Presenting and communicating statistics: principles, components and their quality assessment. A proposal

(1)

NTTS 2009 – New Techniques and Technologies for Statistics/Eurostat

Brussels, 18-20 February 2009

Presenting and communicating statistics: principles,

components and approaches for their quality assessment: A

proposal

Filomena Maggino – Marco Trapani

–

[email protected]

Presentation designer: [email protected]

Università degli Studi di Firenze

Communication

Communication in

in

in statistics

statistics

statistics:

statistics

:

components

T

R

C C C C O O O O D D D D E E E E C CC C O OO O D DD D E E E E Message Channel Context - setting FEEDBACK FEEDBACK FEEDBACK FEEDBACK Noise

Communication

Communication in

in

in statistics

statistics

statistics:

statistics

:

Integral

Integral component

component

component of

of

of statistical

of

statistical

statistical work

work

VAS= N[(QSAMF)RSTS*NL]

Giovannini, 2008

This detailed formula, including many relevant aspects like the role of

media and users’ numeracy, can be reconsidered by including also aspects concerning “quality” e “incisiveness” of the message:

VAS= N[(QSAMF)RSTSNL]QIP

additional component

VAS value added of official statistics

N size of the audience QSA statistical information produced MF role of media

RS relevance of the statistical information TS trust in official statistics NL users’ “numeracy” QIP quality and incisiveness of presentation

Communication

Communication in

in

in statistics

statistics

statistics:

:

From

From DATA

DATA

DATA to

to

to MESSAGE

MESSAGE

message information PRESENTATION information data DATA ANALYSIS, RESULTS AND INTERPRETATION aseptic data transformed in objective observation DATA PRODUCTION message information PRESENTATION information data DATA ANALYSIS, RESULTS AND INTERPRETATION aseptic data transformed in objective observation DATA PRODUCTION

Communication

Communication in

in

in statistics

in

statistics

statistics::::

Fundamental

Fundamental aspects

aspects

Theory of

presentation

Rhetoric

Persuasion

Aesthetics

Appeal

Ethics

Content

Corresponding

discipline

Aspects of

statistical

presentations

Theory of

presentation

Rhetoric

Persuasion

Aesthetics

Appeal

Ethics

Content

Corresponding

discipline

Aspects of

statistical

presentations

-Other effects -Colours -Characters (fonts) -Text arrangement

3. CLOTHS

Pictograms Graphs Tables

2. TOOLS

1.4 Execution 1.3 Expression 1.2 Layout 1.1 Invention

1. OUTLINE

(iii) context (ii) channel (i) audience (iii) context (ii) channel (i) audience (iii) context (ii) channel (i) audience

with reference to

(C) CLARITY

(B) CORRECTNESS

(A) SUITABILITY

EVALUATING CRITERIA

ASSESSMENT

TABLE

-Other effects -Colours -Characters (fonts) -Text arrangement

3. CLOTHS

Pictograms Graphs Tables

2. TOOLS

1.4 Execution 1.3 Expression 1.2 Layout 1.1 Invention

1. OUTLINE

(iii) context (ii) channel (i) audience (iii) context (ii) channel (i) audience (iii) context (ii) channel (i) audience

with reference to

(C) CLARITY

(B) CORRECTNESS

(A) SUITABILITY

EVALUATING CRITERIA

ASSESSMENT

TABLE

D

im

e

n

s

io

n

s

to

e

v

a

lu

a

te

T

ra

n

s

m

it

te

r’

s

c

o

d

e

1.4 Actio

Actio

Actio ((((execution

Actio

execution

execution))))

execution

Stages

a. Introduction

b. Development

c. Comments

d. Time/space use

e. Ending

f. Receivers’ feedback (Q&A)

I N V E N T I O D I S P O S I T I O E L O C U T I O A C T I O S T A R T

1.

1. 1. Outline

Outline

telling

telling statistics

statistics

1.1 Inventio

Inventio

Inventio ((((invention

Inventio

invention

invention))))

•Who

the subject of telling

•What

the fact

•When

the time location

•Where

the field location

•Why

the causes

Premise General Principles Developing arguments Pratical consequences/examples

Deductive approach

Case / specific situation Reflection Concepts Consequences / other cases

Inductive approach

Once upon a time… Why something changed Yesterday… Today… Tomorrow

Time progression approach

Meaningful questions Why in important to talk about…

Solutions (and concepts) Conclusions and consequences

Problems approach Subject Advantages-disadvantages approach Disadvantages Advantage Point to be evaluat edAdvantageDisadvantages Point to be evaluat ed

Subject

From point of view approach

Pontof view1 …values …def ects P ontof view4 …values…defects P ontof view3 …values …d efects Pont of view2…valu es…d efects

Top-down approach

General ReflectionsConcepts Consequences… Particular ReflectionsConcepts Consequences… Specific ReflectionsConcepts Consequences… Detail ReflectionsConcepts Consequences… Micro ReflectionsConcepts Consequences… Premise ReflectionsConcepts Consequences…

1.2 Dispositio

Dispositio

Dispositio (layout)

Dispositio

(layout)

1.3 Elocutio

Elocutio

Elocutio ((((expression

expression

expression))))

phonic effects

Rhythm

change in words’ order inside a sentence

Construction

choice of the most suitable or convenient words

Elocution

change in words’ shape

Diction

change in words’ meaning

Meaning (or tropes)

change in words’ or propositions’ invention and imaginative shape

Thinking

Definition

Figures of

phonic effects

Rhythm

change in words’ order inside a sentence

Construction

choice of the most suitable or convenient words

Elocution

change in words’ shape

Diction

change in words’ meaning

Meaning (or tropes)

change in words’ or propositions’ invention and imaginative shape

Thinking

Definition

Figures of

3.

