In data storytelling, you want your signal (insight) to be understood and acted on by your audience. Frequently, noise in the data or design can interfere with your message. In this article, I review five categories of potential clutter and provide recommendations on how to avoid clutter in the data scenes of your data stories.
When people are asked why data storytelling matters, most of the focus is on the benefits that can be derived by the individuals communicating the insights. However, there are two key perspectives to consider when contemplating why it matters--that of the sender and that of the receiver. While individuals will gain much from developing data storytelling skills, it's ultimately the audiences who will be the greater beneficiaries. This article explores how each side benefits from data storytelling and how data stories can collectively enhance your organization's overall success.
Most of the focus on data storytelling is centered on the crafting and telling of data stories. However, to become a better data storyteller, it's important to recognize and understand the two essential steps that precede the telling of a data story--storyframing and storyforming. This article explores the roles that these two exploratory steps can play in identifying meaningful insights before they are crafted and shared as data stories.
For many people, data storytelling is just an extension of data visualization. Most of the focus is spent on the explanatory data visualization techniques that are employed in data stories. By focusing primarily on the visuals, the two other key elements of data stories--data and narrative--are often misunderstood and overlooked. It's time for organizations to embrace a more balanced approach to data storytelling that is centered around the effective communication of insights, not just the data visualization aspects.
When you share insights with audiences, they must be put in context so they can be fully understood and appreciated. While almost everyone would agree on the importance and value of context, there is little-to-no guidance on how to contextualize numbers. In this post, I share six ways in which you can add valuable background information to your key insights so they can resonate more deeply with audiences.
As data storytelling has grown in popularity over the years, there's still some confusion about what it really is--and is not. This article explores what data storytelling is, why it's important, and what shouldn't be considered data storytelling.
Master the art and science of data storytelling—with frameworks and techniques to help you craft compelling stories with data.
Effectively communicating with data is a necessity in organizations of all types and sizes. It’s often the crucial last mile in the analysis process that determines whether an insight will inspire action. Transforming data into visual communication is only one part of the picture—it’s just as important to engage your audience with a memorable and persuasive story. Narratives are more powerful than raw statistics, more enduring then pretty charts. Effective Data Storytelling teaches you how to communicate insights that influence decisions, inspire action, and drive change.