adobe summit - data storytelling

© 2016 Adobe Systems Incorporated. All Rights Reserved. Adobe Confidential.© 2015 Adobe Systems Incorporated. All Rights Reserved. Adobe Confidential.

Data Storytelling Chris Haleua | Sr. Product Marketing Manager | AdobeEduard Latour | Marketing Insights Manager | Lego

© 2016 Adobe Systems Incorporated. All Rights Reserved. Adobe Confidential.3

Chris HaleuaProduct Marketing Manager

[email protected]

Edward LatourMarketing Insights

[email protected]

m


Summary

4

1 | The Purpose of Data Storytelling

2 | The Psychology of Data Storytelling

3 | Data: The Foundation of Your Data Story

4 | Narrative: The Structure of Your Data Story

5 | Visuals: The Key Scenes of Your Data Story

Data

Narrative VisualsEnga

ge

CHANGE


Numbers have an important story to tell. They rely on you to give them a clear and convincing voice

Stephen Few

© 2016 Adobe Systems Incorporated. All Rights Reserved. Adobe Confidential.© 2016 Adobe Systems Incorporated. All Rights Reserved. Adobe Confidential.6

value from data by processing it, visualizing it, and communicating it is going to be an essential skill in the next decade." Hal Varian

Chief EconomistGoogle


The Psychology of Storytelling

© 2016 Adobe Systems Incorporated. All Rights Reserved. Adobe Confidential. 8

Inform ortell a story?


Ignaz Semmelweis

1818-1865

True

Valuable

Actionable

Adopted

Childbed Fever Mortality: 10% with doctors vs. 4% with midwives


Childbed Fever Mortality Rates

0%

2%

4%

6%

8%

10%

12%

14%

16%

18%

20%

J F M A M J J A S O N D J F M A M J J A S O N D J F M A M J J A S O N D J F M

1846 1847 1848 1849

Handwashing policy introduced mid-May

Strict controls enforced on negligent students

Semmelweisdismissed

12%

4%5%

82%

2%0% 0%


MAIN

POINT

EXPLAN.

FOCUS

LINEAR

SEQ.

NARR.

ELEMENTS VISUALS

Data Storytelling Often Often Often OftenYes

Curated Reports & Dashboards Often Often Often YesMaybe

Infographics Often Maybe Maybe YesMaybe

Data Visualizations Maybe Rarely No YesMaybe

Automated Reports No No No OftenNo

Automated Dashboards No No No YesNo

Not All Delivery Tools Are Created Equal

Effort Required


How Much Effort Should You Invest in Data Storytelling?

Expected Simple

InexpensiveIntuitive

Disruptive Complex

CostlyCounterintuitive

Insight Type

LowValue

HighValueBusiness Impact

Story Zone


Stories Beat Statistics

More Memorable More Persuasive

5% vs. 60%statistics stories

$1.40 vs. $2.40statistics stories


Analytics Path to Value


side of reason, but they help us to reach decisions

Dr. Antonio Damasio


Data

LOGIC EMOTION

Why Data Stories?

Story


We hear statistics,but we feel stories


DATA

Shields Up

When we read dry, factual arguments, we read with our dukes up. We are critical and

Stories Have a Unique Effect on Audiences


Stories Have a Unique Effect on Audiences

DATA

STORY

Shields Downabsorbed in a story we drop our intellectual guard. We are moved emotionally and this seems to leave

Jonathan GottschallAuthor, The Storytelling Animal

Shields Up


Analytics Path to Value


Narrative Visuals3 Keys to Data Storytelling

Data


Data

Narrative VisualsExplain: Narrative + Data


Narrative

Data

Enlighten: Data + Visuals

Visuals


Narrative

Data

Engage: Narrative + Visuals En

gage

Visuals


Data


ge

CHANGEInfluence ChangeWith Data Stories


MAIN

POINT

Five Essential Elements of a Data Story

have a point! It makes it so much more interesting for the


MAINPOINT

EXPLANATORYFOCUS

Descriptive Explanatory

DescribeTo represent or give an account of in words or pictures

Who?What? When?

WHY?HOW?

ExplainTo make plain or clear; render understandable or intelligible



MAINPOINT

EXPLANATORYFOCUS

LINEARSEQUENCE

StoryAn account of a connected series of events.



MAINPOINT

EXPLANATORYFOCUS

LINEARSEQUENCE

NARRATIVEELEMENTS



What Do We Learn about Carl & Ellie?

Dream Vacation

Diverse Backgrounds

Do-It-Yourselfers

ChildhoodRomance

DifferentStyles

Work Togetherat Zoo

RenovatedDream Home

Wanted a Family

Unable to Have Kids

FinancialSetbacks

Bucket List GrievingWidower

Still Romantic

Grow Old Together



MAINPOINT

EXPLANATORYFOCUS

LINEARSEQUENCE

NARRATIVEELEMENTS

VISUALS

lady screamed. Bring her on and

Mark Twain


Customer Journey

We were lost &

confused

on shop.LEGO.com


Navigation Confusion

34

?

