Data Storytelling (DATA220)
Learn to turn analysis into data stories: frame the question, find the insight, pick a story type, and design focused visuals that help stakeholders decide.
Register or Request Training
- Private class for your team
- Live expert instructor
- Online or on‑location
- Customizable agenda
- Proposal responses same day as request
Course Overview
This course is designed for analysts who can produce sound analysis but whose findings are not landing with the people who act on them. It covers the full data storytelling process, from framing the question and moving from exploratory to explanatory insight, through selecting a story type, sketching and building the visuals, and combining everything into a focused story that helps stakeholders understand the implications and choose a next step.
Course Benefits
- Distinguish a standalone visualization from data storytelling, and explain how evidence, visual design, and narrative work together.
- Establish the question, audience, and context for an analysis, then apply exploratory methods to extract the meaningful patterns and trends worth telling.
- Create charts and dashboard views that reinforce one message, using chart choice, color, spacing, and other design practices to direct attention and ease interpretation.
- Select the data story type that fits the audience and the decision at hand, and construct a complete narrative using a classic storytelling structure and the delivery medium best suited to that audience.
- Identify common pitfalls in data analysis and visualization and apply corrective practices that protect the story's credibility.
Delivery Methods
Delivered for your team at your site or online.
Course Outline
- Set Up and Context: Data visualization vs. data storytelling; the data storytelling process; question framing and context; moving from exploratory to explanatory insight.
- Analysis: Exploratory analysis; five types of analysis; extracting patterns and trends in Excel.
- Select Your Data Story: Seven types of data stories; secondary characters; matching story type to message and audience.
- Sketch: Purpose and audience; visualizing the narrative arc; chart selection; color and white space; reducing cognitive load; common visualization pitfalls.
- Communicate: Choosing the story "book"; assembling the narrative; delivering to stakeholders.
Class Materials
Each student receives a comprehensive set of materials, including course notes and all class examples.
Class Prerequisites
Experience in the following is required for this Data class:
Data Analysis Fundamentals or equivalent experience framing analytical questions and summarizing data, as well as basic familiarity with charts in Excel.
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