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storytelling with data podcast: #69 feedback you hate to receive

·23 min·1 clip

Cole addresses requests to 'truncate the axis' or make numbers look bigger or smaller to fit a narrative.

1. Storytelling with Data podcast #69 is about feedback people hate to receive, especially around graphs, slides, and presentations. 2. Cole, the host, presents the episode and matters because he ties the advice to Storytelling with Data books, workshops, and reader questions. 3. The episode asks what to do when feedback is silent, vague, manipulative, brand-driven, design-focused, or too early. 4. Cole starts with unsolicited feedback and says no one likes hearing comments they did not ask for, even from family. 5. He uses examples about his kids’ rooms, Lego, laundry, and crumpled story drafts to make that annoyance concrete. 6. He says people also dislike feedback they requested when they were secretly hoping to hear 'it's perfect.' 7. He says he used Twitter responses plus his own experience to sort the problem into five broad categories. 8. The first category is the lack of feedback or the lack of actionable feedback, including 'silence is a killer' and 'it's missing something.' 9. Cole advises asking why a reviewer is silent, whether the person is busy, unconvinced, or simply the wrong person. 10. He recommends being explicit about what input would be useful instead of asking, 'can you take a look at this and let me know what you think?' 11. He gives example questions about graph choice, takeaway clarity, layout, first attention, complexity, deadlines, and must-haves versus nice-to-haves. 12. He says low-fidelity sketches and sticky-note outlines can invite broad directional feedback before polished design details take over. 13. The second category is requests to change what you show, including 'make it look smaller or bigger,' 'make it look more complicated,' and 'truncate the axis.' 14. Cole says some of those requests come from misunderstanding vocabulary, so conversation should check intent before assuming bad faith. 15. He says data may not support the hoped-for takeaway, but business context can still justify a decision and a recommendation. 16. The third category covers color and branding complaints such as 'I don't like the colors,' 'it's beautiful, but it doesn't fit our brand guidelines,' and 'make it pop.' 17. Cole reads from Storytelling With You and argues that standard templates can be easier starting points because they reduce decisions and add consistency. 18. The fourth and fifth categories cover design nitpicks like font, white space, and legends, plus premature questions about chart choice before the full deck is understood. 19. This episode will suit people who make slides, review decks, or give feedback in meetings. 20. This episode may be less useful for listeners who want story arcs or interview drama.

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