LEARN HOW TO TRANSFORM YOUR DATA INTO CAPTIVATING STORIES THAT RESONATE WITH YOUR AUDIENCE!
LET’S EXPLORE REAL-LIFE EXAMPLES AND EXPERT TIPS TO HELP YOU CHOOSE THE RIGHT VISUALS AND ENHANCE YOUR DATA STORYTELLING SKILLS.
UNLEASH THE POWER OF DATA!
Stories engage us. They can make even the most complex data digestible and relatable. Now, how do you weave compelling stories from your numbers? It’s an art and a science, which we will explore in five essential steps.Â
1. IDENTIFY YOUR GOAL
The first step in crafting a data story is identifying your goal. Why are you telling this story, and what do you hope to achieve?
In their study “Telling a Good Innovation Story” (MIT Sloan Management Review, 2018), researchers Andrew Hargadon and Robert I. Sutton stress the importance of having a clear goal. They emphasize that clarity in your purpose will guide you in choosing which data to highlight and how to frame it.
2. KNOW YOUR AUDIENCE
Knowing your audience is crucial in storytelling.
As stated in the research by Kim, L., Kim, D., & Kwon, S. in “Investigating the Role of Focused Attention and Visual Coherence in Effective Chart Visualization” (2021), understanding your audience’s prior knowledge, interests, and preferences can greatly improve the effectiveness of your data presentation.
3. FIND THE STORY IN YOUR DATA
Finding the story in your data involves digging deep into your data to find insights and patterns.
A research by Börner, K., Chen, C., & Boyack, K. titled “Visualizing Knowledge Domains” (Annual Review of Information Science and Technology, 2005), recommends using data visualization to identify trends and outliers, make comparisons, or understand networks. The story could be about a remarkable trend, an unusual outlier, a significant comparison, or an interesting network relationship.
4. CHOOSE THE RIGHT VISUALS
The next step is choosing the right visuals to tell your story. The types of data visualizations you choose can greatly impact how your data story is perceived.
A seminal paper by Edward Tufte, “The Visual Display of Quantitative Information” (1983), suggests that a good visualization not only presents data accurately but also enforces correct reading of the data, reveals the data at several levels of detail, and serves a clear purpose.
5. NARRATE YOUR STORY
Finally, you need to narrate your story. You’ve identified your goal, you know your audience, you’ve found the story, and you’ve chosen your visuals. Now, how do you bring it all together in a coherent narrative?
A study “The Persuasive Power of Data Visualization” (IEEE Transactions on Visualization and Computer Graphics, 2015) by Pandey, A. et al. found that storytelling combined with data visualization can be a powerful tool for persuasion. The research emphasizes the importance of a compelling narrative to guide your audience through the data and help them understand the key points.Â
In conclusion, turning statistics into stories involves identifying your goal, knowing your audience, finding your story in the data, choosing the right visuals, and narrating your story. When you blend data with narrative in a compelling way, you can engage your audience, communicate more effectively, and unleash the power of your data.
Source(s)
Börner, K., Chen, C., & Boyack, K.”Visualizing Knowledge Domains” (Annual Review of Information Science and Technology, 2005)
Hargadon, A & Sutton, H “Telling a Good Innovation Story” (MIT Sloan Management Review, 2018)
Kim, L., Kim, D., & Kwon, S. in “Investigating the Role of Focused Attention and Visual Coherence in Effective Chart Visualization” (2021)
Pandey, A. “The Persuasive Power of Data Visualization” (IEEE Transactions on Visualization and Computer Graphics, 2015)
Tufte, E. “The Visual Display of Quantitative Information” (1983)
Resource(s):
- Email me at erik@speakupstories.com if you’re interested in more information on speaking engagements.
