EFFECTIVE DATA STORYTELLING

How to Turn Insights into Action

Brent Dykes
Author of Effective Data Storytelling
Founder, AnalyticsHero, LLC
@analyticshero
What is Data Storytelling?

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What is Data Storytelling?

Data storytelling is a structured approach for

communicating data insights using narrative
elements and explanatory visuals.
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 Why do you need
data storytelling
skills?

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 “The ability to take data—to be able
to understand it, to process it, to
extract value from it, to visualize it,
to communicate it—that’s going to
be a hugely important skill in
the next decades."
Hal Varian, Google Chief Economist

@analyticshero
 “The ability to take data—to be able
to understand it, to process it, to
Find insights extract value from it, to visualize
it, to communicate it—that’s going
to be a hugely important skill in
the next decades."
Hal Varian, Google Chief Economist

@analyticshero
 “The ability to take data—to be able
to understand it, to process it, to
extract value from it, to visualize
Explain insights it, to communicate it—that’s going
to be a hugely important skill in
the next decades."
Hal Varian, Google Chief Economist

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Every Data Story Begins with an Insight

“An unexpected shift in the

Gary Klein
way we understand things.” Psychologist and author
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Observations vs. Insights

Customers are
buying more of
Sales our products
increased due to a recall
200%! announced by
our main
Observation Insight competitor.

“Hmm…” “Aha…”
Going from Observations to Action

“Insights move you

from knowing
something to
Observations Curiosity wanting to do
something and
create inertia.”

Insights Actions Coe Leta Stafford

IDEO Global Design Director
 Aha!

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 “The numbers
speak for
themselves”

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The Analytics Path to Value
Small Insights Can
Be Acted on by
Individuals
Bigger Insights Require Communication
Budget? Coordination?
Approval? Resources? Buy-in?

Effective
Communication
Bigger Insights Require Communication
No Budget No Coordination
No Approval No Resources No Buy-in

Poor
Communication
 4 Key Communication Objectives
GOAL
Act

Remember

Understand

Attention
Confidential: For Internal Use Only
Incomplete Analytics Path to Value

Action
Revised Analytics Path to Value

Effective Data
Communication
Every insight
invites change

But very few drive

change without good
communication.
@analyticshero
Data Storytelling

Why? What? How?

Data Storytelling

Why? What? How?

Head-to-Head: Stories Beats Statistics

"Storytelling is the
most powerful
way to put ideas
into the world Robert McKee
today." Screenwriting
guru & professor
Stories Beat Statistics

1 More Memorable 2 More Persuasive

5% VS 63% $1.14 VS $2.38

statistics stories statistics story
Decision Making: Logic Vs. Emotion

LOGIC EMOTION

Spock Kirk McCoy

Chief Science Starfleet Chief Medical
Officer Captain Officer
“Feelings are not just the
shady side of reason . . .
they help us to reach
decisions as well.”
Antonio Damasio
Neuroscientist
 We hear statistics,
but we feel stories
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Audiences Are More Receptive to Stories

Shields Up
Audience is critical
FACTS & skeptical.

Shields Down
Audience drops its
analytical guard.
STORIES
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The Innate Power of Stories
Our bedroom. For sale:
Two voices. Baby shoes,
I knock. never worn.
SIX WORD
STORIES

“The human mind is a story Jonathan Haidt

processor, not a logic processor.” American social psychologist
Why Merge Data with Stories?
Data Story

LOGIC EMOTION
Data Storytelling

Why? What? How?

3
Key Elements
NARRATIVE VISUALS

of Data
Storytelling
DATA
EXPLAIN: NARRATIVE VISUALS

Narrative +
Data
DATA
ENLIGHTEN: NARRATIVE VISUALS

Data +
Visuals
DATA
ENGAGE:

Engage
NARRATIVE VISUALS

Narrative +
Visuals
DATA
 Engage
Influence NARRATIVE VISUALS

change with CHANGE

data stories
DATA
Data Storytelling

Why? What? How?

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Narrative: The Structure
of Your Data Story

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Match the Narrative to the Audience

Who is the right audience for my data story?

How do I adjust my data story to my audience?

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Message and Audience Alignment

“If the statistics

are boring, you’ve
got the wrong
numbers.”
Edward Tufte …or maybe the
Data viz expert
wrong audience!
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START

END

What is your storyline?

