The Workshop in Urban Data Storytelling (WUDS) offers data storytelling training for city-building professionals or organizations in the U.S. and Canada. This training is intended for individuals or teams seeking to develop greater data literacy, data storytelling, and data analysis skills in order to advance equitable development in their communities.
This program is geared towards practitioners who are interested in diving deeper into narrative and data storytelling for a specific project.
If you are a city builder working to create equitable change in your home community, and you are looking to brush up on your data interpretation and communication skills, this program is for you.
Open to individuals or organizations in the public, private, or nonprofit sector working on urban planning and policy issues.
Individuals or teams should have a specific equitable development project that they wish to focus on as part of the training program.
Individuals or teams should have a desire to integrate, and work with, data related to their equitable development project.
Urban data storytelling is the process and practice of using data to craft compelling narratives about cities, in order to communicate key insights, inform policy-making, build public-will, or advocate for change. Urban data storytelling combines data analysis, data visualization, and narrative techniques to make complex urban trends understandable and engaging for specific audiences, such as policymakers, funders, or community members.
The Workshop in Urban Data Storytelling (WUDS) is a condensed, in-depth training program designed to help existing and aspiring city building professionals leverage data analysis and storytelling to strengthen and advance planning-related projects in their communities.
In 2025, two versions of WUDS are being offered:
- A month of virtual learning + 2-days in-person workshops (May 2025 + June 4-5, 2025). This version is geared towards practitioners who are interested in diving deeper into narrative and data storytelling for a specific project.
- A 5-day, fully in-person version (May 26-30, 2025). This version is geared towards learners who are interested in learning technical skills, such as data processing, GIS, and coding.
The Workshop in Urban Data Storytelling (WUDS) is a condensed, in-depth training program designed to help existing and aspiring city building professionals leverage data analysis and storytelling to strengthen and advance planning-related projects in their communities.
In 2025, two versions of WUDS are being offered:
- A month of virtual learning + 2-days in-person workshops (May 2025 + June 4-5, 2025). Preference will be given to applicants who have a specific, planning-related project they wish to use as the basis for the training. In addition, this version is geared towards practitioners who are interested in diving deeper into narrative and data storytelling for a specific project.
- A 5-day, fully in-person version (May 26-30, 2025). For this version, learners are not required to bring their own project. This program has a stronger emphasis on learning technical skills, such as data processing, GIS, and coding.
The Workshop in Urban Data Storytelling is open to teams or individual learners in the public, private, or nonprofit sector working on urban planning and policy issues in the U.S. or Canada. Applicants should have an interest in learning about data analysis and data storytelling and integrating data into their work.
WUDS Hybrid (one month virtual + 2 days in-person):
- Preference will be given to individuals or teams who have a specific planning-related project they wish to use as part of the training.
- The hybrid version is more geared towards practitioners who are interested in diving deeper into narrative and data storytelling for a specific project.
WUDS In-Person (5 days in-person):
- Individuals/teams are not required to have a specific planning-related project.
- The in-person version has a stronger emphasis on building technical skills, such as data processing, GIS, and coding.
The final deadline to submit your application is March 28, 2025.
Note that the early bird discount deadline is February 28, 2025, if you wish to benefit from a discounted registration fee.
Registration fees are $875 CAD + 13% HST. A limited number of need-based discounted registrations will be made available to eligible participants.
Early bird discounts of 20% will also be available through February 28, 2025.
Note that participants are responsible for arranging and paying for their travel and lodging for the in-person portion of the Workshops.