The contemporary work environment is based on numbers. They describe our current situation, summarise different aspects of our work, and, above all, lead us to critical decisions. Regardless of whether we work with financial reports, satisfaction surveys, or statistical overviews, these numbers are meant to tell us something, and we are meant to make decisions based on them.

However, decision-making usually involves more than one person. The presenter typically has a specific aim for their audience, requiring them to understand the implications and act in a way that benefits the company. Yet, this critical part of the work process is often not done successfully. Often, we simply present the information, leaving our audience to wonder about the importance of the information presented.

The solution to this problem is data storytelling. By embedding your data into a story, you create a deeper understanding, effectively guiding your audience toward the desired conclusion.

For this aim, it is important to know:

1. The importance and real impact of data storytelling;
2. Key tools for effective communication; and
3. How to structure your narrative.

The Importance of Storytelling with Data

In order to hold the audience’s attention, it is important to follow the basic rules of communication, and data presentation is no different. This is because our brains are naturally wired to process and retain a story better than any other form of communication. There is a biological reason for this, as stories are able to tap into a number of areas of our brain, including those associated with emotions. In contrast, when we are faced with raw numbers, we process them intellectually but often fail to connect with them emotionally. Without that emotional hook, the information becomes much harder to recall later, no matter how accurate the data.

If you are simply presenting the data as it is, you are expecting the audience to think, analyse, and make connections, and all of this while you are talking. Data storytelling, on the other hand, removes all of this pressure from the audience and leads them through the most relevant information in a way that allows them to get the big picture. To be effective, your presentation must be aligned with your audience’s needs.

Understand Your Audience

The first step is to examine your audience. What is their level of expertise? What do you want them to get out of your presentation? One of the biggest mistakes you can make is to assume that everyone is as familiar with the data as you are. It is important to remember that different audience members may have very different needs and expectations. Depending on whether you are addressing a diverse group or an audience with a similar background, your narrative should either be unified or more specialised. Therefore, take a close look at your listeners—are they engineers, board members, or business partners? Understanding what they expect from your presentation will allow you to create a story that is truly tailored to their needs.

Here are some questions to ask yourself:

1. What level of technical expertise does your audience have? What type of data and level of detail are appropriate? What terminology are they familiar with?
2. What do they need to take away from the meeting? What is the purpose and objective of this discussion?
3. What action do you want them to take? What is the key message you need them to understand?

Clarify and Provide Context

To provide clarity to your audience, you should keep your data simple, yet precise. That does not mean to oversimplify your data; you should just avoid any details that do not add any valuable information, as it will simply distract from what truly matters. This means that you should acquire the skill to prioritise information. Here, context is key.

Are you speaking to experts, where every little detail and percentage needs to be analysed together? Or do you need to convey a general overview to a broader audience? Remember that you can lose credibility if you leave out important niche information in the former case. Regarding the latter case, presenting a bunch of information with precise numbers will leave your audience overwhelmed and clueless.

In most cases, however, it is better to choose intuitive reporting of numbers rather than a very detailed data presentation. That means that instead of presenting your actual result, e.g., 24.854%, round this number and talk about the nearly 25% or simplify even further and mention this number as a quarter. This way, you can bring the main message across in a clear and structured manner.

However, make sure that you round accurately in order not to falsify your data—that would be an even bigger faux pas. A handy tool to avoid this trap is a good rounding calculator.

Once unnecessary clutter has been removed, the next step is to place the data in context. That means that you need to interpret your data for your audience instead of leaving them with a bunch of facts. For example, if your team was able to close 130 deals, but you provide very little insight, your audience most likely does not know whether this is an improvement or a decline. To show them the significance of this number, you can compare this outcome with:

1. The past: 130 deals represent a 30% increase compared to last year.
2. The goal: 130 deals fall short of the target of 150.
3. The market: 130 deals exceed what your main competitor achieved during the same period.

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Visual Storytelling

After establishing your rhetoric, let’s not forget about the visuals that accompany it. Your story is not only what your audience is listening to, but well-designed visuals are also a big part of it. Unfortunately, it is easy to get them wrong. Default charts from Excel or PowerPoint are usually not the best way to present your data. A lot of raw data on your slides is just as bad as a slide full of text.

There are some tips to create good visuals. The first step is to choose the right type of chart. If you want to show trends over a longer period, use a line chart, but reach for a bar chart to compare categories. A scatter chart is great for showing correlation, and a pie chart is only intuitive if you want to show simple data.

Next, you need to remove all clutter. That means that you need to remove unnecessary and distracting details, such as gridlines, 3D effects, and borders.

Once you have your template ready, you should add colours intentionally. Highlight only the key pieces of information, use red colour for declines and green for growth—it should be intuitive. The parts irrelevant to your story should be left neutral.

Structure Your Narrative

Background and relevance

Before presenting your findings, make sure your audience knows what to expect. Start by providing context: explain why the data was collected and what its purpose is. Once your audience understands the background, you can smoothly transition into the core of your presentation.

The insights

This is where you share your key findings. Briefly introduce what the data represents and what it reveals. Structure your insights logically, for example, in chronological order, and ensure they support your overall narrative. It is also important to connect the data to what it represents in the real world. Using a short example or case study can help make the information more concrete and relatable.

The conclusion

By this point, your audience has absorbed a great deal of information and needs to be reminded of the central message. Reconnect the original purpose with the key insights and synthesise them into a clear conclusion. Ultimately, your goal is to guide your audience toward understanding, decision-making, or action.

Key Takeaways

1. Data storytelling makes numbers come alive; it turns dry numbers into a story that people can understand, remember, and act on.
2. Ensure that you know your audience and focus on what matters to them.
3. Simplify the data, highlight the key points, and avoid unnecessary details that distract from your message.
4. Explain the significance of your message by comparing it to the past, goal, or market.
5. Use visuals wisely and make the story easy to follow.
6. Guide your audience through a clear flow: from background, to insights, to conclusion.

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