Harnham
SEARCH
Shortlist

Data Storytelling vs Data Visualisation

Richard Jones our consultant managing the role
Author: Richard Jones
Posting date: 11/7/2019 9:00 AM
The demand for “unicorn” employees is growing. Those with humanities and communications skillsets are now in demand, alongside those who specialise in Computer Science, Data Science, and anything technology-related. So, what exactly is the world looking for today?

Well, with the plethora of online learning opportunities available, the ramping up of technology courses both online and offline, and a cadre of storytelling books on the shelves; answering the question can seem daunting. But there are two ways in which you tell your story. They’re not separate exactly, but they do have their own parts to play.

What is Data Storytelling?


In a nutshell, it’s the ability to tell a story using the Data you’ve collected and analysed. So, how does this work exactly, and why would someone use it? This way to explain what’s happening the Data to stakeholders and executives helps paint a picture of their company in a different way. And unlike traditional storytelling, this type has facts and figures to back it up.

But that’s only half the story.

By taking a wider view of Data storytelling, you can provide stakeholders with the big picture in a way that’s relevant and engaging. But you still need the Data to back it up. This is where Data Visualisation comes in. Think of it as the Graphic Novel of your business’s story. Content is the narrative and images are the visual behind the narrative cementing the story in your mind.

What is Data Visualisation?


This is how you define your story, and you can do this in a variety of ways. You can use Data Visualisation software to help guide your story and keep you on track in the details. Seeing is believing and can help persuade a call-to-action from decision makers.

In a nutshell, Data Visualisation enhances storytelling using traditional techniques such as a “hook”, and embodies the basic structure of beginning, middle, and end. And while those in the marketing world know how to draw emotion and get people to act on it, Data Storytelling provides a new, useful skill for Analysts.

What are the Elements of a Good Story?


First, understand the story you’re telling. While visualising the results happens at the end to cement the story you’re telling, the heavy lifting is done in Data preparation. It’s not unlike baking a cake; you spend more time buying (collecting/gathering) the ingredients, mixing them, and organising (which pan, how long, and at what temperature), than you do baking the cake. The end result is the smell of something freshly baked, that looks amazing (visualisation), and tastes phenomenal – where the story and the visuals come together.

Second, identify the main characters; your Data elements. You need ask yourself what is the relationship between your characters (Data elements) and was is their role in the story.

This can help you bring together two disparate Datasets. Ask yourself, what tools would you need to make things work together? This is the preparation side of things. Once this is sorted, you have the elements of your story. 

Keys to Good Data Storytelling


  • Choose the right subject
  • Source credible Data
  • Craft an interesting, engaging, or enlightening narrative
  • Ensure your story provides meaning and value
  • Ensure you’re using credible Data to back up your story.
  • Blend narrative and visuals which can cement the information and make your story stick.
  • Choose relevant, useful topics for a more engaging story. You want your listeners to resonate with what they’re hearing or seeing. When people are engaged, this is where the emotion comes in.

Stories come from a variety of sources, but are essentially either internal (you or your organisation) or external (trade publications or industry leaders). For content marketing, external sources offer a variety of ideas to tailor your story around. But what best will resonate with your audience is your internal story. Those tailored to pain points or interests are particularly valuable. 

Remember that Data storytelling is not a story about numbers; it’s about humans and how those numbers affect them. 

If you’re interested in Data Storytelling and Visualisation, we may have a role for you. Take a look at our current vacancies or get in touch with one of our expert consultants to find out more. 

Related blog & news

With over 10 years experience working solely in the Data & Analytics sector our consultants are able to offer detailed insights into the industry.

Visit our Blogs & News portal or check out the related posts below.

How Can Organisations Tap Into The Huge Pool Of Neurodiverse Data Talent?

