Changing River Consulting

This week’s Story By Numbers podcast is so awesome, Ruth and I split it into two parts. This post includes Part 2. Listen to Part 1 here: The DataViz Extravaganza, Part 1. For this episode of Story By Numbers, we are honored to have Johanna Morariu and Ann Emery of Innovation Network as our guests. We had a wonderful discussion about Data Visualization – DataViz for you cool kids. This is a huge topic, and it can be intimidating if you’re unfamiliar with the language, but Johanna and Ann reframed the issues in user friendly terms. Some of the major topics covered in Part 2 include: Lousy data infect good data. Johanna and Ann recommend collect less data (the biggest surprise to me!) and focusing on quality over quantity. They also believe that simple software like Microsoft Excel is best for most small nonprofits. If you really want to dig into software, however, Innovation Network has a great resource: Software for Nonprofit Evaluation and Case Management. Fit your graphics to the audience and purpose. You may need to compromise on the most "correct" way of displaying data to make it accessible to your target audience. Don’t forget no/low tech options such as having audience members color in bar charts or creating a social network map with markers and string. A really great viz isn’t great if no one uses it. Visualizations do not = truth!!! An important point. It is very possible to manipulate data visualizations. As designers, we need to be careful to present information in an unbiased manner that does not lead the audience to unwarranted conclusions. Embrace and use workaday vizualizations. If you're just presenting to staff at a planning session, you can save yourself a lot of time and money by using a draft version of a chart. Save the most polished work for broader audiences and marketing. For more detail on these points, check out Johanna's presentation from the Nonprofit Technology Conference, Picturing Your Data Is Better Than 1,000 Numbers. cash advance in columbus ohiocash advance toledobad credit unsecured loan guaranteed approvalcash advance installment loanseasy online creditbad credit no credit check loans To stay up to date on all the Story by Numbers podcasts, be sure to subscribe in iTunes.

This week's Story By Numbers podcast is so awesome, Ruth and I split it into two parts. This post includes Part 1. Part 2 is available here: The DataViz Extravaganza, Part 2. For this episode of Story By Numbers, we are honored to have Johanna Morariu and Ann Emery of Innovation Network as our guests. We had a wonderful discussion about Data Visualization - DataViz for you cool kids. This is a huge topic, and it can be intimidating if you're unfamiliar with the language, but Johanna and Ann reframed the issues in user friendly terms. Some of the major topics covered in Part 1 include: What is DataViz? Any method of putting data into a visual form can be considered DataViz, from the humble pie chart to complex infographics. How do I decide what type of chart to use? Just switching your default from a pie chart to a bar chart is good first step. For complex data, Johanna shared her favorite web resources: How to Select the Right Chart for Your Data Chart Suggestions - A Thought Starter Juice Labs Chart Chooser quick cash loans gold coast To hear Part 2, be sure to come back Thursday or subscribe in iTunes.

This episode of the Story by Numbers Podcast features Ruth and I talking about the latest social media darling, Pinterest. Despite it's reputation as a hangout for crafters, Pinterest is a great place for nonprofits and other socially conscious organizations to find new audiences. In this podcast, Ruth and I cover: Why the Pinterest user is an ideal donor prospect. How to get started on Pinterest and why it's the most user friendly social media site for busy professionals. Using Pinterest to raise awareness... and money. We use many examples of organizations that are doing great work integrating Pinterest into their messaging. To find those examples, take a look at the Story By Numbers board. Listen to the podcast in the player below or subscribe in iTunes to catch all future episodes.

Today's Story by Numbers podcast features an interview with Emily Stoddard Furrow of DVQ Studio. DVQ is a design firm that works with nonprofit and for-profit organizations with a social purpose. They have tons of experience helping tell complex stories in ways that are accessible to members of the public, potential donors, and community stakeholders. In this interview we focus on a report DVQ designed and wrote for Roofs to Roots, the local coalition to end homelessness in Grand Rapids, MI. The report talked about a very complex issue - the ways that the costs of housing and the costs of transportation together affect homelessness. You might want to download it for reference while listening to the interview. cash advance without bank verification The major action points Emily shared with Ruth and me are: Plan your communication at the beginning of a project. The questions you ask, and the research you do might be completely different. Think in spreads when writing a report. I love that each open page of the Housing and Transportation study explains a single concept. This makes it very easy to skim, put down, and come back to later. It took a lot of work to do this, but the results are worthwhile. Have an intent - a "call to action" - for your report. What do you want people to know or do when they read? This interview contains so many practical tips, I can't even summarize them all. Be sure to listen here or subscribe in iTunes to catch all future episodes.

Today’s Story By Numbers Podcast was so incredibly awesome, we had to split it up into two files. Part 1 is available here and in iTunes. This week, Ruth and I interviewed Mary Brown of Lee Alexander Consulting. Mary specializes in innovation and design thinking, which are both areas that many nonprofits can benefit from exploring. In Part 2, we talk about: Getting the Unusual Suspects involved in your organization's storytelling. WWW.WHYZ.ORG/SITOVECCHIO/SCRIPTS/ Flipping storytelling on its head by making it about the people you serve. Contests as the low hanging fruit of innovation. Thank you for listening. To be sure that you get timely updates on the podcast, be sure to subscribe in iTunes.

Today's Story By Numbers Podcast was so incredibly awesome, we had to split it up into two files. Part 2 will post tomorrow, both on the site and in iTunes. This week, Ruth and I interviewed Mary Brown of Lee Alexander Consulting. Mary specializes in innovation and design thinking, which are both areas that many nonprofits can benefit from exploring. In Part 1, we talk about: How Panera Cares takes the soup kitchen model and flips it on it's head. The innovative ways that Goodwill continues to advance it's model, especially with it's Blue Boutiques. If it seems rational, it's probably not innovative. Thank you for listening. To be sure that you get timely updates on the podcast, be sure to subscribe in iTunes.

In this episode of the Story by Numbers podcast, Ruth and Maria go to the movies. We discuss the Disney documentary Chimpanzee and find lessons that you can use in your nonprofit communications. The main ideas we discussed are: Joseph Cambell's Hero's Journey and how it relates to your nonprofit's programs. cash in 1 hour.com Creating an idea bank and populating it with photos, videos, notes and client testimonials. Tools range from paper and pen to online systems like Evernote. Why Tim Allen should never narrate a documentary. Grunting? Really? We're really excited to announce that the podcast is now available in iTunes in the Nonprofit section. If you subscribe there, please write a review. We want your feedback and suggestions for improvement!

Have you ever noticed that nonprofit podcasts are often dull, dry, and not terribly useful? I've been listening to many podcasts since I got my first iPod 6 or 7 years ago, and the nonprofit-ty ones never stay in my subscription list for very long. But there's no point in complaining if you're not willing to work for change, right World Savers? The incredibly awesome Ruth Terry and I have started a  bi-weekly podcast that we hope will fix some of those ills! Story by Numbers (coming soon to iTunes) is all about quick, useful and most of all FUN ways that you can tell your organization's stories using quality data. We want you to be able to talk to funders, supporters, clients and maybe even your friends and family about what you do all day while keeping them entertained. This first episode is a short, 5 minute intro, but check back on May 15 as we get into the real focus of the show.