Storytelling with Data – A step-by-step guide to telling engaging stories.

The Power of Storytelling in the Information Age

In this curated guide, we explore the power of storytelling in the Information Age. We use the methodology described by Cole N. Knaflic in her book Storytelling with Data. By the end, we hope you feel capable of telling your own story.

The Current Challenge: Our Attention Is Shorter

We now receive so much data that it's hard to pay attention to everything. But a good story makes us stop, listen, and remember. We make important decisions quickly, often ignoring technical information. For such cases, storytelling with data can be a powerful and effective solution.

Data storytelling helps us:

• Transform complex data into clear messages.
• Create emotional connection with the audience.
• Increase information retention.

This guide is divided into two parts: the theoretical content and the practical “Coralina Case,” an example of how to apply data storytelling.

Theoretical Part

Step 1 – Understand the Context

Start by defining your target audience. Be specific. Understanding who they are and how they perceive you helps clarify your message.

How you are perceived: Does your audience see you as an expert, or do you need to build credibility?

Action: Make your message relevant. Show why they should care. Ask questions. Suggest next steps.

Set the tone: Are you presenting a success, “selling” a project, or addressing a serious matter? The tone influences the material you will create.

Data available: Identify what data you have and ensure it supports your story. Never hide data that contradicts your narrative. That is misleading.

Tip: Show confidence. You are likely the most informed person about your data.

Ask yourself:

• What information is essential?
• Who is the decision-maker?
• Is the audience predisposed to support or resist?
• What data reinforces the thesis?
• Is this data familiar or new?
• What risks could weaken the thesis?
• What does a successful outcome look like?
• If I had one sentence only, what would it be?

Step 2 – Visual Presentation

Most effective charts:

• Horizontal bars – compare categories.
• Lines – show trends over time.
• Heat maps – highlight values in tables.

Charts to avoid:

• Pie charts – hard to compare similar proportions.
• 3D charts – distort perception.

Tip: Ask a colleague: What do they notice first? What draws attention? What questions arise?

Step 3 – Eliminate Clutter

Our cognitive capacity is limited. Excess colors, highlights, and elements draw attention away from the idea. Remove what is unnecessary.

Gestalt Principles:

• Proximity: Group elements that belong together.
• Similarity: Use consistent colors or shapes to show relationships.
• Alignment: Organize content predictably to ease understanding.

Example (described image): Image showing two charts. The first is cluttered with gridlines, labels, and multiple bars. The second shows only two clean lines representing “Received” and “Processed” requests over months.

Step 4 – Direct Attention

We have 3–8 seconds to capture attention. Use pre-attentive attributes like size, tone, intensity, and shape.

Example (described image): An orchestra where all flutes play the same note. Some change pitch, making them immediately noticeable.

In text: Use bold, uppercase, or font size. Avoid underlining and inverted colors.

Colors: Use sparingly. Avoid red+green combinations due to color blindness prevalence (8% men, 4% women).

Step 5 – Think Like a Designer

Affordance: Visuals must indicate how the audience should read them.

Highlight the essential: No more than 10% should be highlighted.

Eliminate distractions: Remove details that do not change meaning.

Accessibility: Use simple language. Clarify acronyms. Prefer regular sans-serif fonts.

Aesthetics: Support accessibility through color, alignment, and spacing.

Step 6 – Tell the Story

Beginning

• Setting: When and where?
• Main character: Who drives the action?
• Imbalance: What changed?
• Solution: How to fix it?

Middle

• Describe “what could be.”
• Develop the problem.
• Show evidence.
• Explain consequences of doing nothing.
• Discuss solutions.

End

Make the call to action clear. Connect the ending to the beginning.

Practical Part – The Coralina Case

Context

Coralina is a People Development Coordinator at the Ministry of Management and Innovation. She faced low engagement: only 18% participated in training. Managers doubted the value due to confusing reports.

She revised her presentation using the 6 steps.

Visuals

She replaced tables with bar charts and a heat map.

Declutter

Eliminated 10 slides. Presented a single powerful number: $2.3 million lost yearly due to rework.

Direct Attention

Described image: A scale comparing costs: hiring externally ($15,000) vs. training ($1,200). Caption: “Hiring costs 12.5 times more than training.”

Design

She created a one-page report with a line graph showing correlation between trained staff and processes analyzed.

Story Structure

She built a detective-style narrative: Problem (“Why are our best employees leaving?”), Culprit (“Lack of development”), Solution (“Leaders+ Program”).

Results

• 65% managers enrolled.
• 20% reduction in turnover.
• 15% more projects on time.
• Model adopted by three ministries.

Lesson for Public Managers

“People management data is like rough diamonds: valuable, but only reveal their potential when transformed into stories about people and results.”

Recommended Reading

How to Write with Style – Kurt Vonnegut

This material was produced by public servants Diego Mesquita and Joseane Correa, in collaboration with Neurolaw specialist and storyteller Yna Honda.