Two Easy Ways to Tell a More Impactful Data Story

As the world of Big Data has risen into prominence, it has opened the floor for a new way of storytelling. While the basic concepts of storytelling still apply, data has unlocked a new genre for those of the varying analytical mind. When looking at the seven story types, different stories may come to mind for each person:

• Overcoming the Monster
• Rags to Riches
• The Quest
• Voyage and Return
• Comedy
• Tragedy
• Rebirth

Some may think of a science fiction adventure, where others may think of an autobiography of an influential person. Storytelling through data has presented a whole new way to reach audiences with a message that may impact them for years to come. That brings us to the question of, what ways can a data driven story leave a lasting impact on its audience?

As we have seen the pioneers of data storytelling reach audiences with convictions and calls to action in a new way, there is one lesson that I believe every story teller should live by. Give your audience the freedom to advance the story with their own perspective.

Far too many info-graphics and visualizations are tailored in a way for the audience to receive one message alone. This may be caused by implicit biases, deceiving graphics, non-interactivity, etc. The most impactful stories are those that linger, ones where the audience can’t seem to stop thinking about them. A common denominator that can be found in these stories is that the story-teller leaves the message in the hands of the audience. They trust that the audience can find positive meaning through the story that is told, and they also give freedom for the audience to reach new conclusions that the storyteller them-self may not have realized. This brings a stagnant story to life. Without further adieu, here are the two practices every data story can follow:

1. REMOVE ANY HINT OF BIAS
2. ALLOW FOR INTERACTIVITY

To take this ideal into practice, we are going to look at an info-graphic regarding the world’s wealth. While the image below is visually appealing, it is pointed in the conclusion it wants from its audience.

This graphic makes for an easy understanding of the richest countries in the world, and it does a good job of color usage to highlight regional wealth. However, the graphic misses in the following aspects:

1. The shapes of the countries don’t have any rhyme or reason. It becomes near impossible to compare countries or regions with a smaller percentage of wealth.
2. The audience is not given the chance to explore for themselves. It feels as if the creator only wanted the audience to find one conclusion.

Below is an example of how this data can be used to create a more impactful story:

Tableau Public

This version improves the original graphic in the following ways:

1. The country shapes are more consistent and easier to compare
2. The audience can analyze countries with less wealth more easily through hovering or using filters
3. Total regional wealth can be compared without manual calculations by the audience
4. The interactivity gives the audience room to find answers that take more than a glance

Data is factual in nature, but it can be used to tell a more subjective story. It is a storyteller’s duty to present data in its most honest form, and trust in the audience to come to their own meaning. A great story lives on through its audience, so they must feel close to it.

Sources:

Source Article: All the World’s Wealth in One Visual

Data Sources: Credit Suisse & Makeover Monday