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Different Narrative Models
Campbell’s
Hero’s Journey
Aristotle’s Tragedy
Structure Freytag’s Pyramid Departure
Return Normal
Mastery
Middle Climax
life
Call to
Resurrection adventure

Road
back Refusal

Inciting Meet the

Incident Resolution Reward
mentor

Cross the
Ordeal
threshold

Beginning End Exposition Denouement Approach Trials

Initiation

Too Simple “Just Right” Too Complex

Harry Potter and Freytag’s Pyramid

Climax

Inciting
Incident Resolution

Exposition Denouement
Data Storytelling Arc
3 Aha Moment
Major finding or
central insight

2 Rising
Insights
Supporting details
that reveal deeper
insights into the
problem or
4 Solution & Next Steps
Potential options
& recommendation
opportunity

1
Setting
& Hook
Background on
current situation, Audience’s knowledge is
character(s) & enriched & likelihood to
hook act is increased
DATA STORYTELLING
Data Storytelling ARC
Arc in IN ACTION
Action

Setting Rising Rising Aha Solution &

& Hook Insight #1 Insight #2 Moment Next Steps

38% A
B
C

What is status What What other What is the What are the
quo? What influenced or supporting impact if options? What
unexpectedly contributed to evidence is nothing is the best
changed? the change? needed or changes? course of
helpful? action?
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Visuals: The Scenes of Your Data Story

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Transition from Exploring to Explaining

Discover Communicate

Exploratory Explanatory
What Patterns Do You See?
1 2 3 4
x1 y1 x2 y2 x3 y3 x4 y4
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

Summary X mean = 9.0 X variance = 11 R = 0.816

statistics Y mean = 7.5 Y variance = 4.125 R2 = 0.67
Patterns You May Have Spotted
Observation #1 Observation #2 Observation #3
1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4
x1 y1 x2 y2 x3 y3 x4 y4 x1 y1 x2 y2 x3 y3 x4 y4 x1 y1 x2 y2 x3 y3 x4 y4
10 8.04 10 9.14 10 7.46 8 6.58 10 8.04 10 9.14 10 7.46 8 6.58 10 8.04 10 9.14 10 7.46 8 6.58
8 6.95 8 8.14 8 6.77 8 5.76 8 6.95 8 8.14 8 6.77 8 5.76 8 6.95 8 8.14 8 6.77 8 5.76
13 7.58 13 8.74 13 12.74 8 7.71 13 7.58 13 8.74 13 12.74 8 7.71 13 7.58 13 8.74 13 12.74 8 7.71
9 8.81 9 8.77 9 7.11 8 8.84 9 8.81 9 8.77 9 7.11 8 8.84 9 8.81 9 8.77 9 7.11 8 8.84
11 8.33 11 9.26 11 7.81 8 8.47 11 8.33 11 9.26 11 7.81 8 8.47 11 8.33 11 9.26 11 7.81 8 8.47
14 9.96 14 8.1 14 8.84 8 7.04 14 9.96 14 8.1 14 8.84 8 7.04 14 9.96 14 8.1 14 8.84 8 7.04
6 7.24 6 6.13 6 6.08 8 5.25 6 7.24 6 6.13 6 6.08 8 5.25 6 7.24 6 6.13 6 6.08 8 5.25
4 4.26 4 3.1 4 5.39 19 12.5 4 4.26 4 3.1 4 5.39 19 12.5 4 4.26 4 3.1 4 5.39 19 12.5
12 10.84 12 9.13 12 8.15 8 5.56 12 10.84 12 9.13 12 8.15 8 5.56 12 10.84 12 9.13 12 8.15 8 5.56
7 4.82 7 7.26 7 6.42 8 7.91 7 4.82 7 7.26 7 6.42 8 7.91 7 4.82 7 7.26 7 6.42 8 7.91
5 5.68 5 4.74 5 5.73 8 6.89 5 5.68 5 4.74 5 5.73 8 6.89 5 5.68 5 4.74 5 5.73 8 6.89

A lot of 8’s in First three X X columns contain whole

this column columns have the numbers, and Y columns
same numbers have decimals.
 Anscombe’s Quartet In Action

Francis Anscombe “Numerical calculations are

Statistician exact, but graphs are rough.”
(1918-2001)

1 2 3 4

14 14 14 14
12 12 12 12
10 10 10 10
8 8 8 8
y1

y2

6 6 6 6

y3

y4
4 4 4 4
2 2 2 2

2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16 18 20
x1 x2 x3 x4
Understanding Human Perception

“If we can understand

how perception works,
our knowledge can be
translated into rules for
displaying information.”
Colin Ware
Information Design Expert
Gestalt Principles > Grouping
Figure-
Proximity Similarity Enclosure Ground

Simplicity
Continuity Closure Connection (Prägnanz)
Preattentive Attributes > Importance
Position &
Color Alignment Size Intensity Orientation Shape

Motion Line Length Line Width Curvature Enclosure Added Marks

Which Principle or Attribute Is Dominant?

