Async 5: Chart Interpretation
Charts and data visualizations are everywhere… but we’re business consultants, so why should we care? We operate in facts and we solve problems, not create pretty graphs and graphics, right?
Wrong. Charts are one of a consultant’s most important tools.
Charts are important for 3 big reasons:
Charts are very common in consulting.
Charts are used in almost any consulting presentation, dashboards that you’ll create for clients, and tracking all manner of KPIs to identify growth opportunities for clients.
Charts distill a lot of info so it can be understood quickly.
Simply put, charts are used to make data easier to understand and read. It takes a lot of info and condenses it into a graphical representation. This is essential for time-crunched executives.
Your ability to interpret and communicate charts is critical.
As a consultant, you’re not only expected to be able to quickly understand the key points of charts, but also to be able to speak to clients and walk them through charts so that they understand the insights the chart contains.
So, now that I’ve convinced you why charts and graphs are important, let’s get into how you can better interpret charts both in cases and on the job.