources and Links:

• Effective Data Storytelling by Brent Dykes
• Influential Analyst Academy: https://www.blueboxdatastorytelling.com.au/iaa/
• Email us: [[email protected]](mailto:[email protected])
• The Presentation Boss Podcast: presentationboss.com.au/podcast
• Kate on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/data-storytelling
• Thomas on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/data-storytelling-au

It’s an easy trap to fall into. When you know your topic, and trying to explain that to someone who doesn’t. How do you do it without making them feel silly, overwhelmed or condescended to?

This week we're joined by Nicky Jurd; digital strategist, business owner, self-described friendly and approachable geek, and quite possibly one of the nicest humans we know.

We talk about patience, jargon, audience interaction and building trust. Nicky shares practical ways to recognise when you've lost someone, why you should never take over someone's mouse, and the seemingly harmless words that can accidentally make your audience feel stupid. We also wander into AI slop, $68 coffee, Simon Lancaster and, nudie swimming under waterfalls.

What You'll Learn:

• How to explain complex ideas simply without becoming condescending
• Why patience is a learned communication skill, even for experts
• How to recognise when your audience doesn't understand, even if they're nodding along
• The power of starting with foundations and building knowledge
• How asking the wrong kind of audience question can make people feel stupid
• How even simple jargon can sneak into our language and cause damage
• How trust comes from more than simply demonstrating expertise
• The important AI literacy skill that will make the biggest difference into the future

Worth Repeating:

• "My mum taught me how to use a spoon."
• "I try to be clear rather than condescending."
• "We're giving a service that is complicated and technical, and if people knew it, they would never get to meet us."
• "Just usually means the speaker's forgotten what it was like to not know."
• "Confusion shouldn't be a character flaw. Confusion is an opportunity for me to empower someone and help them feel capable."

Resources and Links:

• Nicky Jurd: nickyjurd.com
• Precedence: precedence.com.au
• Winning Minds: Secrets from the Language of Leadership by Simon Lancaster
• Email us: [email protected]
• The Presentation Boss Podcast: presentationboss.com.au/podcast
• The Influential Analyst Academy: https://www.skool.com/influential-analyst-academy-5985/about
• Kate on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/data-storytelling
• Thomas on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/data-storytelling-au

Get your favourite flag ready as we break down one of Thomas' all-time favourite TED Talks. We're watching "Roman Mars: Why city flags may be the worst-designed thing you've never noticed". And yes, it's a talk about flags. But it's also a masterclass in taking a topic your audience doesn't think they care about and making it fascinating. Kate was cautious to begin with, but by the end, gave it a perfect 10/10 rating!

Roman Mars combines storytelling, humour, visuals, audio clips, and careful choreography to showcase mastery in multimedia presentations. Thomas has loved this talk for a decade and Kate had somehow managed to avoid watching it until this week. We analyse exactly what works, spot minor slip-ups, and even discuss what happened in the years since this talk.

What You'll Learn:

• How to make an audience care about a topic they weren't expecting to care about
• Why teaching your audience a simple framework can change how they see everything that follows
• How humour can emerge naturally from setting up and then breaking expectations
• How to successfully manage audio, visuals and multiple voices in a live presentation
• Why explaining an unusual presentation format upfront helps an audience settle into it
• The six key principles of flag design (trust us, you do actually care about these!)
• What to do when something goes wrong in a highly choreographed presentation
• Why a strong message can inspire action long after the presentation is over

Our Ratings:

Thomas: 9.9/10

Kate: 10/10

Watch It Yourself:

Roman Mars: Why city flags may be the worst-designed thing you've never noticed

https://www.ted.com/talks/roman_mars_why_city_flags_may_be_the_worst_designed_thing_you_ve_never_noticed

Resources and Links:

• 99% Invisible: https://99percentinvisible.org/
• Good Flag, Bad Flag: https://nava.org/good-flag-bad-flag
• Email us: [email protected]
• The Presentation Boss Podcast: presentationboss.com.au/podcast
• Kate on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/data-storytelling
• Thomas on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/data-storytelling-au

Too many presentations begin by opening PowerPoint, or thinking about the most interesting pieces of information. And that’s exactly the wrong place to start if you want to be influential. It's possible to have great data, solid analysis and polished slides, then finish your presentation with "thanks, that was interesting" and watch absolutely nothing happen.

In this episode, Kate and Thomas unpack the Data Storytelling Success Model (The Triangle) that works for all workplace communications and technical presentations. It’s the framework we use with organisations across industries, functions and all over the world to turn informed experts into influential communicators. It's the framework we use to diagnose why workplace presentations fail to influence and where technical communicators should focus to improve them.

