alex velez, data storyteller

Specific focus areas: managing the storytelling with data YouTube channel; developing new workshops and learning course programs

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In their own words…

Where are you from?
I was born and raised outside Philadelphia by two ex-New Yorkers, which means that I'm a NY Giants fan in Eagles territory. I have since shifted west from the Philly area to central Pennsylvania.

Do you have a favorite chart type?
It changes depending on the project, but scatterplots and Cleveland dot plots are usually at the top of my list. My background is in statistics, which helps to explain the scatterplot part. As for dot plots, they look interesting and enable multiple comparisons.

What inspired your interest in visualization?
In all seriousness, the original storytelling with data book. I remember seeing a recommendation for the book on Amazon while it was on sale and purchasing it without much thought—or interest in the topic. It took me a few months to finally read it, but once I did, I fully immersed myself in this space and have never looked back.

How do you spend your time outside of work?
This has changed drastically in the past few years. I used to attend and teach dance-based fitness classes. I'd also regularly pop into Latin dance classes—bachata, salsa, merengue. While I still enjoy dancing around my living room, most of my extra time now is spent in the kitchen. I enjoy collecting new cookbooks.

how to create executive summary slides

Business communications often require a brief, at-a-glance overview—in other words, an executive summary. Despite their ubiquitous presence in business settings, summary documents that are clear and concise can be challenging to design. Alex shares best practices, and templates as she guides you through the process of designing an effective summary slides.

redefining the analytical process

Quick searches for the “analytical process” tend to heavily emphasize the exploration side, and minimize the explanation piece. Alex offers a different vision, geared towards ensuring a both robust analysis and a more successful communication outcome.

a wordy slide makeover

There are always opportunities to improve how you communicate, whether with quantitative data or without. Alex shares three design strategies to transform a wordy slide into something scannable that drives action.

episode 71
pre-reads are risky business

Sending slides before a meeting and asking your audience to do a pre-read has become the norm. Unfortunately, pre-reads never quite lead to the desired outcome of better questions and discussion, instead they create more challenges. Data storyteller Alex shares her thoughts on pre-reads and how she navigates requests to share content outside of a meeting.

episode 64
beginner mistakes in data viz

You'll probably make a few mistakes when learning to visualize and communicate data. That's okay! It's all a part of the learning journey and can be preferred since we often learn more from our mistakes than our successes. SWD storyteller Alex embraces her early missteps as she takes a trip down memory lane to share where she went wrong and what she learned.