Understanding data storytelling
Simply put, data storytelling means telling a story using data. According to Brent Dykes, author of the bestselling book Effective Data Storytelling, data storytelling is the skillful amalgamation of data, narrative, and visuals.
Why tell a story? Stories are an integral part of our lives and are the most natural way we consume and retain information. Compared to straightforward facts and messages, stories are memorable, impressionable, relatable, and persuasive. Stories appeal to the humanness of the audience. Stories often help in communicating a complex concept or message more effectively. This is evident through the prevalence and effectiveness of parables, fables, and other forms of stories throughout human history.
Structuring a data story
Stories can be told in different ways and can have different purposes. Some have a moral or a lesson to teach, some report events, while others just entertain. In the simplest sense, a story has a...
