How do you tailor your data story to different audiences and contexts?

1 Know your audience

In order to tailor your data story, it is essential to understand who you are talking to and what they care about. Different audiences may have different levels of familiarity, interest, and expertise in your topic, as well as different expectations, needs, and preferences. For instance, a senior executive may require a high-level overview of the key insights and recommendations, while a technical expert may need to see the details and methods behind your analysis. To know your audience, you should conduct research and ask yourself questions such as: what is their role and background? What is their main objective and pain point? What are their assumptions and biases? What are their questions and concerns? How do they prefer to receive and process information?

2 Define your purpose

To tailor your data story, you must first define what you want to achieve and how you want to influence your audience. Depending on your purpose, you may need an explanatory, exploratory, persuasive, or inspirational data story. For instance, if you want to explain a complex phenomenon, you may use a data story that reveals the causal relationships and patterns behind it. If you want to persuade your audience to take action, you may use a data story that displays the benefits and risks of different options. To define your purpose, consider questions such as: what is the main message and takeaway of your data story? What evidence and logic supports your message? What call to action or recommendation do you want your audience to follow? What tone and emotion do you want to convey?

4 Design your visuals

The fourth step in tailoring your data story is to design visuals and charts that illustrate your data story. Different visuals have different strengths and weaknesses, such as readability, accuracy, and impact. For instance, a bar chart may be suitable for comparing discrete categories, while a line chart may be better for showing trends over time. When designing visuals, it is important to choose the right type of visual for your data and message, use consistent and appropriate colors, fonts, and labels, highlight the most important and relevant data points, avoid clutter and unnecessary elements, and add annotations and captions to explain your visuals.

5 Write your narrative

The fifth step in tailoring your data story is to write your narrative and script that accompany your visuals and charts. Different narratives may have different structures and styles, such as linear, nonlinear, or interactive. For example, a linear narrative may follow a simple and logical sequence, while a nonlinear narrative may allow the audience to choose their own path. To write your narrative, you should use clear and concise language that matches your audience and purpose, as well as storytelling elements such as hook, context, conflict, and resolution. Additionally, you should use transitions and signposts to guide your audience through your data story, as well as rhetorical devices such as metaphors, analogies, and stories to make your data story more memorable and relatable. Finally, use feedback and iteration to refine your data story.