• HOW MUCH data are you going to present?
  
  
• WHO will present the data?
  
  
• WHERE are you going to present the data?
  
  
• WHEN are you going to present the data?

How much data are you going to present?
Deciding how much data to include in your presentation can be tricky: You need to include enough to tell your story, but not so much that you lose your audience’s interest. Keep in mind, when it comes to data, less is usually more; most audiences glaze over after the fifth or sixth chart or graph. Your goal should be to keep your presentation focused, streamlined, and, most importantly, relevant. Here are some basic “dos” and “don’ts” to help you through the data selection process:

• Don't feel that you have to present everything.

  Do always explain WHY you are sharing the data—what is the message you want to get out? Always refer back to your original answers to What? Why? and To Whom?

• Don't overwhelm the audience with too much data.

  Do respect the audience—if presenting data orally, confine your time to less than one hour. Provide visual supplements in the form of slides or handouts.

• Don't get lost in the details.

  Do focus on the big picture. Always remember that the audience is interested in the story that you have to tell. Only include those details that move your story forward.

Remember, you can always provide supplemental resources—much like the supporting resources contained in these online courses—that provide additional data and/or interesting, but more tangential, information. For example, many local news shows supplement their health reports with additional information and resources on their news station's Web site.

Who will present the data?
Issues concerning who will present the data will be the same whether you create a written report or deliver an oral presentation. In either case, you want your presentation to be meaningful, accurate, and relevant. When selecting someone to report your data, here are some things to consider:

• Choose an experienced presenter.
  
  
• Choose someone who is familiar with the data and/or collection process (e.g., a representative from the organization that organized the data collection).
  
  
• If possible, choose someone who is an “expert” in research. This will lend credibility to the findings and, for an oral presentation, put someone up there who can handle methodological questions.
  
  
• Consider using multiple presenters who represent different stakeholders. For example, team up someone from the data collection team with a community leader. The researcher can represent the “impartial, outside expert,” while the local leader will be perceived as someone who is concerned about the issues and thoroughly invested in planning for the future.

Where are you going to present the data?
An often-ignored aspect of data presentations is location—deciding where to make the presentation. The definition of “location” will vary, depending on your presentation method. If you are preparing a written report, location will refer to where and how you actually distribute the report. If you are preparing a press release, it will refer to the media outlets (e.g., newspapers, radio and television stations) to which you send it. If you are making a public presentation, location refers to the presentation site. When selecting a location, keep the following in mind:

• Match your location to your purpose. For example, present neighborhood crime data at a neighborhood site, rather than downtown in City Hall.
  
  
• Select someplace neutral. For example, consider a venue other than the school auditorium to hold a community forum to discuss student survey results. Doing so helps to show that the issues you will be discussing are community issues, not just school problems.
  
  
• Choose a location that is accessible. Choose a site that is familiar and convenient to members of your intended audience. Also, make sure the location is accessible for people with disabilities and can be reached by public transportation.

In addition, try to select a site that offers the following:

Be sure to visit the setting in advance to make sure it meets your presentation needs.

When will you present the data?
The final thing to consider is timing. Schedule the workshop for a day of the week and time of day that are most convenient for participants. For example, school staff may be more likely to attend a presentation at the end of the school day or during a staff meeting. Parents may be more likely to attend either when they pick up their children after school or in the early evening after work hours. Other things to consider include the following:

• Link the date to related events or themes. For example, consider presenting data on teen tobacco use during National Anti-Smoking Week.
  
  
• Avoid conflict with other major events. Don’t make your audience decide between attending your presentation and opening night of the high school play.
  
  
• Schedule enough time to accomplish everything that you intend to do (but make sure that it will take less than 1 ½ hours.)

Smithtown provides a perfect example of how your choice of location can impact the outcome of your data presentation effort:

Putting It All Together
After all of their hard work, the Smithtown Community Coalition has a sound presentation plan. They also have a framework that will guide the future use of their survey and any other data—and so do you! Let's take a moment to review some of the key decisions that they made, using the eight questions we introduced at the start of the week:

Tomorrow, we will review some of the key points highlighted in this event and provide you with an opportunity to evaluate the course materials.

You have completed today’s presentation. Please proceed to
Activity 4: Working Out the Details.

References

Cummins, M. (2002). What Now? Effective and Useful Data Presentation. Newton, MA: CSAP's Northeast Center for the Application of Prevention Technologies.