This document provides guidance on telling stories with data through effective data visualization projects. It outlines the key steps in the process: planning with a clear focus and goals; cleaning the data thoroughly; analyzing the data and designing the project like a news story; bulletproofing the project by testing for errors or weaknesses; launching the project with marketing; and maintaining the project over time. The overall message is that simpler, well-focused stories that provide context are most effective at engaging users, and every project requires thorough planning, data cleaning, and testing to ensure the quality and accuracy of the insights shared.

1. Telling stories with data
Denise Malan | denise@ire.org | @DeniseMalan

2. So you want to engage users
with your data?
Where to start?

3. Planning
Cleaning
Analysis
Design
Bulletproofing
Launch
Maintenance

4. Planning:
● Set goals — but be flexible
● Focus, focus, focus
● Set clear roles for all staff involved
○ Data manager - weeds
○ Project manager/designer - trees
○ Department leader - forest
● Set timeline (be realistic)
● How will you market the project?
● Plan NOW for maintenance

5. More about focus
What story are you trying to tell?
Follow the data (story might not be what you
thought)
Provide context

6. Simpler is always better
“Macgyver gets lazy”
Credit: xkcd

7. Data cleaning
● Enlist the experts to help you understand
the data
● Scrub it til you can’t scrub anymore
● Anticipate weaknesses and criticisms of
the data
● Get a clearer picture of your focus and
adjust if necessary

8. Analysis and project design
Think of your project as a news story
Headline
Lede and nut graf
Supporting details
“Sidebars” belong on another page or in another project

9. Bulletproofing
● Double-check your cleaning
● Have someone not involved with the
project test it
● Show it to your sources or experts
● Try to break it

10. What are the caveats?
● No dataset is perfect
● Be upfront about what you can learn and
what you CAN’T learn from this data
● Anticipate questions, criticisms and
possible conclusions people might try to
draw

11. Credit: xkcd

12. Launch
Marketing: Make sure people know about it
Newsrooms: consider doing story about
database
Nonprofits, governments: notify media

13. Maintenance
Be available: Designate a point person for
users to contact with questions, concerns,
corrections, etc.
Be up to date: Don’t let the project get stale
Evaluate performance

14. Example
http://www.caller.com/data/islanddevelopment/

16. Questions?
Denise Malan
denise@ire.org
@DeniseMalan
479.422.2405