You need non-technical stakeholders to understand BI insights. How do you make it happen?
Conveying business intelligence (BI) insights to non-technical stakeholders can be a challenge, but it's essential for informed decision-making. Simplify your BI data with these strategies:
What approaches have you found effective in explaining BI insights?
You need non-technical stakeholders to understand BI insights. How do you make it happen?
Conveying business intelligence (BI) insights to non-technical stakeholders can be a challenge, but it's essential for informed decision-making. Simplify your BI data with these strategies:
What approaches have you found effective in explaining BI insights?
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To help non-technical stakeholders understand BI insights, start by simplifying the language: >Avoid jargon & use clear, everyday terms. Visualize data with charts, graphs, dashboards that highlight key trends & patterns >**Tell a story: Frame insights within a narrative that connects to their goals & concerns >Use analogies to relate complex concepts to familiar ideas. >Engage interactively: allow stakeholders to explore data through user-friendly tools >Provide context: explain why the insights matter & how they can impact decision-making Lastly, regularly solicit feedback to ensure clarity & relevance **Tip: Enhance data storytelling Piktochart & Datawrapper: Both great tools for designing infographics, posters, & presentations.
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I would approach this by focusing on storytelling and using clear, simple visuals. Based on my experience, non-technical stakeholders engage best when insights are framed around their specific concerns, like performance metrics or cost savings. I’d create dashboards that highlight key takeaways at a glance, avoiding jargon and using relatable examples. I’d also offer a brief narrative to connect the data to real-world case studies, ensuring they see the relevance. By making insights actionable and approachable, I’ve found stakeholders not only understand but actively engage with BI insights.
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In my opinion there are 2 more approaches which should be added here 1. Knowing the audience - Understanding the role, objectives and pain points, what most matters for them, etc. 2. Relating Insights to real world examples - provide example how similar insights enabled informed decision making.
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Understand the Audience 🎯: Identify their goals, pain points, and decision-making needs. Tailor your message to connect BI insights directly to their priorities. Leverage Data Storytelling 📊📖: Craft a compelling narrative. Present data as part of a story—complete with challenges, opportunities, and solutions that align with business objectives. Use Visualizations Effectively 🎨: Present insights with clean, focused visuals (dashboards, charts). Choose formats that emphasize key takeaways, avoiding clutter or information overload. Highlight the "Why It Matters" 💡: Always connect insights to their business impact—how they drive ROI, optimize processes, or mitigate risks.
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To ensure non-technical stakeholders grasp BI insights, I focus on the following: Interactive Dashboards: Create user-friendly, dynamic dashboards that allow stakeholders to explore data relevant to their roles without technical expertise. For example, using Tableau or Power BI for tailored views. Scenario-Based Stories: Present insights within real business scenarios. For instance, instead of showing raw sales data, I’d explain, “This 15% increase in Q2 revenue resulted from our targeted email campaigns, driving 20% higher conversions.” Clear KPIs: Present only the most critical KPIs that resonate with stakeholders' priorities, like customer retention rates for the marketing team or cost efficiencies for operations.
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When presenting BI insights to non-technical stakeholders, I focus on clarity and relevance. 1. Storytelling with data: I craft a narrative around the insights, showing how they connect to specific business goals and challenges. This makes the data relatable and actionable. 2. Simplified visuals: Instead of complex charts, I use straightforward visuals like bar graphs or KPIs, focusing on key takeaways rather than overwhelming details. 3. Use their language: I avoid jargon and explain metrics in terms they understand, tying everything back to their priorities. 4. Iterative feedback: I actively involve stakeholders, encouraging questions and refining presentations to ensure the insights truly resonate.
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Understand Stakeholders Business: Gain a comprehensive understanding of the stakeholders' business operations and goals to provide more relevant and impactful explanations of BI insights. Use Simple Language: Avoid technical jargon. Translate complex metrics and concepts into everyday terms that stakeholders can easily relate to. Visual Storytelling: Present data through visuals like charts, graphs, and dashboards. Use storytelling techniques to explain trends, outcomes, and implications clearly Executive Summaries: Start with high-level summaries, then dive into details as needed. Provide concise reports for stakeholders who prefer quick overviews.
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