Ensuring that our workplaces are thriving with a diverse range of talent is, rightly, a topic that many organisations are focussing on. Yet, for the most part, this dialogue is centred around gender, ethnicity, sexuality and perhaps even physical disability. It is fairly uncommon therefore to see close attention given to exploring the challenges surrounding neurodiversity in organisations around the globe. Generally speaking, the term neurodiversity encompasses autism, attention deficit disorders, dyslexia, dyscalculia, dyspraxia and other neurological conditions. To hear a range of diverse viewpoints and perspectives is to contribute to an inclusive society and organisation. Leaving neurodiversity aside is no longer acceptable. Our research in the US highlights how 26 per cent of US adults have some form of disability, yet disabled individuals only account for 3.5 per cent of those working in Data & Analytics. As the global skills shortage worsens, it stands to reason that businesses will want to access this previously untapped talent pool. We know that in the UK, 56 per cent of organisations continue to experience skills shortages and in the US, two-thirds of employers hiring for full-time, permanent employees say they can’t find qualified talent to fill open jobs. An often-overlooked area of diversity is the impact a disability can have on an individual’s professional career. It’s no secret that all organisations would like to construct the best team – but are you doing enough to consider underrepresented talent? Creating a smooth recruitment and interview process One of the first barriers that neurodiverse candidates may encounter when seeking to enter an organisation is the recruitment and interview process. For these individuals, undergoing testing in this way puts pressure on communication skills, a tool that often allows us to better understand, connect and empathise with one another. When it comes to the recruitment process, the traditional in-person interview process — which assesses communication skills and personality fit — can be difficult to negotiate for neurodiverse candidates. In fact, this can be said to have been heightened by the pandemic too. The switch to virtual interviewing has added a new challenge to how neurodiverse candidates are able to participate in the process as miscommunication and interruptions come into the picture. For employers, tapping into the pool of data professionals with these invisible disabilities requires them to take the stress out of the interview and assessment process. It is critical to consider someone’s potential ability to do the job and the core skills that they have linking directly to the role on offer. Onboard a successful neurodiverse candidate efficiently Regardless of the size of an organisation, from global corporation to growing SME, they all share the same need to onboard new hires successfully and with limited disruption. It is this process that begins the relationship between an employee and an employer and although there will have been interactions through the recruitment process, it is the initial welcome into the organisation that will set the tone for the relationship moving forward. For neurodiverse employees this can be a daunting prospect; meeting new people while also familiarising themselves with a new environment and routine requires ongoing support and help from the employer. There are a number of ways that organisations can make this easier, from in-person or virtual meetings with smaller groups of the team to scheduled one-to-one chats with colleagues, the first few steps can be made more comfortable by promoting an inclusive culture. However, as there are such wide-ranging differences between neurodiverse conditions and individual requirements, employers need to implement policies that are tailored and highly individualised. Creating such policies and programmes can be complex and time-consuming, but it is critical to include your team in this. Ultimately it will boost your bottom line and the array of perspectives and views that are shared within the organisation. Retaining neurodiverse employees Neurodiverse candidates are capable, intelligent and have creative-thinking minds. To ensure their tenure within an organisation is lengthy and successful, we need to support these professionals and equip them with the tools and support they need to thrive. A standardised approach will not satisfy every need, and so it is important that every person in your organisation is accommodated as far as possible. The importance of this could not be clearer, as the BIMA Tech Inclusion & Diversity Report details how neurodivergent employees are more likely to be impacted by poor mental health (84 per cent against 49 per cent for neurotypical workers). This suggests that beyond attracting neurodiverse talent into the organisation, employers need to focus on the quality of the experience within the team. For example, take the time to book in regular meetings between the employee and their line manager. This will ensure that projects run smoothly, and any concerns or questions can be raised in a controlled environment. Listen to your team and their lived experiences to make informed and accurate plans to facilitate their growth within the team. After all, each employee brings a set of unique skills to a company. As more organisations realise the benefits of hiring neurodivergent candidates into their teams, employers have to act quickly to make routes into the business as accessible as possible. Ultimately, hiring neurodiverse people makes complete business sense. We know that diverse teams perform better, so now is the time to step up and tap into the huge pool of neurodiverse data talent. If you’re in the world of Data & Analytics and looking to take a step up or find the next member of your team, we can help. Take a look at our latest opportunities or get in touch with one of our expert consultants to find out more.