A B C

Color Shape Proximity

Enabling Smart Comparisons
“We’re always trying to answer the question
‘Compared with what?’ . . . It always comes down
to making and showing smart comparisons.” Data Visualization
Edward Tufte
Expert
Visual Comparison: Color

Green Red
Visual Comparison: Size

Small Large
Visual Comparison: Position

High

Low High
5 Steps for Better Visual Storytelling
1 Identify the right data
Identify Right Data for Your Data Story
Calculated metrics may be more
insightful than total values.
Country Country
Revenue Customers Revenue
€12M 3,000 €12M
€5,000
10M 2,500 10M
Revenue per customer
8M 2,000 8M

6M 1,500 6M €2,829

4M 1,000 4M

2M 500 2M

0 0 0
Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec

@analyticshero
Identify Right Data for Your Data Story
Contextual data may make
your visual more insightful.
Country Country
Revenue Customers Revenue (2018)
€12M 3,000 €12M €5,600
€5,200
10M 2,500 10M €5,000 Revenue per
customer
(2019)
8M 2,000 8M

6M 1,500 6M €2,829
Revenue per
customer
4M 1,000 4M (2020)

2M 500 2M

0 0 0
Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec

@analyticshero
Identify Right Data for Your Data Story
Variance may better highlight key
differences that you’re trying to expose.

Revenue Performance Revenue to Budget Variance

Revenue Budget €40K
€550K €560K
€580K €30K
€500K €480K €490K €520K €520K
€450K €460K €460K
€420K

-€10K
-€20K
-€30K

-€60K

Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun
@analyticshero
5 Steps for Better Visual Storytelling
1 Identify the right data
2 Choose the right visualisations
Graphical Methods Vary in Effectiveness

Length
Curvature Shading

Position
Position along along non- Direction
common scale aligned scale Color
Area Volume Saturation
Angle

More accurate More generic

comparisons comparisons

Cleveland & McGill (1984). Graphical perception: Theory, experimentation, and application to the
development of graphical methods. Journal of American Statistical Association. 79(387): 531-554.
All Charts Are Not Created Equal
Bar charts don’t necessarily need
value labels to convey differences.

Other
Savings Checking
Nurse 30%
10%
CDs 29% Savings
Nurse Practitioner 29%
15%
MoneyAssistant
Physician Market 16%

Money 16% CDs

Physician 15%
Market
30% Other
Other 10%
Checking
@analyticshero
Charts Can Fit Different Purposes
Pie charts can be used to convey
certain percentages very clearly.

Other
Checking
Nurse

Savings
Savings
Nurse Practitioner CDs
Money
Physician Market
Assistant

CDs
Physician What % of
total accounts
do these Money
Other
Other
represent? Market
Checking
@analyticshero
5 Steps for Better Visual Storytelling
1 Identify the right data
2 Choose the right visualisations
3 Calibrate visuals to your message
Anticipate Your Audience’s Comparison Needs
Changing the orientation of a chart can
make it easier to compare key values.

Product A Product A Segment 1

Product E Product D Product C Product B Product A

Segment 1
Product B Segment 2
New

Product C Segment 3
Product D Product B Segment 1
Product E Segment 2
Segment 2 Product A Segment 3
Product B Product C Segment 1
Return

Product C Segment 2
Product D Not so easy Segment 3
Product E to compare Product D Segment 1
Product A Segment 2
Much easier
Segment 3
to compare
Product B Segment 3
Premium

Product C Product E Segment 1

Product D Segment 2
Product E Segment 3
0 1,000 2,000 3,000 4,000 5,000 6,000 7,000 8,000 9,000 10,000 0 1,000 2,000 3,000 4,000 5,000 6,000 7,000 8,000 9,000 10,000

Orders Orders
@analyticshero
Anticipate Your Audience’s Comparison Needs
Panel bar charts offer each category its
own baseline for easier visual inspection.

