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 World Bank website. The chart is from an article about “Assessing Private Sector Contributions to Job Creations.”

The Setting

The article explains a fact. Large firms offer the most formal jobs in developing countries, especially in wealthier nations and manufacturing. In low-income countries and some regions, small firms are the leading employers. Employment patterns by firm size vary by country income, sector, and region. The chart has the data, but it does not tell the story. So, I would make the following adjustments to elevate the message part and increase the visual elements.

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 – If you keep the data labels above each column or you show max and min to give context, you don’t need the Y axis
• Separate the Income Groups visually in the chart – I prefer to show the separation in the chart itself, so that the audience doesn’t have to do mental work, always aligning the original “only bottom” separation to the above chart
• Add colors to the small and large firms bars – the message needs to be visually visible that smaller firms adds job creation declines from left to right while it is reversed for large firms
• Add a Telling Title – so that when you read the title. You got the message straight away and can easily follow it in the charts if you are more interested in the details
• Add coloring to the sub-headlines too – so that you can clearly associate the verbal narrative to the visual

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.