1. Why tell a story?
Hello, and welcome to this course on data storytelling. I'm Joe and I will be your instructor.
Telling a story is one of the most effective means of communication there is. Research has shown that stories are more effective than any other type of communication when it comes to engaging people's attention and communicating a message. They are far more memorable than just the facts and figures alone.
So, how can this be applied to data? Well, data storytelling can be used to communicate analysis insights clearly and effectively to a wide range of audiences.
2. Humans are storytelling creatures
The first stories of long ago were probably told around an open fire. They are a proven method of effective communication because they provoke emotion. Today in our digital age stories still have influence because this emotion leads to change. Stories are consumed in the form of news, books and movies. 65 percent of our daily conversations are about other people. Gossip is stories that we tell ourselves about friends, family and others.
3. Stories are better than "just the facts"
Information is more memorable when it is conveyed as a story rather than a list of facts. Hearing and seeing your data story makes it more likely you will remember key findings and be more receptive to a message.
If someone tells you that the man pictured can eat on average only four days a week, it stays with you longer than all the stats quoted about hunger in his particular country without any visual.
4. Changing behaviors
Stories help improve the understanding of statistics that are important for strategic decisions. They provide context that a presentation with slides don't have. They can also be used to help generate interest in the topic of your analysis that leads to action.
A data story can even convey complex results in a pleasing manner.
This is because data stories are presented in a simple, conversational style which ensures that your content is easy to read, understand, and act on. The message is built in for the audience by the storyteller.
If you have an actionable insight, it is better to engage both the decision maker’s emotions as well as intellect. This leads to action.
5. Nightingale's graph
Florence Nightingale was a mid-nineteenth century British nurse. She had a problem. How could she convey that sanitation was important to the British military? One way she communicated this fact was through a spiral chart that showed casualties over time. It allows users to instinctively and directly compare the major causes of casualties of war in a given month of the year. Each column represents a month and each color represents a cause.
This spurred a positive change in how the British military chose to care for its wounded.
By today's standards this example looks crude and we will explore how to construct a modern impactful data story throughout this course. Integrating data, an effective narrative and emotion make for impressive stories that are difficult to forget.
6. Let's practice!
OK, now you have been introduced to the power of storytelling. Use this power wisely and solve these exercises to begin your quest to become a great data storyteller.