Become great at
data presentation and visualization

3h 45min | 27 lessons | 7 downloadable resources

In this course, you will learn how to:

Identify the most effective data visualizations for different audiences.
Create visualizations that simplify complex data for stakeholders.
Avoid common pitfalls that make data harder to understand.
Craft a compelling narrative that keeps stakeholders engaged.
Optimize reports and presentations for clarity and actionability.

English subtitles Certificate included

Some companies who train their teams at CXL

Communicate data effectively and make informed decisions with clear visualizations

Many professionals struggle to present complex data in a way that’s both clear and impactful, leading to confusion and missed opportunities for action. This course will teach you how to create data visualizations that simplify insights for stakeholders and drive informed decisions. By learning to avoid common visualization mistakes and organize your data, you’ll enhance your ability to communicate findings effectively, ensuring your reports and presentations are actionable and engaging.

Master data presentation and visualization to deliver clear, actionable insights to stakeholders

Course Length:
3h 45min. 27 lessons.

This course equips you with the skills to turn complex data into clear, impactful visuals that drive informed decision-making. You’ll learn to choose the right visualizations for different audiences, avoid common pitfalls, and create presentations communicating insights effectively. By the end, you’ll be able to present data in a way that is both easy to understand and actionable, helping stakeholders make better decisions based on your findings.

After completing this online course on data presentation and visualization, you will be able to assist your team and company with:

Designing data visualizations tailored to different audiences.
Simplifying complex data to improve understanding.
Avoiding common visualization mistakes that confuse stakeholders.
Crafting engaging narratives to accompany data presentations.
Optimizing reports and dashboards for better decision-making.

This course is for you if you are responsible for:

Presenting data insights to stakeholders.
Analyzing and reporting data for business decisions.
Creating reports and dashboards for various departments.
Communicating complex data in simple, actionable formats.
Improving the effectiveness of data-driven presentations.

See Pricing

Course Curriculum

Data presentation and visualization

1 Communication overview

In this lesson, you will learn why data visualization, data storytelling, and effective communication are critical when it comes to effectively delivering analytics information, as well as some of the basics of how the brain works and why that matters. …

2 Overview: The brain science of communication

Three types of memory, Gestalt psychology, and examples of reducing cognitive load. Topics covered: There are three types of memory: iconic, short-term, and long-term.The limitations of short-term memory as illustrated by Miller’s Law, and why it is cr …

3 Overview: The Cognitive Load of Pie Charts

Among data visualization researchers and experts, pie (and doughnut) charts are universally reviled. In this lesson, we will explore why that is as an introduction to many of the concepts and ideas that are covered throughout the rest of this course. T …

4 Data Visualization: Maximizing the Data-Pixel Ratio

Maximizing the data-pixel ratio sounds like an entirely esoteric and theoretical concept, but it is arguably the single data visualization technique that, once practiced and mastered, will have the greatest impact on improving the effectiveness of your …

5 Data Visualization: Using Color Sparingly

As computer monitor technology has progressed, we are now at the point where most monitors can display 16.7 million different colors. But, just because you have an effectively infinite variety of colors available to use, doesn’t mean that you should! I …

6 Data Visualization: The Importance of the Axes

Axes may seem obvious and mundane, and most data visualization platforms automatically generate them. But, they can be generated poorly, and they can undermine the impact of a data visualization if they are not implemented effectively. Topics covered: …

7 Data Visualization: Horizontal Bar Charts for Comparing Categories

When it comes to visualizing categorical data, the horizontal bar chart is often the best choice. In this lesson, we will explore why that is, as well as how multiple horizontal bar charts can be used to provide a clear comparison of multiple metrics a …

8 Data Visualization: Line Charts for Visualizing Time-Series

Line charts are one of the most common types of chart, and they are especially good at showing how a metric has changed over time. In this lesson, we will explore the key considerations when it comes to developing a line chart. Topics covered: When lin …

9 Data Visualization: Sparklines and Small Multiples

While the default approach for data visualization is “a chart,” sometimes, using multiple charts together is a more effective way to convey information. That’s where sparklines and small multiples come in, which are the topic for this lesson. Topics co …

10 Data Visualization: Text as a visualization

Approach metrics written as text as visualizations in and of themselves. Topics covered: How standalone text can be a powerful visualization, and what goes in to ensuring that is the caseUsing text as the primary element in a data visualization in conc …

11 Data Visualization: Heatmaps

Heatmaps done well can be an incredibly effective way to represent a single metric across multiple dimensions in a way that enables the audience to quickly see which combinations of dimensions stand out. In this lesson, we will explore when heatmaps ar …

12 Data Visualization: Scatterplots

Correlation is not causation, but correlation—the positive, negative, or lack of a relationship between two metrics—can be key to making a specific point. In this lesson, we will explore how to use scatterplots to visualize the relationship between a p …

13 Data Visualization: Specialty Charts and Chart Elements

Waterfall charts, boxplots, error bars and more: when adding cognitive load is warranted. Topics covered: How non-standard chart types increase the cognitive load for the audience for the data visualizationWhy increasing the cognitive load can be okay, …

14 Data Visualization: Cautionary Charts and Bad Practices

Why 3D charts, stacked charts, bubble charts, and others are generally ill-advised Topics covered: How to assess a visualization to identify where it may be adding unnecessary cognitive load.How to experiment with alternate visualizations and assess th …

15 Data Visualization: Dashboard Considerations

There are two types of dashboards. Data visualization conceptscan be applied differently depending on the type. Topics covered: The difference between performance measurement dashboards and analytical interface dashboards.Key considerations when develo …

16 Data Visualization: Data Visualization Resources

A review of the key themes throughout these lessons, and resources for learning more Topics covered: A review of the main concepts and considerations for data visualization.Suggested resources for learning more.What we haven’t yet covered: data storyte …

