How to tell stories with data

Data storytelling is the process of using data, visuals, and narrative to communicate insights and information in a clear, engaging, and persuasive manner. The goal of data storytelling is to turn raw data into a compelling narrative that informs, inspires, and motivates action.

Data storytelling can take many forms, including infographics, presentations, dashboards, reports, and more. It often involves selecting the most relevant data, summarizing and visualizing it in a way that highlights key insights and trends, and using storytelling techniques to help convey the information in a memorable and impactful way.

Data storytelling is used in many different fields, including business, marketing, journalism, healthcare, education, and more. By using data to tell stories, organizations can more effectively communicate their findings and insights, and engage their audiences in a way that inspires action and drives results.

A good data story should have a clear message and structure. The message should be focused, concise, and relevant to the audience. The structure should be organized, with an introduction that sets the stage, followed by the main body of the story, and a conclusion that ties everything together.

In addition to a clear message and structure, good data storytelling also requires effective data visualization. Data visualization allows for the transformation of complex data into visual representations that are easy to understand and memorable. Charts, graphs, and infographics are some of the most common forms of data visualization. They allow organizations to highlight key insights and trends, and to communicate information in a way that is both engaging and persuasive.

Effective data storytelling also requires the use of storytelling techniques, such as storytelling arcs, characters, and themes. These techniques help to bring the data to life and to create a compelling narrative that engages the audience and inspires action. For example, a business might use a data story to communicate the impact of a new product or service, highlighting the benefits and the potential for growth, while also incorporating real-life examples and anecdotes to bring the data to life.

There are many examples of effective data storytelling in various fields, including business, marketing, journalism, healthcare, education, and more. Some of the best examples include:

1. The New York Times' “The Upshot”: This section of The New York Times uses data and visualization to tell stories about politics, economics, and other topics. They use clear and concise language, as well as interactive graphics, to bring their data to life.
2. Hans Rosling's TED Talk “The Best Stats You've Ever Seen”: In this TED Talk, Hans Rosling uses data visualization to tell stories about global health and poverty. He uses dynamic graphs to illustrate his points and to bring his data to life in a way that is both engaging and memorable.
3. HealthCare.gov's “Data Explorer”: This interactive dashboard provides a wealth of data on various aspects of the healthcare system, including insurance enrollment, cost, and quality. It uses visualization, storytelling, and interactivity to help users understand complex data and to drive action.
4. The Gapminder Foundation: This foundation uses data and visualization to tell stories about global trends and issues. Their work has been widely recognized for its innovative approach to data storytelling, and they have produced several well-received TED Talks, including “How to make people take action on global issues” by Hans Rosling.

These are just a few examples of good data storytelling. By incorporating effective data visualization, storytelling techniques, and a clear message and structure, organizations can more effectively communicate their findings and insights, and engage their audiences in a way that inspires action and drives results.