We explain the six essential elements that sit behind every effective presentation. If you've ever wondered why some presentations lead to action while others are quickly forgotten, this episode will share with you the essential pieces of preparation you need.

What You'll Learn:

• The common mistake of building presentations for ourselves instead of our audience
• How to identify the one audience member who matters most.
• The "Sticky Note Message" technique for creating clear communication.
• Why insight and narrative matter more than simply sharing information.
• The three questions every presentation should answer.
• How better visuals reduce confusion and increase decision-making.
• How "death by dashboard" has joined “death by PowerPoint”.
• Why delivery is only the tip of the iceberg when it comes to influential presentations.
• How to identify the weakest link in your own workplace communication.

Resources and Links:

• See the Triangle:
• Email us: [email protected]
• The Presentation Boss Podcast: presentationboss.com.au/podcast
• Kate on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/data-storytelling
• Thomas on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/data-storytelling-au

Can great communication be worth millions to a business? Today's guest thinks so, and explains why the future belongs to technical experts who can influence, not just inform.

It's our first expert interview of the season; we're joined by Andrew Jepson, finance business partnering specialist, Chartered Accountant, and author of "Compliance to Commercial".

We explore why technical expertise alone isn't enough, how communication creates influence, and why AI will make human communication skills even more valuable.

Whether you work in finance, analytics, engineering, or any technical profession, this episode is packed with practical ideas for becoming someone whose advice actually shapes decisions.

What You'll Learn:

• Why technical expertise alone won't make you influential

• The habit that separates report producers from trusted advisors

• How to simplify complex information without losing accuracy

• Why asking better questions is often more powerful than having better answers

• The "tree trunk and branches" framework for avoiding unnecessary detail

• How AI is changing technical roles, and why communication will become even more valuable

About Our Guest:

Andrew Jepson is a Chartered Accountant with more than 25 years of commercial experience across finance and operational leadership roles. After seeing technically brilliant finance teams struggle to influence business decisions, he founded FBP Team in 2016 to help finance professionals develop the communication, influencing, and business partnering skills that create real commercial impact.

Memorable Moments:

• "Get away from your desk and go talk to people."

• "Once the robots arrive, the only thing left will be business partnering."

• "You don't need to know the answers. You just need to know the questions."

• "Once you can't see the trunk anymore, cut it back."

• "The AI will do the cave work."

Resources and Links:

• Andrew Jepson: https://financebusinesspartnering.com

• Andrew on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrewjepson

• "Compliance to Commercial: The Quiet Approach to Finance Business Partnering"

• "The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen Covey"

• "What Got You Here Won't Get You There by Marshall Goldsmith"

Presentation Boss Resources:

• Email us: [[email protected]](mailto:[email protected])

• The Presentation Boss Podcast: presentationboss.com.au/podcast

• Kate on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/data-storytelling

• Thomas on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/data-storytelling-au

In this episode we're doing a presentation breakdown - just like we used to do speech breakdowns, but now we can also SHOW you the talk as we watch, and provide our thoughts and highlight techniques as we watch real time.

We're watching a classic talk that we came across over a decade ago, and as data nerds who like a laugh, we both enjoyed this display of entertaining data storytelling. It's a TED-x Talk from 2013, presented to a smaller crowd and tackles how data analysis tied into online dating.

What You'll Learn:

• The power of starting in the action of a story

• How providing a single, simple example is more powerful

• The combination of data and storytelling

• When it comes to visuals, how much detail is too much, and how to dripfeed

• The subtle art of breadcrumbing a motif detail through a presentation.

Watch It Yourself:

Amy Webb: How I Hacked Online Dating - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d6wG_sAdP0U

Resources and Links:

• Email us: [email protected]

• The Presentation Boss Podcast: presentationboss.com.au/podcast

• Kate on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/data-storytelling

• Thomas on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/data-storytelling-au

After a five-year hiatus (that was only ever meant to be a short break), The Presentation Boss Podcast is back.

You can now also watch us as a video podcast, or listen along in the classic audio-only format!

In this episode, Kate and Thomas are hanging out and explain where we've been, what has changed in the world of workplace communication, and why these skills matter more than ever in the age of AI.

We share how our business evolved to focus on helping technical professionals communicate ideas that influence decisions, and what you can expect from Season 2.

Good news! We're going to continue our format rotation of discussion episodes, presentation breakdowns, and expert interviews. But now with several years, thousands of clients, and updated practical, actionable communication advice at the heart of every episode.

Resources and Links:

• Email us: [email protected]
• The Presentation Boss Podcast: presentationboss.com.au/podcast
• Kate on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/data-storytelling
• Thomas on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/data-storytelling-au