Here's how you can harness data storytelling to shape organizational decisions and spur action.

Make sure your data are specific enough to show the problem/build the story, but not so detailed that half of the audience has difficulty grasping the context. Or even worse, one expert can't challenge your scope and remove your only argument on the list. You can always dig deeper, while going up may expose you to elements not controlled by you (as it was not in your original scope)

Harnessing data story telling to shape organizational decisions and spur action involves turning complex data into clear, compelling narratives. Begin by identifying key insights and rends that are relevant to your goals. Use data visualization tools to create intuitive charts and graphs that highlight these insights. Develop a narrative that contextualizes the data, showing its impact on the organization. Use compelling operational use cases to make the data relatable. Tailor your story to the audience, focusing on their KPIs, challenges, and interests. By presenting data in an engaging and understandable way, you can drive informed decision making and motivate action within your organization.

To create a great narrative, you start with a compelling plot, and data is an endless source of stories. It will inspire you to discuss anything from global warming to names of newborn babies. ? Be sure to choose a meaningful topic that resonates with your audience and is relevant for your business. Choose appropriate analysis and visualization techniques to turn data into knowledge. Use critical thinking and fact-checking before drawing any conclusions.

Make sure you use the correct visualisation for information. Don't butcher your line diagrams with not zeroed axes. Don't use 2D/3D bars that grow in width and depth with the number. A pie chart has always to present the whole data, not only the piece of scope you are interested in.

Remember, you are not talking about just numbers, but user stories and user needs. People who heard your presentation first-hand may not be able to remember the numbers, to repeat them later, but they will remember the story, and if someone finds it interesting, they will be able to find you to learn more details.

A strong call to action gives your narrative purpose and direction, turning passive listeners into active participants in the story you've told. Imagine you're presenting data on declining customer satisfaction scores to your company's leadership team. After showing the data trends, visualizing customer feedback, and discussing the emotional impact of losing loyal customers, you conclude with a call to action. You recommend implementing a new customer service training program and increasing follow-up with dissatisfied customers. By clearly stating what needs to be done and why, you give your audience a concrete step to improve customer satisfaction and drive positive change in the organization.

Something that makes this process much easier is setting goals. Once an indicator has targets set, it is easier to stimulate decision-making, especially when the indicator is below target and the projections are not good.