Learn more with SWD resources
We have a variety of ways for you to continue to hone your data storytelling skills—read, watch, listen, and practice with our free resources below. Bookmark this page for a handy reference guide. You are welcome and encouraged to share with your team and organization.
JOIN THE SWD COMMUNITY! Sign up for the SWD community, where you can practice, give and receive feedback, engage in conversations, and be inspired by great data storytelling and presenting. Tackle an exercise—once you provide a solution to an exercise, you can view other approaches from the SWD team and broader community. Undertake the current challenge for additional practice.
LEARN VIA VIDEO. Watch, learn, and become a better data storyteller and presenter via videos on the SWD YouTube channel. You’ll find quick tips, tool tutorials, and longer in depth makeovers.
DIVE DEEPER INTO CHARTS. For an even more in-depth look at the pros and cons of different chart types, we encourage you to check our comprehensive and ever-growing SWD chart guide. In this guide, we share the good and the bad of commonly used charts and graphs for data communications.
EXPLORE MAKEOVERS. If you enjoy the process of transforming a visual into a stronger communication, using the lessons from our books and workshops, explore some other walkthroughs from our SWD makeovers collection. Examples and illustrations are powerful ways to broaden and deepen understanding
BUILD EXCEL SKILLS. We invite you to explore the following storytelling with data Excel ‘how-tos’ for a range of resources on how to bring your data to life in Excel! Whether looking for tutorials on creating charts, going beyond the default outputs or adding emphasis and additional context we have you covered.
READ THE BOOK(s). Check out our books: storytelling with you: plan, create, and deliver a stellar presentation, storytelling with data: a data visualization guide for business professionals, and storytelling with data: Let's Practice! Together, these books provide many examples, tips, exercises, and practical insights into the SWD process.
LISTEN TO THE PODCAST. In the SWD podcast, Cole and the SWD team talk with experts to explore a variety of topics related to visualizing data and communicating effectively. These 30- to 60-minute conversations are great to consume during commutes or while on a walk or run.
SUBSCRIBE TO THE BLOG. Read quick-to-consume blog articles that provide practical tips to help bring data to life and use it to communicate a story to an audience. Topics range from tool tutorials to step-by-step makeovers and other themes related to presenting in a business setting.
CONNECT WITH US. Find us on X/Twitter or LinkedIn and sign up for our mailing list to be among the first to know about new content, events, and opportunities.
SPREAD THE WORD. Word of mouth is the best endorsement; if you know of an organization or individual who would benefit from better communication skills, please tell them about SWD! We offer both customized training sessions for teams as well as public workshops for individuals. Fill out this form if you’d like to discuss a session for your organization.