Painting with Numbers Not Computing… Communicating Randall Bolten Presentation to Society for...

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Painting with NumbersNot Computing… Communicating

Randall BoltenPresentation to Society for Technical Communication (STC)February 2, 2012

2/2/2012 Painting with Numbers © 2012 Randall Bolten

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A New Word Is Born!

quantation (kwŏn-tā′-shən) n. [English, c. 2008, from QUANTitative + communicATION.] The act of presenting numbers, such as financial results, electronically or in written form for the purpose of informing an audience.


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The Main Messages about Quantation

• It’s a communication skill• It has rules and best practices

– Like grammar, spelling, vocabulary, paragraph organization. . .

• You are constantly sending messages to your audience

• In other words, it’s just like writing, speaking, acting, mime. . .


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Avoid the ’Where’s Waldo?’ Effect(in $000) Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec TotalLicenses 987 1,263 1,698 1,029 1,317 1,770 1,071 1,371 1,842 1,113 1,430 1,894 16,785 Services 446 475 518 465 495 540 484 515 562 503 535 584 6,120 Total Revs. 1,433 1,738 2,215 1,494 1,812 2,310 1,555 1,886 2,404 1,616 1,965 2,478 22,905 Cost of Sales 205 229 266 214 239 277 223 249 289 232 259 300 2,982 Gross Profit 1,227 1,509 1,949 1,280 1,573 2,032 1,332 1,637 2,115 1,384 1,706 2,178 19,923 Sales & Marketing 568 594 632 594 597 665 612 646 670 645 655 689 7,568 Research & Dev. 343 340 352 346 360 376 374 389 390 397 397 412 4,477 General & Admin. 254 256 258 254 266 270 264 272 269 272 276 280 3,191 Total Oprg. Exps. 1,165 1,190 1,242 1,194 1,223 1,312 1,251 1,307 1,329 1,314 1,329 1,381 15,236 Operating Profit 62 319 707 86 350 720 81 330 786 70 378 797 4,687

VASTCo -- 2006 Income Statement, by Month

Thesame

report!

(in $000) Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Total

Licenses 987 1,263 1,698 1,029 1,317 1,770 1,071 1,371 1,842 1,113 1,430 1,894 16,785 Services 446 475 518 465 495 540 484 515 562 503 535 584 6,120

Total Revenues 1,433 1,738 2,215 1,494 1,812 2,310 1,555 1,886 2,404 1,616 1,965 2,478 22,905

Cost of Sales 205 229 266 214 239 277 223 249 289 232 259 300 2,982

Gross Profit 1,227 1,509 1,949 1,280 1,573 2,032 1,332 1,637 2,115 1,384 1,706 2,178 19,923

Sales & Marketing 568 594 632 594 597 665 612 646 670 645 655 689 7,568 Research & Dev. 343 340 352 346 360 376 374 389 390 397 397 412 4,477 General & Admin. 254 256 258 254 266 270 264 272 269 272 276 280 3,191

Total Oprg. Exps. 1,165 1,190 1,242 1,194 1,223 1,312 1,251 1,307 1,329 1,314 1,329 1,381 15,236

Operating Profit 62 319 707 86 350 720 81 330 786 70 378 797 4,687



White space for visual

separation

Underscores show math operations

Borders to divide P&L groups,

quarters

Boldface key rows, columns

Special emphasis on bottom line, annual total

Indent subtotals,

totals

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Following the Rules Can Add Clarity

The Numerals• Right-justifying• Precision• Positive vs.

negative

Looks• White space• Visual effects

(text effects, borders, shading)

• Artwork

The Words• Solid vs. squishy• Precision vs.

space• Words as

numbers


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The Three Levels of Mastery1. Know the rules

– E.g., grammar, spelling, punctuation, paragraph organization

2. Know your audience– E.g., their time, their awareness

3. Know your subject matter– E.g., your business, your issues, your objectives

They build on each other!


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Key Indicators – Rules Meets Subject Matter

• What is a KI?– It’s a ratio

• What makes a good KI?– Audience knows where it comes from– It makes intuitive sense

• How do you present a KI?– In the reading flow– Formatting to distinguish and to separate


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Examples of Key Indicators• In business financial statements

– Growth rate = (Year 1 – Year 0) ÷ Year 0

– Profit margin = profit ÷ revenues– Common size = Line item ÷ Revenues

– Productivity = Revenues ÷ Employees

– Market share = Company revenues ÷ Industry revs.


Painting with Numbers © 2012 Randall Bolten 9

K.I. Layout Is Important

2/2/2012

Visually distinct

Numerical cue

Appropriate grouping

Natural reader’s flow

Time

P&L

($ in 000) 2004 Y/Y % 2005 Y/Y % 2006 Y/Y %

Licenses 6,797 75% 12,365 82% 16,785 36% 80% 74% 73%

Services 1,660 93% 4,436 167% 6,120 38% 20% 26% 27%

Total Revenues 8,457 79% 16,801 99% 22,905 36% 100% 100% 100%

Cost of Sales 1,210 384% 2,372 96% 2,982 26% 14% 14% 13%

Gross Profit 7,247 62% 14,429 99% 19,923 38% 86% 86% 87%

Sales & Marketing 2,925 95% 5,775 97% 7,568 31% 35% 34% 33%

Research & Dev. 1,733 93% 2,840 64% 4,477 58% 20% 17% 20%

General & Admin. 1,237 79% 2,815 128% 3,191 13% 15% 17% 14%

Total Oprg. Exps. 5,895 91% 11,430 94% 15,236 33% 70% 68% 67%

Operating Profit 1,352 -3% 2,999 122% 4,687 56% 16% 18% 20%

VASTCo -- 2004-06 Income Statements

Numerator & denominator both present

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Examples of Economics/Public Policy KIs

• Growth rate = (Year 1 – Year 0) ÷ Year 0• Surplus/deficit rate = Surplus/Deficit ÷ GDP• Productivity = “Goodness” events ÷ Spending• Tax rate = Tax payable ÷ Income

– Effective?– Marginal?– Nominal?

