How do you team up for data visualization storytelling?

1 Define your roles

The first step to team up for data visualization storytelling is to define your roles and responsibilities. Depending on the size and scope of your project, you may have different data visualization team members, such as data analysts, data engineers, data journalists, data designers, data storytellers, or data consultants. Each role has a specific skill set and contribution to the data visualization process, from collecting and cleaning data, to analyzing and interpreting data, to designing and presenting data. By clarifying your roles and expectations, you can avoid confusion, overlap, and conflict, and ensure that everyone is on the same page.

2 Choose your tools

The next step to team up for data visualization storytelling is to choose your tools and platforms. There are many data visualization tools and software available, such as Tableau, Power BI, Excel, R, Python, D3.js, or Adobe Illustrator. Each tool has its own advantages and disadvantages, depending on your data type, format, complexity, and audience. You should choose the tools that best suit your data visualization goals, needs, and preferences, and that allow you to collaborate easily and efficiently with your team. For example, you may use cloud-based tools that enable real-time sharing and editing, or version control tools that track changes and revisions.

3 Share your feedback

The third step to team up for data visualization storytelling is to share your feedback and suggestions. Data visualization is an iterative and creative process that requires constant improvement and refinement. You should seek and provide constructive feedback to your team members, such as asking questions, giving compliments, pointing out errors, or offering alternatives. Feedback can help you to enhance the quality, accuracy, and clarity of your data visualizations, as well as to align them with your intended message and audience. You should also be open and receptive to feedback, and use it to learn and grow as a data visualization professional.

4 Develop your story

The fourth step to team up for data visualization storytelling is to develop your story and narrative. Data visualization storytelling is not just about showing data, but also about telling a story that connects with your audience and persuades them to take action or change their perspective. You should work with your team to craft a compelling and coherent story that has a clear purpose, structure, and flow. You should also consider the elements of storytelling, such as characters, conflict, resolution, emotion, and surprise. By using storytelling techniques, you can make your data visualizations more engaging, memorable, and impactful.

5 Test your visuals

The fifth step to team up for data visualization storytelling is to test your visuals and evaluate their effectiveness. Data visualization storytelling is not only about creating data visualizations, but also about delivering them to your audience and measuring their response and feedback. You should test your visuals with your team and with a sample of your target audience, and see how they react and interact with them. You should also use metrics and indicators, such as views, clicks, shares, comments, or conversions, to assess the performance and impact of your data visualizations. By testing your visuals, you can identify and fix any issues, gaps, or errors, and optimize your data visualizations for your audience and purpose.

6 Learn from others

The sixth and final step to team up for data visualization storytelling is to learn from others and get inspired by their work. Data visualization storytelling is a dynamic and evolving field that requires continuous learning and innovation. You should keep up with the latest trends, best practices, and examples of data visualization storytelling, and see how others use data to tell stories that inform, educate, or persuade their audience. You should also seek opportunities to network and connect with other data visualization professionals, such as attending events, joining communities, or participating in challenges. By learning from others, you can broaden your horizons, sharpen your skills, and discover new ideas and possibilities for data visualization storytelling.

7 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?