bkjohn2018 Analytics Storytelling
When to Use
- Presenting analysis to business stakeholders.
- Translating charts into actionable insights.
- Requests for clearer story flow in reports.
Workflow
- Start with audience, decision, and desired action.
- Choose visual form that best supports the specific message.
- Remove clutter and non-essential elements that do not add meaning.
- Focus attention using pre-attentive attributes (color, size, position, and emphasis).
- Structure narrative as context, insight, implication, action.
- Surface uncertainty, assumptions, and alternatives.
- Close with explicit recommendation and next step.
Storytelling With Data Principles
- Start with context and audience needs before chart design.
- Keep visuals simple: simple beats decorative.
- Use contrast intentionally to direct attention to what matters.
- De-emphasize supporting data and highlight the key signal.
- Titles should communicate takeaway, not chart type.
Output Template
# Insight Narrative
## Decision context
[What decision is being made]
## Key insight
[One sentence claim]
## Visual strategy
- Chosen visual:
- Why this visual fits:
- Clutter removed:
- Attention cues used:
## Supporting evidence
- Evidence 1
- Evidence 2
## Business implication
[So what]
## Recommended action
1. ...
Quality Checklist
- Message starts with decision context, not methods.
- Visual form matches the analytical message.
- Clutter is removed unless it adds decision value.
- Attention is intentionally directed to key evidence.
- Each claim has supporting evidence.
- Trade-offs and uncertainty are acknowledged.
- Recommendation is specific and time-bound.