40% Exit10% Ninjago

22% Global Navigation


70% Lower Satisfaction Projected Loss: $8 Million

40% Exit10% Ninjago




70% Lower Satisfaction Projected Loss: $8 Million

40% Exit10% Ninjago


NARRATIVEELEMENTS

EXPLANATORYFOCUS

VISUALS

LINEARSEQUENCE

MAINPOINT



DATA


Data


ge

CHANGE

Data is the Foundation of Your Data Story


The Two Sides of Indiana Jones

Field Archaeologist Professor


Exploratory Explanatory

Flexibility & speed are critical.

I am the audience.

I know the data.

Clarity is critical.

I am NOT the audience.

I have a story to tell.


What I look at


Context

Columbus, OhioOrders: 33% YoY

Email Traffic: 12%Email Orders: 6%

SEM Traffic: 8%SEM Orders: 39%


Data Director sCuts

Data

DataStorytelling Insight

Explore Explain

43%

Audience

Data

Explore

Insight Audience

DataCameos

Select

Data Story

Support

Audience98%

Different Processes Shape Data That Is Shared


NARRATIVE


Data

Narrative VisualsEn

gag

e

CHANGE

Narrative Connects Insights and Adds Emotion


Right Story for the Right Audience

Who is the right audience for my data story?

How do I adjust my data story to my audience?


Why Should I

Care?


How Well Do You Know Your Audience?

Key business goals & personal priorities?1

Specific needs & questions?

Attitudes, beliefs, biases, & preferences?

Topic familiarity?

How data-savvy?

Seniority level?

2

3

4

5

6

Ensure data stories are relevant and meaningful

Anticipate what they expect to hear or learn

Less familiar More context & conceptual

Less savvy Less detail & jargon

More senior Lead with high-level summary

Considerations

Recognize negative views or conflicting opinions

Audience Attributes


Edward Tufte

boring, you ve got the wrong


Structure Your Analysis Findings As A Story


into the business are expanded

Beginning Middle End

Solution& Next StepsShare recommendations and discuss next steps

Rising InsightsShare findings that reveal deeper insights into the problem or opportunity

Aha MomentPresent major finding or key insight

Set-upBackground on current situation, character(s), and the hook

Structure Your Analysis Findings as a Story

Gustav Freytag(1816-1895)


How to Build Your Story

Aha MomentPresent major finding or key insight

Set-upBackground on current situation, character(s), and the hook

Rising InsightsShare findings that reveal deeper insights into the problem or opportunity

Solution& Next StepsShare recommendations and discuss next steps


How Does This Structure Compare to Other Approaches?

Past Present Future

Set-UpRising

InsightsAha

MomentSolution & Next Steps

Problem Solution Benefit

What So What What Now


Start by Storyboarding Your Key Data Points

Insight #1

Insight #2

Insight #7

Insight #8

Insight #5

Insight #4

Insight #6


Organize Your Insights

Insight #1

Insight #2

Insight #7

Insight #8

Insight #5

Insight #4

Insight #6

*Aha Moment


Find Your Starting Point

Insight #1

Insight #2

Insight #7

Insight #8

Insight #5

Insight #4

Insight #6

*Aha Moment


Edit Your Story

Insight #1

Insight #2

Insight #7

Insight #8

Insight #5

Insight #4

Insight #6Insight

#9

*Aha Moment

Rising Insights


Have Your Data Story Drive Action

Insight #1

Insight #2

Insight #7

Insight #8 Insight

#4Insight #9

*Aha Moment

Insight #10

#1

#2

#3

#4

Rising Insights

Recommendations


Humanize Your Insights

59

Who is your


How to Insert Heroes Into Your Data Story

Determine which user segment matters to your story

Build a rich, data-driven profile of your hero

Give your hero a face

Give your hero a voice

Show their digital journey

Qualitative dataStock photos Screenshots

54321


VISUALS


Data


ge

CHANGE

Visuals Can Simplify and Explain the Complex


What Patterns Do You Notice in This Table?

I II III IV

x y x y x y x y

10 8.04 10 9.14 10 7.46 8 6.58

8 6.95 8 8.14 8 6.77 8 5.76

13 7.58 13 8.74 13 12.74 8 7.71

9 8.81 9 8.77 9 7.11 8 8.84

11 8.33 11 9.26 11 7.81 8 8.47

14 9.96 14 8.1 14 8.84 8 7.04

6 7.24 6 6.13 6 6.08 8 5.25

4 4.26 4 3.1 4 5.39 19 12.5

12 10.84 12 9.13 12 8.15 8 5.56

7 4.82 7 7.26 7 6.42 8 7.91

5 5.68 5 4.74 5 5.73 8 6.89


Anscombe's Quartet

2

4

6

8

10

12

14

2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16

y1

x1

2

4

6

8

10

12

14

2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16

y2

x2

2

4

6

8

10

12

14

2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16

y3

x3

2

4

6

8

10

12

14

2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16 18 20

y4

x4

I II III IV


Two Cognitive Processing Systems

Lazy Controller

Pattern-seeking & Heuristics

Autopilot Pilot

System 2

Slow Analytical Logical Controlled Effortful

System 1

Fast Intuitive Emotional Automatic Effortless


Exercise: System 1 and 2 in Action

A bat and ball cost $1.10.The bat goes for one dollar more than the ball.

