What to expect?

Let’s examine a practical application of basic Data Visualization concepts and Data Storytelling. We will look at one existing publicly available chart on the internet, preferably each week. You can take these lessons to your world of Data Storytelling. Apply them at the office or home when persuading your spouse about spending habits :-).

Data Storytelling Example

Our example will be a chart from the IMF Blog website. The chart is from an article about “Women leading a record number of Central Banks, but more progress is needed.” Don’t get scared by the topic. It’s irrelevant. The Data Storytelling tips are.

The Setting

To better understand the chart, you need to read the article. This way, you can clearly understand the whole message. For example, the Heading of the chart says that “the share remains low.” But where can you see the share? You can only see that now the number sits between 25 and 30 Female Central Bank leaders.

Further enhancements to the chart to improve the Data storytelling should be:

• Reduce the white space – I generally like white space to project cleanness but this chart has a LOT of white
• No need to have Y axis and Gridlines – If you know the Total Central Banks and you show the share – you can quickly come to the number of female central bankers if needed (although I don’t think the precise number is key in this message)
• Add the Total number of Central Banks and show the Female Central Bankers’ Share as a % of it
• Remove every second year in the X axis – don’t need to show all the years if it is clear that it is a one timeline continuum
• Give a contrasting color to Female Central Bankers to draw attention to their VERY low share

An alternative result after application of a few concepts of Data Visualization:

Summary

Review the simple concepts for clear Data Storytelling. Keep practicing. You can do wonders—not only for the Visualizations but also for your Data Storytelling and professional career.

If there is a chart you wish me to review, just let me know. I can give some thoughts on revision. Please contact me via the contact form.

You can use the Chart of the Week tag to see other examples.