You need four small words:
- fromthe start
- tothe end
- bythe difference
- inthe topic
Example: "Sign-ups went up from 200 to 300."
You talk about numbers all the time: sign-ups, time on task, errors. You know the numbers. The hard part is the small words around them. Get these four words right and people can follow your results easily.
The four small words
Look at the picture. Each word shows one part of the change.
"Time on task went down from 90 seconds..."
"...to 60 seconds."
"Support tickets went down by 200."
"There was a big increase in daily users."
Say this chart out loud in one sentence. Use from and to.
"Errors went down from 40 to 25 a week."
Close to this? Great. Different words, like "dropped", are fine too.
Up or down
You don't need many verbs. Choose one for each direction and use it often.
Going up
- went up
- increased
- an increase in...
Going down
- went down
- dropped
- a drop in...
Make it clearer
This is a very common first try. The numbers are right, but the small words make it hard to follow. How would you say it? Try first, then look.
"The sign-ups increased in 100, from 200 until 300, so there was a big increase of users."
"Sign-ups went up by 100, from 200 to 300. That's a big increase in new users."
- increased in 100becomeswent up by 100 (the difference)
- until 300becomesto 300 ("until" is for time)
- increase of usersbecomesincrease in users (the topic)
Say what the number means
A number alone doesn't tell people much. In a meeting, people think: "OK, so what?" Answer that before they ask. After the number, add one short sentence: why it matters.
"Time on task went down from 90 to 60 seconds."
"So users finish checkout much faster."
"Next, we want to test it on mobile."
To say why it matters
- This means...
- So...
- That's important because...
When you're not sure yet
- It's early, but...
- We need more data, but so far...
- It looks like...
It's OK to say you're not sure yet. It shows you understand your data.
Practice it
A warm-up and 8 quick charts. Fill the gaps, then say the full sentence out loud. Mistakes are normal here. Nobody is listening, so try again as many times as you like.
- Choose one number from a project you're working on now.
- Write one sentence with from, to or by. Add one sentence about why it matters.
- Say it out loud before your next meeting.
Come back in 3 or 4 days and do the activity again. A second try, a few days later, helps you remember.
Questions designers ask
Is it "an increase of" or "an increase in"?
Both are correct. "Of" goes with the amount: "an increase of 100." "In" goes with the topic: "an increase in sign-ups."
Do I need to say both "from" and "to"?
No. "Sign-ups went up to 300" is fine if people know the start. For a new result, say both.
How do I talk about percentages?
Use the same small words: "Conversion went up from 2% to 3%." Giving both numbers is the clearest way.