Product A Product B Product C Product D

Product A Product B Product C Product D

Germany
Northeast Provider A Provider A Provider A
Germany
Northeast €918K

France
West €813K France
West Provider B Provider B Provider B

Spain
Central €750K
Spain
Central Provider C Provider C Provider C

Southeast
UK €710K
Southeast
UK Provider D Provider D Provider D
0 €200K €400K €600K €800K €1,000K
€1.0B

$0 $200,000 $400,000$0 $200,000 $400,000

$0 $200,000$0 $400,000
$200,000 $400,0
@analyticshero
Anticipate Your Audience’s Comparison Needs
Panel bar charts offer each category its
own baseline for easier visual inspection.

Product A Product B Product C Product D

Product A Product B Product C Product D

Germany
Northeast Provider A €210K
Provider A Provider A
Germany
Northeast €918K

France
West €813K France
West Provider B €180K
Provider B Provider B

Spain
Central €750K
Spain
Central Provider C €205K
Provider C Provider C

Southeast
UK €710K
Southeast
UK Provider D €225K
Provider D Provider D
0 €200K €400K €600K €800K €1,000K
€1.0B

$0 $200,000 $400,000$0 $200,000 $400,000

$0 $200,000$0 $400,000
$200,000 $400,0
@analyticshero
5 Steps for Better Visual Storytelling
1 Identify the right data
2 Choose the right visualisations
3 Calibrate visuals to your message
4 Remove unnecessary noise
Strengthen Signal by Removing Noise
Signal

Noise
4 Ways to Reduce the Noise in Your Visuals

1 2 3 4
Remove Aggregate Less Separate Data Remove
Surplus Data Important Data Layers Chartjunk
Remove Surplus Data that Isn’t Needed
Ask yourself what is essential to making
your point. Remove what’s unnecessary.

Top Products by Revenue Top Products by Revenue

€120K €120K

€100K €100K
Product A
Product A

€80K Product B
€80K Product C
Product C Product E

€60K Product D Product F

€60K
Product E

€40K Product F
€40K
Product G

€20K Product H
€20K

0 0
Jan-20 Feb-20 Mar-20 Apr-20 May-20 Jun-20 Jul-20 Aug-20 Jan-20 Feb-20 Mar-20 Apr-20 May-20 Jun-20 Jul-20 Aug-20

@analyticshero
Aggregate Less Important Information
To simplify charts, you can aggregate less
critical data to reduce the cognitive load.

Aggregate
Switzerland Switzerland
6% Other
UK 6% Countries
Germany 6% 30% 30%
Italy 39%
Austria
6% 19,631 19,631
France units units
7% sold sold
Belgium
Hungary 8% 13% 13%
Portugal
9% 9% 9% UK
Spain
9%
Italy Germany
@analyticshero
Separate Data Layers
To reduce noise, you can break apart
data series into separate charts.
Top Products by Revenue Top Products by Revenue
€120K Product A Product B Product C
€120K $120K $120K
€90K $90K $90K

€100K €60K $60K $60K

€30K $30K $30K
Product A 0 $0K $0K

Jan-20

Jun-20

Jul-20

Aug-20
Apr-20
Mar-20
Feb-20

May-20
Jun-20

Jul-20

Aug-20
Jan-20

Mar-20

Apr-20
Feb-20

May-20

Jun-20

Jul-20

Aug-20
Jan-20

Mar-20

Apr-20
Feb-20

May-20
€80K Product B
Product D Product E Product F
Product C €120K $120K $120K
€90K $90K $90K
€60K Product D
€60K $60K $60K
Product E €30K $30K $30K
0 $0K $0K
Product F

Jun-20

Jul-20

Aug-20

Jun-20

Jul-20

Aug-20

Jun-20

Jul-20

Aug-20
Jan-20

Jan-20

Jan-20
Mar-20

Apr-20

Mar-20

Apr-20

Mar-20

Apr-20
Feb-20

May-20

Feb-20

May-20

Feb-20

May-20
€40K
Product G
Product G Product H
€120K $120K
Product H
€20K €90K $90K
€60K $60K
€30K $30K
0 $0K
0