How much does the ball cost?

$1.00Ball

Bat

$0.10

$0.90


Exercise: System 1 and 2 in Action

A bat and ball cost $1.10.The bat goes for one dollar more than the ball.

How much does the ball cost?

$1.05Ball

Bat

$0.05

$1.00


Data Storytelling Frequently Involves Comparisons

Product A Product B

Time Period X Time Period Y

Segment 1 Segment 2


-

20,000

40,000

60,000

80,000

100,000

120,000

140,000

160,000

-

1,000,000

2,000,000

3,000,000

4,000,000

5,000,000

6,000,000

Jan Feb Mar April May June July Aug Sept Oct Nov Dec

What Data Conveys Your Insights Effectively?New Visitors Orders

New Visitors

Orders


20%

25%

30%

35%

40%

45%

0

1,000,000

2,000,000

3,000,000

4,000,000

5,000,000

6,000,000

7,000,000

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12

% of Orders

Ensure You Have the Right DataNew Visitors % of Orders


The Right Data Includes Insightful Context

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

0

1,000,000

2,000,000

3,000,000

4,000,000

5,000,000

6,000,000

7,000,000

Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sept Oct Nov Dec

New Visitors % Traffic

% of Orders

New Visitors


23%

12%

26% 7%

12%

18%

Classic

LEGO Ideas

Color Can Highlight What Is Important

Q1 2014

7,000 Units on Backorder

Color change signifies a change in information

0

2000

4000

6000

8000

10000

12000

14000

16000

18000

20000

Week 1 Week 2 Week 3 Week 4 Week 5 Week 6 Week 7 Week 8 Week 9

LEGO Functions

Creator

Mixels

Ninjago


Gestalt Principles Govern How We Interpret Content

EnclosureProximity

Connection Similarity


Pre-Attentive Attributes Signal Similarities & Differences

Color Orientation Size IntensityPosition & Alignment Shape

Motion Line Length Line Width Added MarksEnclosureCurvature


Not All Attributes Are Equal

Which attribute is stronger?

Which attribute is stronger now?

How about now?


Many Different Chart Options

Comparisons

Vertical Bar StackedVertical Bar

Horizontal Bar

StackedHorizontal Bar

Table Heatmap

Trends

Vertical Bar

Line

Stacked Area

Slopegraph

Parts-to-Whole

Vertical Bar Horizontal Bar

Pie Chart & Donut

StackedBar

100% StackedBar

Waterfall

Relationships

Scatterplot

Bubble


Graphical Methods Vary in Effectiveness

More accurate comparisons

More genericcomparisons

2D position along common but unaligned scales

Length Angle Volume Shading

Direction Area Curvature Color Hue

2D position along common, aligned scale

Graphical Perception: Theory, Experimentation, and Application to the Development of Graphical Methods (Cleveland & McGill, 1984) via The Functional Art (Alberto Cairo, 2013)


Signal

Noise


Direct vs. Indirect Data Delivery

DIRECT32%

INDIRECT

Flexibility & Control

Detail (Text)

Two-waycommunication

One-waycommunication

HYBRID:


80-90% Wasted


Signal Amplification

Identify the right data1

Choose matching visualizations2

Calibrate visuals to message3

Remove unnecessary noise4

Highlight what is important5

Make interpretation easy6


Noise Sources

Ignoring audience priorities1

Using unfamiliar jargon2

Providing too much detail3

Giving in to one-sided talking4

Leaving out essential context5

Forgetting impact projections6


Brain Facts

Multitasking is a myth

Patterns over details

10-minute attention span

Vision is the dominant sense

Suspense sharpens focus

Memory has finite capacity


Chart Staging

1. Select entire chart

2. Create a copy

3.

4. Ungroup chart

5. Convert to Drawing object

6. Add animations to parts of the chart

Donut & Pie

Line

Bar & Column

Scatterplot

Bitmap


Good Analogies

1. Can your audience relate to the analogy?

2. Does your analogy clarify your concept?

3. Is your analogy short and simple?

4. Is your analogy boring?

5. Can you use strong visual images with your analogy?

6.

0101101011


What Will You Do With Your Truth?

Data

Narrative VisualsEn

gag

e

CHANGE

Those who tell the stories rule

Hopi Indian Proverb


Q&A

89

Chris [email protected]

@chrishaleua

Edward [email protected]

linkedin.com/in/edwardlatour@edward_latour