Guide · about 1 min read
Intro to Data Storytelling
Structuring narratives with data: claim, evidence, uncertainty, and audience-appropriate visuals.
A simple narrative arc
Lead with the decision context, present evidence with transparent limitations, and close with actions. Good stories cite the provenance of figures so others can retrace steps.
Visuals as supporting cast
Choose charts that match the mental task: compare magnitudes, see trends, or inspect distributions. Deepen craft with How to read a basic chart and the visualization hub.
Uncertainty and trust
State what is unknown and how wide confidence might be; reference margin of error when working with surveys. Avoid implying precision the data quality cannot support.
Continue learning
Follow the Understanding data storytelling basics path for a sequenced set of readings.
Related glossary terms
Related guides
Curated external resources
- DataSpire data literacy resources (opens in new tab)
Curated activities and readings for classrooms and informal learning.
- U.S. Digital Service design principles (opens in new tab)
Accessible presentation patterns that pair well with clear data communication.