• Share of burden = Group’s bill ÷ Total bill


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Examples of Technical KIs• Load = Weight ÷ Area

• Space efficiency = Area ÷ No. of occupants

• Construction cost = Total $$ ÷ Area

• Parking = Parking spaces ÷ No. of occupants

• Roof pitch = Width from gable ÷ Height of gable



One Last Thing I Found

2/2/2012

from to from toFt./In. Meters Meters Ft./In.

5' 1.52 1.52 5' 5' 1" 1.55 1.54 5' 1" 5' 2" 1.57 1.56 5' 1" 5' 3" 1.60 1.58 5' 2" 5' 4" 1.63 1.60 5' 3" 5' 5" 1.65 1.62 5' 4" 5' 6" 1.68 1.64 5' 5" 5' 7" 1.70 1.66 5' 5" 5' 8" 1.73 1.68 5' 6" 5' 9" 1.75 1.70 5' 7" 5' 10" 1.78 1.72 5' 8" 5' 11" 1.80 1.74 5' 9" 6' 1.83 1.76 5' 9" 6' 1" 1.85 1.78 5' 10" 6' 2" 1.88 1.80 5' 11" 6' 3" 1.91 1.82 6' 6' 4" 1.93 1.84 6' 6' 5" 1.96 1.86 6' 1" 6' 6" 1.98 1.88 6' 2" 6' 7" 2.01 1.90 6' 3" 6' 8" 2.03 1.92 6' 4"

Feet/Inches and MetersConverting between

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Recap• Quantation (i.e., presenting numbers) is a

communication skill, not a math skill• How you communicate is part of your

personal brand image• Quantation is a skill that can be taught • And it’s a skill that can be learned • Understanding the numbers is within the

ability of most audiences


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THANK YOU!



FOR PRINTOUT ONLY

11/15/2011


Avoid the ’Where’s Waldo?’ Effect(in $000) Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec TotalLicenses 987 1,263 1,698 1,029 1,317 1,770 1,071 1,371 1,842 1,113 1,430 1,894 16,785 Services 446 475 518 465 495 540 484 515 562 503 535 584 6,120 Total Revs. 1,433 1,738 2,215 1,494 1,812 2,310 1,555 1,886 2,404 1,616 1,965 2,478 22,905 Cost of Sales 205 229 266 214 239 277 223 249 289 232 259 300 2,982 Gross Profit 1,227 1,509 1,949 1,280 1,573 2,032 1,332 1,637 2,115 1,384 1,706 2,178 19,923 Sales & Marketing 568 594 632 594 597 665 612 646 670 645 655 689 7,568 Research & Dev. 343 340 352 346 360 376 374 389 390 397 397 412 4,477 General & Admin. 254 256 258 254 266 270 264 272 269 272 276 280 3,191 Total Oprg. Exps. 1,165 1,190 1,242 1,194 1,223 1,312 1,251 1,307 1,329 1,314 1,329 1,381 15,236 Operating Profit 62 319 707 86 350 720 81 330 786 70 378 797 4,687


Thesame

report!



Total Revenues 1,433 1,738 2,215 1,494 1,812 2,310 1,555 1,886 2,404 1,616 1,965 2,478 22,905

Cost of Sales 205 229 266 214 239 277 223 249 289 232 259 300 2,982

Gross Profit 1,227 1,509 1,949 1,280 1,573 2,032 1,332 1,637 2,115 1,384 1,706 2,178 19,923


Total Oprg. Exps. 1,165 1,190 1,242 1,194 1,223 1,312 1,251 1,307 1,329 1,314 1,329 1,381 15,236



11/15/2011


Avoid the ’Where’s Waldo?’ Effect



Total Revenues 1,433 1,738 2,215 1,494 1,812 2,310 1,555 1,886 2,404 1,616 1,965 2,478 22,905

Cost of Sales 205 229 266 214 239 277 223 249 289 232 259 300 2,982

Gross Profit 1,227 1,509 1,949 1,280 1,573 2,032 1,332 1,637 2,115 1,384 1,706 2,178 19,923


Total Oprg. Exps. 1,165 1,190 1,242 1,194 1,223 1,312 1,251 1,307 1,329 1,314 1,329 1,381 15,236



11/15/2011

White space for visual

separation

Underscores show math operations

Borders to divide P&L groups,

quarters

Boldface key rows, columns

Special emphasis on bottom line, annual total

Indent subtotals,

totals

Painting with Numbers Not Computing… Communicating Randall Bolten Presentation to Society for...

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