Storytelling in Reporting

Using data to do research, then presenting that data in a meaningful way takes a refined skill set. Beyond just setting objectives and collecting data to lead you towards a conclusion, reporting requires a narrative. Often this can be the most challenging aspect, since it's not always the most apparent. Ray Poynters article outlines seven tips to lead you, the writer, towards the story latent within your data.

Though some of this can be considered reminders of what we already know, that's often exactly what we need when we are struggling to tell a story. From building a framework to looking at the big picture, many of the tips are not particularly complicated, yet create a principled approach towards how we should view reporting. His tips continue on to remind us the real reason that we are writing a story in the first place - to drive informed business decisions. It's easy to allow our findings to carry us in a direction but as the captain of the ship, it's important to remind ourselves the whys.

Before concluding, the article gives us a concise example of how to keep our points, logically backed by information, relevant and effective. After all, this should always be the goal.

Reporting is a craft that takes a lifetime to master, but articles like Poynters are extremely helpful to young marketers and researchers such as myself. 

The article is available at: https://www.visioncritical.com/storytelling-with-data/