Jan-20

Jun-20

Jul-20

Aug-20

Jan-20

Jun-20

Jul-20

Aug-20
Apr-20

Apr-20
Feb-20

Mar-20

Feb-20

Mar-20
May-20

May-20
Jan-20 Feb-20 Mar-20 Apr-20 May-20 Jun-20 Jul-20 Aug-20

@analyticshero
 Remove the Chartjunk
Remove non-essential chart elements to
help the data communicate more clearly.
Product Sales in Q4 Product Sales in Q4
Revenue Revenue
€ 1,400,000.00 € 1.4M
$1M,400K
Product B
€ 1,200,000.00 1.2M
$1M,200K

€ 1,000,000.00 Product R 1.0M

$1M,000K
Product X Product R
Product X Product A
Product Y
Product Q Product C Product J
€ 800,000.00 Product S 800000
800K Product Q
Product O
Product D Product W
€ 600,000.00 Product E Product P Product Z 600000
600K
Product H
Product U
€ 400,000.00 Product M 400000
400K
Product L Product F
Product N Product K
Product T Product G
€ 200,000.00 200000
200K
Product V
Product I
€ 0.00 00
0 50,000 100,000 150,000 200,000 250,000 300,000 350,000 0 50K 100K 150K 200K 250K 300K 350K

Units Sold Units Sold

@analyticshero
5 Steps for Better Visual Storytelling
1 Identify the right data
2 Choose the right visualisations
3 Calibrate visuals to your message
4 Remove unnecessary noise
5 Focus attention on what’s important
Why Visual Design Matters

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 WHY
Why Visual VISUAL
Design DESIGN MATTERS
Matters

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893043171628302365430
239485120495239076746
112820205646844036979
938228201654547163812
620156514173783920198
295826012386431242993
 WHY
Why Visual VISUAL
Design DESIGN MATTERS
Matters

109483792478394836374
893043171628302365430
239485120495239076746
112820205646844036979
938228201654547163812
620156514173783920198
295826012386431242993
Highlight What Matters with Color
Use color and grayscale to draw attention
while still providing context.

Top Products by Revenue Top Products by Revenue

€120K €120K

€100K €100K Product C

Product A

€80K Product B €80K

Product C

€60K Product D €60K

Product E

Product F
€40K €40K
Product G

Product H
€20K €20K

0 0
Jan-20 Feb-20 Mar-20 Apr-20 May-20 Jun-20 Jul-20 Aug-20 Jan-20 Feb-20 Mar-20 Apr-20 May-20 Jun-20 Jul-20 Aug-20

@analyticshero
Highlight What Matters with Color
Use a bold color with light colors to draw
attention while still providing context.

Top Products by Revenue Top Products by Revenue

€120K €120K

€100K €100K Product C

Product A

€80K Product B €80K

Product C

€60K Product D €60K

Product E

Product F
€40K €40K
Product G

Product H
€20K €20K

0 0
Jan-20 Feb-20 Mar-20 Apr-20 May-20 Jun-20 Jul-20 Aug-20 Jan-20 Feb-20 Mar-20 Apr-20 May-20 Jun-20 Jul-20 Aug-20

@analyticshero
Highlight What Matters with Text
Text can be used to steer attention to
what’s most important in a chart.

Top Products by Revenue Product C: Revenue grew 94% over the past 8 months
€120K €120K

€100K Product C €100K Product C

€80K €80K

€60K €60K

€40K €40K

€20K €20K

0 0
Jan-20 Feb-20 Mar-20 Apr-20 May-20 Jun-20 Jul-20 Aug-20 Jan-20 Feb-20 Mar-20 Apr-20 May-20 Jun-20 Jul-20 Aug-20

@analyticshero
Use Content Staging to Reveal Insights
Use animations to break up the
content into manageable portions.

Product Category Performance – Last 6 Months Product Category Performance – Last 6 Months
€200K €200K

€180K €180K

€160K €160K

€140K €140K
Revenue Revenue
€120K €120K

€100K €100K

€80K Significant non-operating €80K

expense due to COVID-19.
€60K PPE purchase for deep €60K
cleaning of processing plant.
€40K €40K
COGS
€20K €20K
Net Income
0 0
1/5/2020 2/5/2020 3/5/2020 4/5/2020 5/5/2020 6/5/2020 7/5/2020 1/5/2020 2/5/2020 3/5/2020 4/5/2020 5/5/2020 6/5/2020 7/5/2020

@analyticshero
Use Content Staging to Reveal Insights
Use animations to break up the
content into manageable portions.

