The field of data science is exponentially growing because of how data is being harnessed to generate valuable, actionable insights. Data science has revolutionized our way of life and how businesses operate. It has changed the landscape of our world from the most minute of details such as tailoring our digital experiences to our personal preferences, to larger more impactful changes societally, and globally. Data science is leveraged to combat homelessness and globally its impact has a far reach through a multitude of domains from improving medical care by improving diagnostic capabilities and research to helping refugee placement and touches everything in between.

The ubiquity of data makes it a powerful tool that can be used to effectively tell stories about pretty much every aspect of human existence. 

 For example, data can reveal

• Different ways of visualizing 500,000 COVID deaths in the U.S.
• A clearer picture of the reality behind animal extinction
• Lessons learned from 20,000 letters to an advice columnist

The ability to use data to effectively tell stories about the world around us is not only a game-changing, 21st-century business strategy, data storytelling can also be a lucrative career path for data-savvy professionals with the right education, experience, and skills.

What Is Data Storytelling?

There are several different ways to understand data storytelling. At one level, as the researcher and author Brené Brown once famously suggested, “maybe stories are just data with a soul.” 

More specifically, “Data storytelling is the blending of two worlds: hard data and human communication,” according to visual communication company Column Five Media. “Data storytelling is the general term we use to describe the full act of gathering data, extracting insights, and translating those insights into a story. It’s a compelling narrative crafted around and anchored by compelling data, used to guide decision-making, reveal an interesting trend, or provide valuable information to your audience.”

Harvard Business School describes data storytelling as “the ability to effectively communicate insights from a dataset using narratives and visualizations” — and lists three key components:

1. Data: Data serves as the foundation of the story. Analyzing data using descriptive, diagnostic, predictive, and prescriptive analysis can enable you to understand its full picture.
2. Narrative: A verbal or written narrative, also called a storyline, is used to communicate insights from the data and the actions recommended for the audience.
3. Visualizations: Visual representations of the data and narrative (charts, graphs, diagrams, pictures, videos) can help communicate the story clearly and memorably.

Storytelling and data visualization are at the heart of what makes data science so interesting to many of those who practice it. In fact, “It can be argued that data scientists are drawn to their profession because of their passion in uncovering the stories behind the data,” says Erin Cooke, an adjunct professor with the University of San Diego’s Master of Science in Applied Data Science degree program.

In a blog post on “Storytelling with Data,” Cooke shares six guidelines offered by the data storyteller and author Cole Nussbaumer Knaflic:

1. Understand the importance of the context and the narrative you wish to convey.
2. Create visuals that are effective and appropriate.
3. Declutter your visuals.
4. Home in the audience’s focus to exactly where you would like the attention.
5. Implement a design that is accessible.
6. Ensure you are telling the story you wish to convey.

These six guidelines from Nussbaumer Knaflic serve as the foundation to build a strong story upon.  It is important to provide the right visual components for your audience, but it is also just as important to provide a narrative that your audience connects with.  That emotional connection is the catalyst for imprinting your story in their memory and inspiring action.

Why Is Data Storytelling Important?

Anyone with any connection to the world of data science understands the fundamental idea that every organization’s data contains immensely valuable business insights. The simple answer to why data storytelling is so important, as characterized by author Brent Dykes in Forbes, is that “data storytelling unlocks your data’s full potential.”

At one level, data storytelling is often about helping to make technical or complex information more easily understood by non-technical audiences. However, just as important is the capacity to use data storytelling to inspire, motivate, and persuade.

“Data storytelling can help turn data insights into action,” says the Harvard Business School article, adding, “The brain’s preference for stories over pure data stems from the fact that it takes in so much information every day and needs to determine what’s important to process and remember and what can be discarded.”

Data Storytelling Careers

The field of data science needs talented storytellers in a wide range of different yet often closely related positions. As a data storyteller, you’ll be counted on to tell data-driven stories that can be readily understood and inspire a call to action by key stakeholders.

 Here are a few of the most common job titles related to data storytelling:

 Data Analyst

A data analyst collects and stores data relevant to their organization’s objectives, and uses technical expertise to process data and present it in ways that help drive better-informed decision making.

Average salary: $79,000 (Salary.com)

 Data Scientist

Operating at a more advanced level, data scientists apply various tools, statistical techniques, algorithms, data mining, and machine learning principles to uncover trends, patterns, and insights in raw data; all to identify opportunities and inform business decision making.

Average salary: $119,000 (ZipRecruiter.com)

Data Visualization Specialist

Data visualization specialists work with data and information to create visual aids (such as charts, graphs, animations, slideshows, and other formats) that are used to bring data storytelling to life.

Average salary: $91,000 (Salary.com)

 Business Intelligence Analyst

Sometimes referred to as a BI analyst, this professional uses data analysis and data storytelling to help businesses navigate decisions; typically in close communication with the business team and upper management.

Average salary: $85,000 (ZipRecruiter.com)

Key Skills for Data Storytellers

“As with any good story, a data tale needs a beginning, a middle, an end and some actionable insights,” according to an MIT article that also quotes data consultant and author Dykes as saying that “the skill of data storytelling is removing the noise and focusing people’s attention on the key insights.”

In addition to possessing a solid sense of how to communicate a story, data storytellers need a range of hard and soft skills that include the following:

Hard Skills

• Mathematics, statistics, and data analysis skills
• Essential programming skills (including Python and R)
• Data wrangling and preprocessing skills
• Data visualization skills (ability to use data visualization tools and packages)

Soft Skills

• Communication 
• Creativity
• Lifelong learning
• Business acumen (knowledge of the organization’s goals and mission)
• Ability to craft a narrative that will be meaningful to the intended audience

Tableau, the software company that produces one of the most widely used data visualization and business intelligence  tools, suggests that data storytellers have proficiency in the following types of data visualization formats and techniques:

• Charts
• Tables
• Graphs
• Maps
• Infographics
• Interactive graphics
• Dashboards
• Bar charts
• Bullet graphs
• Dot distribution maps
• Heat maps
• Timelines
• Word clouds
• Videos, and more.

Education Options for Data Storytellers

First, you’ll want to begin absorbing as much information as you can about the fascinating world of data storytelling. One great way to keep yourself informed, engaged, and learning is to connect with online data storytelling resources such as the Storytelling with Data community and blog, Flowing Data and Information is Beautiful.

Additionally, as with most technology-centered careers, education and experience are key. In terms of classroom-type training, options include online data storytelling courses such as those offered by Story IQ, Udemy, edX; and data industry websites such as Tableau.

 There are also university-affiliated programs focused on data storytelling and related disciplines of data science and data visualization. For example, the online Master of Science in Applied Data Science program at the University of San Diego emphasizes the fundamental importance of data storytelling.  The MS-ADS program addresses both the required technical skill sets to tackle the data science problem, but also places emphasis on the softer skills that are needed for effective storytelling that provide an accessible story to the “why” question.

About the Author, Erin Cooke

Erin is currently an instructor in “Data Science for Good,” a special workshop series produced by the University of San Diego Master of Science in Applied Data Science program in collaboration with San Diego Tech Hub. She feels a special privilege with this opportunity of introducing the field of data science in this program and touching upon the important subjects of Data Ethics and Storytelling with Data.