Charlie Waterman

Charlie Waterman

15. April 2021

Weekly News Digest: 5th - 9th April 2021

This is Harnham’s weekly news digest, the place to come for a quick breakdown of the week’s top news stories from the world of Data & Analytics.    The Drum: How data visualisation turns marketing metrics into business intelligence Gathering data is just one part of a marketer’s job but having the ability to turn this data into something visually stunning, informative and easy to use is another skill completely.  Marketers, on the whole, are extremely visual learners along with around 65 per cent of the population. Most of us are able to absorb data more effectively if the information being presented to us is done in such a way that is pleasing to the eye. And this is why Data Visualisation exists; it allows us to group, organise and represent data sets in a way that allows us to analyse larger quantities of information, compare findings, spot patterns and extract meaningful insights from raw data. Not only does Data Visualisation allow us to learn more effectively, but we can then turn this understanding into much broader and deeper Business Intelligence.  To read more on the positives of Data Visualisation and how to translate this into meaningful Business Intelligence, click here.  ZDNet: The five Vs of customer data platforms According to ZDNet, Customer Data Platforms (CDPs) are the hottest marketing technology today, offering companies a way to capture, unify, activate, and analyse customer data. Research done in 2020 by Salesforce showed that CDPs were among the highest priority investments for CMOs in 2021. If you’re planning to invest in a CDP this year, what five critical things do you need to think about when developing a successful strategy? ZDNet tells all.  Velocity - Your systems need to manage a high volume of data, coming in at various speeds.Variety - Every system has a slightly different main identifier or "source of truth," and the goal is to have one. This starts with being able to provision a universal information model, or schema, which can organize all of the differently labelled data into a common taxonomy. Veracity - Companies must ensure they can provision a single, persistent profile for every customer or account.Volume - It has been theorized that, in 2020, 1.7MB of data was created every second for every person on Earth. If you want to use those interactions to form the basis of your digital engagement strategy, you have to store them somewhere. Value - Once you have a clean, unified set of scaled data – now’s the time to think about how to derive value from it.  To learn more, read the full article here. Towards Data Science: How to Prepare for Business Case Interview Questions as a Data Scientist When you think of Data Science, the first thing that comes to mind will be technical knowledge of coding languages and fantastic statistical ability; softer skills such as communication and exceptional business knowledge may be overlooked. However, this is where many budding Data Scientists trip up. It is these softer skills and business acumen that sets brilliant candidates apart from others.  But how, when not usually taught at university, do you gather the business knowledge that will set you apart from the competition and showcase it in interview? Towards Data Science shares a few key pointers. Build a foundation – Brush up on your business basics. Research project management methodologies, organisational roles, tools, tech and metrics - all are crucial here. Company specifics – Research your company and its staff. Make sure your knowledge is tailored to the company you’re interviewing for. Products – This is where you’ll stand out above the rest if you get it right. The more you can know the ins and outs of products and metrics at the company, the more prepared you will be to answer business case questions. Read the full article here.  Harnham: Amped up Analytics: Google Analytics 4 Joshua Poore, one of our Senior Managers based in the US West division of Harnham, explores Google’s new and improved data insight capabilities, predominantly across consumer behaviours and preferences.  This exciting new feature of Google was born in the last quarter of 2020 and has now fully come into its infancy, and it’s an exciting time for Data & Analytics specialists across the globe. Joshua explores four key advantages of Google Analytics 4.0. Combined data and reporting - Rather than focusing on one property (web or app) at a time, this platform allows marketers to track a customer’s journey more holistically. A focus on anonymised data - By crafting a unified user journey centred around machine learning to fill in any gaps, marketers and businesses have a way to get the information they need without diving into personal data issues.Predictive metrics - Using Machine Learning to predict future transactions is a game changer for the platform. These predictive metrics for e-commerce sites on Google properties allow for targeted ads to visitors who seem most likely to make a purchase within one week of visiting the site. Machine Learning driven insights - GA4 explains it “has machine learning at its core to automatically surface helpful insights and gives you a complete understanding of your customers across devices and platforms.” Machine Learning-driven insights include details that elude human analysts.  To read Joshua’s full insights on GA4, click here.  We've loved seeing all the news from Data & Analytics in the past week, it’s a market full of exciting and dynamic opportunities. To learn more about our work in this space, get in touch with us at  info@harnham.com.   

Daniel Lewis

Daniel Lewis

09. April 2021

View all blogs

RELATED Jobs

recently viewed jobs