Making Higher Ed Data Speak - Storytelling Frameworks That Drive Impact

Wednesday, May 27, 2026

1:45 PM - 2:30 PM East Coast USA Time

Location: Magnolia

Institution Type: Any

Target Audience: Any

Presenter(s)

SP

Santhana Lakshmi Ponnurasan, n/a (she/her/hers)

Data Analyst- Institutional Effectiveness
Missouri University of Science and Technology
Atlanta, Georgia, United States
BR

Brianna Reddick, n/a

Associate Director of Analytics
Missouri University of Science & Technology
Columbia, Missouri, United States
WJ

Wayne Jones, EdD

Associate Vice Chancellor of Institutional Effectiveness
Missouri University of Science & Technology
Rolla, Missouri, United States

Session Abstract: Too often, dashboards and reports focus on displaying numbers without guiding users toward the insights that matter most. In higher education, where data must inform complex decisions, presentation is just as important as analysis. This session introduces practical storytelling frameworks that help transform raw data into actionable visuals. Participants will explore how to structure visuals in ways that guide attention, highlight key findings that might otherwise be overlooked, and design dashboards that lead stakeholders through a logical flow of insights. Using numerous Power BI examples from higher education domain, attendees will leave with a toolkit of storytelling practices that ensure their dashboards do more than present data- they inspire understanding, foster engagement, and support better, evidence-based decision-making across their institutions.

Keywords: Power BI, Dashboard, Reporting, Data Storytelling, Dashboard Design