The Importance of Data Storytelling in an AI Age

What is Data Storytelling?
Data storytelling is best described by the brilliant Kat Greenbrook in The Data Storyteller’s Handbook as ‘communicating business stories using the language of data insights… serving as a bridge connecting the world of data analytics with the realm of business users’. As a data professional with experience across public and private sectors for over a decade, I particularly appreciate this definition for its emphasis on human characteristics like communication and language. Without data storytelling, data assets are unlikely to lead to any meaningful or actionable change within your organisation. Let’s take a short trip down history lane.

Florence Nightingale: The Pioneer of Data Storytelling
Florence Nightingale is often considered the pioneer of data storytelling. Her innovative approach to using data for advocacy during the 19th century set the foundation for modern data practices. Coming from a wealthy background, Florence rebelled against societal expectations by pursuing a career in nursing, a profession then frowned upon.

Her greatest achievement was collecting data, visualising, and clearly communicating on sanitary conditions in military hospitals during the Crimean War. She used data from military hospitals to create the ‘coxcomb’ diagram, a visual tool that clearly showed the preventable deaths caused by poor sanitation. These visualisations, alongside easily understood narratives, were not only informative but also persuasive, leading to significant reforms in military healthcare and saving countless lives. She demonstrated the power of data, and our entire profession may not have existed without her success.

Florence’s Strengths and Influence
Florence’s success in data storytelling can be attributed to several key strengths:

1. Empathy and Compassion: Known as the ‘Lady with the Lamp’, her deep empathy for those from different backgrounds, such as wounded soldiers, helped her connect with people. She did not just see data as data, but as a vehicle that could be used to drive improvements to human lives.

2. Determination: Florence faced significant resistance to her ideas, as women in her role were often not taken seriously, even by some other women. But her persistence paid off, influencing the British government to implement crucial sanitary reforms.

3. Data-Centric Mindset: She was genuinely obsessed with data, often collecting more evidence than necessary to prove her points. Her thoroughness ensured that her arguments were irrefutable and compelling.

4. Strategic Communication: She understood the power of simple visualisations and narratives. By making her data easily understandable to decision-makers, she significantly increased the chances of her recommendations being adopted.

5. Effective Networker: Florence was a highly effective networker. She knew how to influence key figures who could amplify her message, perhaps no more impressively than her close relationship with Queen Victoria. She was also comfortable networking with a diverse range of people, from military officials to policymakers. Her ability to collaborate with influential individuals helped her achieve a broader impact.

These human-centric strengths were as essential in the 19th century as they are in the 21st century.

Data Storytelling in 2024: The BI and AI Landscape

Fast-forward to 2024, and data storytelling has evolved with advancements in BI and AI. Tools like Power BI and Tableau allow for the quick creation of comprehensive dashboards, making it easier to share patterns, trends and insights in real-time. AI, particularly through Natural Language Processing (NLP), can generate entire reports, including narratives and statistical analysis. There are also some highly useful AI-powered visualisations within BI tools which massively increase the user experience. One of my favourites is the Key Influencer Visualisation, which uses AI to identify and highlight the most influential individuals or groups within a network, providing valuable insights into their impact and reach. For example, it could be used to optimise marketing strategies – but only if it’s used.

While AI complements BI activities, it lacks some of Florence’s human-centric strengths. Regularly practising empathy and understanding stakeholders’ needs can significantly enhance the value of data assets. Additionally, effective networking remains crucial. Influencing key individuals who can champion data initiatives within their teams can be more effective than trying to convince everyone directly. Even the most introverted data professional can create a highly adopted and actioned-upon data asset – all it takes is finding your inner Florence.

Conclusion
The journey of data storytelling from Florence Nightingale to today’s BI and AI tools highlights the enduring power of data to drive change. Florence’s pioneering work laid the foundation for modern practices, demonstrating that the combination of clear, compelling data visualisations and strategic communication can lead to significant reforms and save lives. Her legacy continues to influence contemporary data storytelling, underscoring the importance of empathy, determination and strategic communication in making data-driven insights actionable. Let your Florence qualities shine!

As we move forward, the fusion of human creativity and AI’s analytical power promises to elevate data storytelling, making it an ever more critical tool for organisations worldwide. Let’s celebrate Florence Nightingale’s contributions and embrace the opportunities presented by modern technologies to drive meaningful change.