17 Data Storytelling: The Power of Narrative

“Storytelling” is not a buzzword: information presented as narrative is more easily understood and more likely to be retained. Topics covered: What data storytelling is, and how “narrative” is at its core.The increase in engagement, retention, and reca …

18 Data Storytelling: Know Your Audience, Know Your Goal.

Who are you ultimately targeting, how will you reach them, and what do you expect them to do with the information you present? Topics covered: Key considerations once you identify your core audience.The importance of starting with a desired action.An u …

19 Data Storytelling: Establishing a Narrative (and a Flow)

Discovering the narrative before building out the content saves time and increases the ultimate impact. Topics covered: Why the way slide decks typically get produced lead to a meandering and ineffective finished product.How to develop the narrative fo …

20 Data Storytelling: McKinsey Titles and Reinforcing Content

The title of the slide is the most dominant position. Use it to maximum effect and then complement it with the content. Topics covered: What a McKinsey Title is and why it is more effective than a typical slide title.Why each slide in a presentation sh …

21 Data Storytelling: Data Visualization Tips Apply!

Decluttered slides and brain-friendly data visualizations make for high impact presentations. Topics covered: How maximizing the data-pixel ratio can be applied to slides.How the selective use of color can be used to maximum effect.The importance of in …

22 Data Storytelling: Kill the Bullets and Limit the Text

Bullets are bad, despite their proliferation in presentations. And they are unnecessary. Topics covered: Why bullets detract from the effectiveness of slides in a presentationHow to keep text to a minimum, while also selectively using color within text …

23 Data Storytelling: Presentations vs. Documents

Live presentations vs. the “leave-behind” version of the presentation vs. presentations never delivered live at all! Topics covered: What Slidedocs are (and how they differ from presentations). How to separate the “leave behind” from the “presented liv …

24 Data Storytelling: Compelling Imagery

A picture is worth at least 100 words, if not 1,000. Images are an easy and impactful way to support a data story. Topics covered: Why imagery is so effective when it comes to increasing engagement, comprehension, and retention.Tips for quickly finding …

25 Data Storytelling: Editing and Rehearsal

Thinking about what you will say for each slide is not rehearsal. Rehearsal is rehearsal, and it is a worthwhile investment of time. Topics covered: The importance of rehearsing a data story before delivering it.How rehearsal of a presentation is part …

26 Data Storytelling: Review and Resources for Learning More

A review of the key themes throughout these lessons, and resources for learning more. Topics covered: No data story is perfect. Don’t make that the goal.Every presentation of analysis is an opportunity to learn and improve.Resources for learning more. …

About the expert

Tim Wilson

Senior Director of Analytics @ Search Discovery

Tim has been working with digital data full-time since 2001 in a variety of roles: from managing a web analytics platform migration and developing analytics processes as the head of the business intelligence department at a $500 million high tech B2B company; to creating and growing the analytics practices at multiple agencies that worked with a range of large consumer brands; to his current role consulting with the digital analytics teams at Fortune 500 companies on their strategies, processes, and tactics for effectively putting their sales, marketing, customer, and digital data to actionable use.

This online course
comes with a
Certificate

Completing this course earns you an official CXL Data Presentation and Visualization Course Certificate to prove your achievement. CXL is recognized as an industry-leading qualification by employers worldwide, and it is an official qualification on Linkedin that can be added to your profile.

Marketers choose CXL

✔ 120+ Highly practical and detailed marketing courses

✔ 10x Programs to give your team the competitive edge

✔ Vetted top 1% of marketing practitioners as instructors

✔ New content monthly with on-demand access

The CXL guarantee: 7-day no questions asked money-back period

Team Trial

Frequently asked questions

Plans

What is the difference between the monthly, quarterly and annual plans?

We offer three types of billing lengths to choose from: Monthly, Quarterly, or Annual. The longer the billing length, the cheaper the monthly cost becomes.

Typically annual plans are 40% cheaper per year than paying month-to-month.

What is the difference between the individual and teams plans?

Personal or Individual plans are meant for one person where teams have 2 or more people.

A team account has a few extras:
– Invite and manage people learning on your team.
– Create roadmaps for each individual.
– Access team learning engagement reports.
– Assign members to your team as managers to assign content and view reports.

What is included in the all-access plan?

You’ll get:
– Access to 90+ online courses.
– Earn certificates and add them to LinkedIn.
– Thousands of playbooks and resources.
– All minidegrees
– Roadmapping and progress tracking
– Premium Support

Can I switch plans later if I want to?

Yes. You can switch between different billing lengths at any time (Ex: Switch from a Monthly Plan to Annual).

If you’d like to switch from a individual plan to a team plan (or vice versa), please reach out to customer success via live chat.

Billing

What are the payment options available?

Most major credit cards and Paypal are accepted. If you need an invoice to pay by wire, please message our customer success team via chat for options.

What is parity pricing?

All of our products are priced in USD currency. In order to make our products more affordable, we have established a system where you can pay in your local currency using a special metric that adjusts the price you pay according to the purchasing power of your country.

Is there a discount available?

One of CXL’s company policies is that we don’t discount. Our focus is on the product – providing the best, highest quality content with our courses.

The listed price on the site shows the best price – you can buy with confidence.

We offer pricing based on your local currency, you’ll see this reflected on the pricing and checkout pages.

Get scale-up growth strategies in your inbox.

An expert-led newsletter focused on helping marketing teams at growth/expansion stage companies
overcome growth challenges, crush their competition, and stand out in the market.

Join 140,000+ marketers | Subscribe to our educational newsletter

Become great atdata presentation and visualization