Storytelling With Data

Those who tell powerful stories with data are today’s oracles.

When those in power in Ancient Greece needed answers, they consulted Pythia, a high priestess at the Temple of Apollo in Delphi. Pythia spoke in poetic mysteries, making interpretation the central focus of any quest for answers. In Greek myths, heroes often only understood the oracle’s words, and themselves, in retrospect. Today, people turn instead to data and those who know how to interpret it, including analysts, brokers and the media. To tell engaging stories with data, take lessons from the Delphic Oracle: Aspire to ask the right questions and to glean insights from the “hero’s journey” that occurs in the space between questioning and understanding.

Data interacts with narratives and systems in the following ways:

1. Data shapes a strategic narrative – Whether you’re segmenting customers or developing brand stories, data provides context to shape and share stories.
2. Data visualizations deliver the story – In formats such as data journalism, data-inspired social media campaigns and analyst reports...