Data Storytelling

From Headline to Climax: Creating an Evocative Data Story

The Brains Behind the Panel

Kerry  Edelstein  •  President  and  

Founder,  Research  Narra3ve  

•  Professional  data  storyteller  

•  Research  geek  with  storyteller  clients  

•  Oversubscribed  V2V  mentor  

•  Sporadically  funny  

 

Sean  Monahan  •  GM  and  Crea3ve  

Director,  Westside  Corporate  Crea3vity    

•  Professional  performer  and  leadership/  communica3on  coach  

•  Adver3sing  professional  turned  improv  ar3st  

•  Business  owner  •  Funny  on  command    

Sess

ion

Ove

rvie

w

Elisa  Camahort  Page  •  Co-­‐founder  and  

research  lead  at  BlogHer  (now  part  of  SheKnows  Media)  

•  Founding  Fellow  of  the  Society  for  New  Communica3ons  Research    

•  Reality  TV  Talent  Show  Armchair  Cri3c  

Anon  Male  Editor  •  Builds  news  app  and  

mul3media  content  using  data  integra3on  

•  Leads  team  of  data  engineers  and  designers  who  develop  interac3ve  storytelling  for  a  major  na3onal  media  outlet  

•  Iden3ty  to  be  revealed  upon  official  HQ  approval  of  par3cipa3on  

Why this Panel? Se

ssio

n O

verv

iew

Consider this post today at Entrepreneur.com, entitled, “How Analytics and Data Can Undermine Leaders:

Creating narratives from data is a necessary management and content creation skill – and one in which most media and interactive employees aren’t adequately trained.

Key Skills This Panel Will Cover Se

ssio

n O

verv

iew

•  Finding the important story and getting to the point, the ultimate “crux” of what you need to convey

•  Effectively using data to tell compelling

business and content narratives – whether you’re a an analyst or not

•  Adapting a data story to different stakeholders and audiences

•  Using data to take audiences, colleagues,

and customers on an emotional journey that inspires action and impact

 

Data storytelling is a three step process. 1.  Find the story – designing, searching, and

analyzing

2.  Tell the story – developing and communicating a narrative, rational “proof”, relevant insights, and emotional messages

3.  Manage the story – communicating effectively and adapting your style as necessary

 

Our Philosophy: What Makes for a Compelling Data Story?

Sess

ion

Ove

rvie

w

 

Finding a Data Story Often Means Looking in the Weeds….

Ste

p 1

: Fin

din

g t

he

Sto

ry

 

…And Then Getting Out of the Weeds and Getting to the Point

Ste

p 1

: Fin

din

g t

he

Sto

ry

Cringeworthy, yes. But this NY Times headline is to the point, and hits home.  

 

Can You Tell Your Story in Six Words?

Ste

p 1

: Fin

din

g t

he

Sto

ry

 

In Finding Your Data Story, Ask Yourself:

Ste

p 1

: Fin

din

g t

he

Sto

ry

•  How does this matter to our business?

•  Why will my audience care?

You’ve Found the Story. Telling it Begins with Thinking Like a Storyteller.

•  Who’s your audience?

•  What is your main theme?

•  How can your story create tension and then lead to payoff? What are the stakes?

•  How have you paced your story?

•  How are you moving your story forward?

•  What feeling are you creating? What are your emotional hooks?

•  How are you visually engaging audiences?

•  What is your end destination?

Tip: “Storyboard” your

own report by starting with an

outline

Ste

p 2

: Te

llin

g t

he

Sto

ry

 

As a Data Storyteller, Emotion is Your Ally

Emotion… Ø Drives engagement Ø Creates memory Ø Humanizes the

storyteller

Your toolkit Ø  Emotional hook Ø  Universal truth Ø  Tension points Ø  Payoff

Ste

p 2

: Te

llin

g t

he

Sto

ry

 

Data Visualization: It’s More Than Dashboards and Interactive Charts

….like John Oliver.

Ste

p 2

: Te

llin

g t

he

Sto

ry

We can learn from unconventional data storytellers…

What is your personality as a data storyteller? Whatever it is: own it. •  Humor •  Uniqueness •  Action/Energy •  Shock value •  Intellect •  Trust •  Charisma •  Passion  

We All Have a Voice, But What is It? St

ep

2: T

elli

ng

th

e S

tory

 Funny    And  also  though/ul        

The story fat we mean. Because cookies are delicious.

Every Story Needs a Final Edit: Learn to Cut the Fat

“You  can  have  the  rest  of  this  cookie.”  

Ste

p 2

: Te

llin

g t

he

Sto

ry

You can read 12 pt font from the back of the room, right?

And Remember: The Way You Tell the Story Should Align with Where You’re Telling it

We once attended a

presentation in wh

ich the

lead presenter put

three

paragraphs up on a

slide and

then proceeded to

present to

a room full of exe

cutives.

While we appreciat

e story

exposition, a live

presentation is no

t the venue

for expansive visu

al prose.

You’re talking to

a room, not

writing an academi

c journal.

And the audience p

robably

came to hear what

you have to

say. If they’re re

ading,

they’re neither li

stening nor

paying attention.

Once upon a time an analyst spent 25 minutes explaining methodology and then ran out of time.

I wonder what he learned.

Ste

p 2

: Te

llin

g t

he

Sto

ry

 

But Wait, You’re Not Done! Now It’s Time to Manage the Story.

•  The story doesn’t end when you deliver it.

•  How are others reacting to your story?

•  How are you reacting to their reaction?

•  What are the dynamics in the room? (On the email chain….or the comments section…) How are you managing them?

Ste

p 3

: Ma

na

gin

g t

he

Sto

ry

Managing the Story Isn’t Always Easy

Sound familiar? •  The story is “Your baby’s ugly”

•  You’re not a trusted source (Why believe you)?

•  You (or someone like you) said “the wrong thing” with this audience in the past

•  Your audience has something to lose if you’re right

•  What you’re saying costs a lot of money

How can we manage our own reaction, to that reaction?

How can we soften reactions such as defensiveness, anger, distrust?

Ste

p 3

: Ma

na

gin

g t

he

Sto

ry

Five Concepts for Managing Your Delivery of a Data Narrative

1.  Be effective, not right (Have a point of view, not an agenda)

2.  Validate - don’t attack - your audience

3.  Be empathetic: “Where are you coming from?”

4.  Frame with a positive before introducing a negative

5.  Manage your own response (If someone questions your narrative, do YOU get defensive?)

Ste

p 3

: Ma

na

gin

g t

he

Sto

ry

Learn these insights and more….

…from 4 different points of view

Data Storytelling

From Headline to Climax: Creating an Evocative Data Story

Our Panel Proposal for SXSW 2016

THANK YOU.

info@researchnarrative.com info@westsidecorporate.com