The Narrative
Start with the story first, Not the chart!
Before designing anything, it's important to ask: Who is the audience? What should they understand about this information? A strong narrative gives the visuals a backbone because it shapes what matters and what doesn't.
Core Pieces of a Data Story
- Purpose: To inform, persuade, or instruct (pick one).
- Audience: What they know, fear, and need.
- Arc: Context > Tension > Resolution
- Voice & Pacing: Short sentences, purposeful headings, incorporating one idea at a time.
- Evidence: Every claim traces towards a specific data point.
Why Narrative Matters
In the article titled,Narrative Visualization: Telling Stories with Data, by Edward Segel and Jeffery Heer,explains how narrative visualization works because people interpret data more clearly when it follows a familiar story arc (context, tension, and resolution). This structure guides attention and turns abstract information into insight.
Segel and Heer's research examines how data-driven storytelling exists along a spectrum between two modes:author-driven and reader-driven. Author-driven narratives lead viewers through a structured sequence with commentary and guided pacing, while reader-driven narratives allow audiences to freely explore and interpret data. Segel and Heer argue that most effective visual stories blend both while offereing a clear narrative framework while allowing room for personal discovery. This balance transforms raw data into an engaging experience that informs and resonates with audiences on both cognitive and emotional levels.