3. 3. Cloths

Cloths

Dressing

Dressing Statistics

Statistics

Different aspect:

Text arrangement

Characters and fonts

Colours

Other aspect

With reference to:

Balance

Harmony

Proportion

Elegance

Style

- occasions (seminars, conferences, meetings, press conferences, …) - settings (rooms, tables, …)

(iii)

Context

- auditory channel (“listening”, requiring oral explanation)

- visual channel (“looking”, requiring explicative slides) - kinetic channel (“doing”, requiring practical exercises)

(ii)

Channel

- experts - politicians and policy makers - students - statistical data users - not specialized

(i)

Audience

- occasions (seminars, conferences, meetings, press conferences, …) - settings (rooms, tables, …)

(iii)

Context

- auditory channel (“listening”, requiring oral explanation)

- visual channel (“looking”, requiring explicative slides) - kinetic channel (“doing”, requiring practical exercises)

(ii)

Channel

- experts - politicians and policy makers - students - statistical data users - not specialized

(i)

Audience

2.Tools

Depicting

Depicting statistics

statistics

function

Supporting motivation Supporting transfer of learning

Building mental models Minimizing cognitive load Activating and building prior knowledge

Supporting attention

Supporting motivation Supporting transfer of learning

Building mental models Minimizing cognitive load Activating and building prior knowledge

Supporting attention

2.Tools

Depicting

Depicting statistics

Depicting

statistics

(b)

(b) Preparing

Preparing

Preparing a

a

a graph

graph

few elements as possible. Wise use of legends and captions Legibility

dynamic perspective should reflect a dynamic phenomenon Dynamics

presentation

rounding up and down through standard criteria

Rounding off values

using colours consistently with statistical information

Colours as statistical codes

reducing dimensionality as much as possible by showing few variables for each graph using no meaningless axis Dimensionality

correctly defining and showing scale/s Scale definition

few elements as possible. Wise use of legends and captions Legibility

dynamic perspective should reflect a dynamic phenomenon Dynamics

presentation

rounding up and down through standard criteria

Rounding off values

using colours consistently with statistical information

Colours as statistical codes

reducing dimensionality as much as possible by showing few variables for each graph using no meaningless axis Dimensionality

correctly defining and showing scale/s Scale definition

2.Tools

Depicting

Depicting statistics

Depicting

statistics

(a)

(a) Choosing

Choosing

Choosing a

a

a graph

a

graph

A. How many variables are involved?

What is nature of data? What kind of information has to be represented?

B.

a simple graph with reference to the audience a clear graph instead of an attractive one

a correct graph with reference to data

What kind of graph…

2.Tools

Depicting

Depicting statistics

statistics

Perception

Perception of

of

of statistical

statistical

statistical Graph

Graph

Recognize the code

Recognize regularities

Carry out comparisons and identify

differences

2.Tools

Depicting

Depicting statistics

statistics

Graph

Graph Principles

Principles

Capacity limitations Information changes Compatibility Presentation should be easy to follow, digest, and remember. Promote understanding and memory Perceptual organization Discriminability Salience Presentation should lead the audience to pay attention to what is important. Direct and hold attention

Appropriate knowledge Relevance Message should connect with the goals and interests of your audience. Connect with the

audience Principles Categories Capacity limitations Information changes Compatibility Presentation should be easy to follow, digest, and remember. Promote understanding and memory Perceptual organization Discriminability Salience Presentation should lead the audience to pay attention to what is important. Direct and hold attention

Appropriate knowledge Relevance Message should connect with the goals and interests of your audience. Connect with the

audience Principles Categories

Conclusions

Conclusions…

…

The presented work summarizes the first

stage of our study, aimed at defining the

framework for quality assessment of

communication in statistics

The goal is to define the assessment

technology by discussing with all the

willing colleagues

Conclusions

Conclusions…

…

Emphasizing communicative aspects

does not aim at exasperating

the importance of communication

with respect to the rest of statistical activities.

ICT societies increasingly require statistical

information.

In order to attribute more value to statistics and to increase

impact of statistics on reality, two processes need to be

assessed:

data production and analysis

communication

We

We need

need

need a standard !

a standard !

of data structure.

understanding

by avoiding any kind of “adaptability” of codes to

“subjective” messages,

generalization

in preparing presentation,

economicity

and efficiency

between different presentations and along time,

comparability

of data presentation, by avoiding introduction of

any subjective component

objectivity

Developing and adopting standardized codes allow transmitters to warrant:

Communication of statistics needs to be assessed through standardized

methods and techniques in order to improve its impact

of data structure.

understanding

by avoiding any kind of “adaptability” of codes to

“subjective” messages,

generalization

in preparing presentation,

economicity

and efficiency

between different presentations and along time,

comparability

of data presentation, by avoiding introduction of

any subjective component

objectivity

Developing and adopting standardized codes allow transmitters to warrant:

Communication of statistics needs to be assessed through standardized

methods and techniques in order to improve its impact

Presenting and communicating statistics: principles, components and their quality assessment. A proposal

NTTS 2009 – New Techniques and Technologies for Statistics/Eurostat

Brussels, 18-20 February 2009