Storytelling with Data: Before and After - Practical Makeovers

Our review of Storytelling with Data: Before and After finds it is a focused, practical guide for anyone who needs to turn forgettable charts into persuasive visuals. The book compiles twenty real before-and-after makeovers from the team behind the popular Storytelling with Data workshops, and the single biggest reason to buy is the clear, repeatable redesign process the authors lay out so readers can apply the same thinking to their own charts. This review highlights how accessible the guidance is, why the pacing works for self-study, and what kinds of readers will get the most value.

Key Features

• Before-and-after makeovers: Twenty concrete redesigns show the step-by-step thought process behind improving a chart so readers can replicate the approach on their own visuals.
• Practical guidance: The authors focus on actionable techniques rather than abstract theory, making it easier to apply changes directly to workplace charts.
• Expert authorship: Work from Cole Nussbaumer Knaflic, Mike Cisneros, and Alex Velez condenses lessons refined over a decade of workshops and consulting.
• Paced learning: The book walks readers through each makeover in manageable segments so the logic and tradeoffs are clear without overwhelming detail.
• Visual-first approach: The emphasis on visuals that matter helps readers prioritize clarity and decision-driven messaging in their data storytelling.

Who It's For

This book is best for analysts, consultants, product managers, and communicators who regularly create charts for meetings, reports, or presentations and want a practical, repeatable approach to making those visuals more persuasive. The stepwise makeovers and visual focus make it particularly useful for those learning to edit and simplify charts.

Readers who need exhaustive technical instruction on charting tools, detailed statistical methodology, or a comprehensive typography manual should look elsewhere; this title emphasizes design choices and narrative strategy over software-specific tutorials.

Pros & Cons

Pros

• Clear, actionable makeovers provide a practical roadmap for improving visuals in real work contexts.
• The pacing and structure make it easy to follow the authors' decision process across multiple examples.
• Strong emphasis on visuals that matter helps readers focus on the message, not just decoration.

Cons

• Not a tool-specific guide, so readers seeking step-by-step instructions for particular software may need supplemental resources.

Specifications

Our Verdict

Storytelling with Data: Before and After is a strong, well-paced reference for anyone who wants practical, immediately usable techniques to improve charts and make data tell a clearer story. It is especially good value for professionals who present data regularly and prefer example-driven learning rather than theory-heavy texts.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does this book teach specific software steps?
Answer. The book focuses on redesign principles and decision-making rather than software-specific instructions, so tool tutorials are not the core content.

How many makeover examples are included?
Answer. The book presents twenty before-and-after makeovers that illustrate the authors' process.

Who are the authors?
Answer. The book is written by Cole Nussbaumer Knaflic with contributions from Mike Cisneros and Alex Velez, drawing on workshop experience.