Product Category Performance – Last 6 Months Product Category Performance – Last 6 Months
€200K €200K

€180K €180K

€160K €160K

€140K €140K
Revenue Revenue
€120K €120K

€100K €100K

€80K Significant non-operating €80K

expense due to COVID-19.
€60K PPE purchase for deep €60K
cleaning of processing plant.
€40K €40K
COGS COGS
€20K €20K
Net Income
0 0
1/5/2020 2/5/2020 3/5/2020 4/5/2020 5/5/2020 6/5/2020 7/5/2020 1/5/2020 2/5/2020 3/5/2020 4/5/2020 5/5/2020 6/5/2020 7/5/2020

@analyticshero
Use Content Staging to Reveal Insights
Use animations to break up the
content into manageable portions.

Product Category Performance – Last 6 Months Product Category Performance – Last 6 Months
€200K €200K

€180K €180K

€160K €160K

€140K €140K
Revenue Revenue
€120K €120K

€100K €100K

€80K Significant non-operating €80K

expense due to COVID-19.
€60K PPE purchase for deep €60K
cleaning of processing plant.
€40K €40K
COGS COGS
€20K €20K
Net Income Net Income
0 0
1/5/2020 2/5/2020 3/5/2020 4/5/2020 5/5/2020 6/5/2020 7/5/2020 1/5/2020 2/5/2020 3/5/2020 4/5/2020 5/5/2020 6/5/2020 7/5/2020

@analyticshero
Use Content Staging to Reveal Insights
Use animations to break up the
content into manageable portions.

Product Category Performance – Last 6 Months Product Category Performance – Last 6 Months
€200K €200K

€180K €180K

€160K €160K

€140K €140K
Revenue Revenue
€120K €120K

€100K €100K

€80K Significant non-operating €80K Significant non-operating

expense due to COVID-19. expense due to COVID-19.
€60K PPE purchase for deep €60K PPE purchase for deep
cleaning of processing plant. cleaning of processing plant.
€40K €40K
COGS COGS
€20K €20K
Net Income Net Income
0 0
1/5/2020 2/5/2020 3/5/2020 4/5/2020 5/5/2020 6/5/2020 7/5/2020 1/5/2020 2/5/2020 3/5/2020 4/5/2020 5/5/2020 6/5/2020 7/5/2020

@analyticshero
 Childbed Fever
Mortality Rates
20% Average
9.9%
15% First Clinic
(Doctors)

10% Average
3.9%
Second Clinic
5% (Midwives)

Ignaz Semmelweis
0%
“Savior of Mothers”
1818-1865 1841 1842 1843 1844 1845 1846

Confidential: For Internal Use Only

Semmelweis’s Impact on Mortality Rates
Childbed Fever Mortality Rates in Clinic #1
20%
18% Handwashing policy
16% introduced mid-May
14%
12% 12.2% Strict controls
10% Semmelweis
enforced on
dismissed
8% negligent students
82%↓
6%
4.9%
4% 2.2% 3.5%
2% 0% 0%
0%
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
Why Wasn’t Semmelweis Successful?

Accurate

Engage
NARRATIVE VISUALS
Valuable CHANGE

Actionable
DATA
Ignaz Semmelweis
“Savior of Mothers”
1818-1865 Adopted
Nightingale: Reducing Army Mortality Rates

Florence Nightingale
1820-1910 Wounds
Other

“[This chart] should affect

through the eyes what we
fail to convey to the brains
of the public through their
word-proof ears.”
Disease
Florence Nightingale
Snow: Cholera As Waterborne Disease

Dr. John Snow

1813-1858
Semmelweis: Where He Went Wrong
Childbed Fever Mortality Rates: Vienna vs. Dublin
18%
May 1847:
Semmelweis
16% July 1846:
introduces
Semmelweis is
mandatory
assigned to Vienna
14% handwashing
Maternity Ward.
policy.
12%

10%
1823: Vienna Hospital
8% begins pathological
autopsies.
6%

4% 3.5% Vienna
Maternity
Ward
2%
Dublin
Maternity
0% Hospital
Semmelweis: Where He Went Wrong

500+ pages
60+ tables
Important Insights Require Data Storytellers

Nightingale
Insight Data Story Change

Snow
Insight Data Story Change

Semmelweis NO

Insight No Data Story Nothing

Companies need more
data storytellers

“Numbers have an
important story to tell.
They rely on you to give
them a clear and
convincing voice.”
Stephen Few
Data Viz Expert
 LEARN MORE . . .

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