In this episode of the Talent Show, our guest Alan Smith, head of Visual and Data Journalism, guides you through his career journey, from a degree in geography to making the jump into journalism - passing by a data visualisation team at the UK Statistics Office. Alan promotes the importance of visualising and interpreting data, conveying a narrative beyond just numbers and presenting a micro-story that is essential for journalism today. He advises you on the key skills necessary to become a data journalist, the importance of interdisciplinary mindsets and teams, and the questions you should be asking yourself before embarking on any data analysis journey. Press play to find out the best data projects he worked on for the Financial Times, how he influenced the model of data visualisation & journalism today, and learn about the truth behind statistics. Looking for a new guide to drive innovation and change? The Talent Show is a new podcast series from FT Talent, a hub of innovation from the Financial Times. Hosted by under 30s for under 30s around the world. Each episode we have important conversations for you and with you. We speak to experts in different fields, and bring you in to ask them your burning questions and delve deep into the topics that really matter to the younger generation today, find inspiring tips, analyse trends and bridge generational gaps. And we didn't just rely on our own curiosity - we invite our audience of bright students and early career professionals from all over the world to ask questions directly to our guests. The FT Talent Challenge is a competition from the Financial Times that invites bright young talent from all over the world to pitch solutions aimed at solving our most pressing business challenges. This podcast gives you a taste of the creative, educational and entrepreneurial atmosphere at FT Talent Challenges. FT Talent is a commercial division of the Financial Times. The FT Newsroom is not involved in its production. Our GDPR privacy policy was updated on August 8, 2022. Visit acast.com/privacy for more information. Subscribe to our Youtube channel: http://bit.ly/3X1kwkk Visit our website: http://bit.ly/3wUut8J Follow us on social media: Instagram: http://bit.ly/3X1N65f LinkedIn: http://bit.ly/3E6k9yv Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.