Data Storytelling Module Reviewer

Data Storytelling

Is a form of communication. It is NOT Data Visualization

According to Brent Dykes, it is a structured approach for communicating data insights using narrative elements and explanatory visuals

Data Visualization

It has the role to take information and present it visually to make it understandable to your audience.

Effective Data Storytelling

A book written by Brent Dykes.

According to his book, Data Storytelling is a structured approach for communicating data insights using narrative elements and explanatory visuals

Data Storyelling

A practice of building the narrative from a particular dataset and its accompanying visualizations to help convey the meaning of that data in a more powerful and compelling way.

Data Storytelling

It is an act of transferring; an art on how to transmit the story behind visualized data from yourself as the source to a receiver, in an easy, clear, and compelling manner.

“Numbers have an important story to tell. They rely on you to give them a clear and convincing voice.”

Quote by Stephen Few, a data visualization expert

Elements of Data Storytelling

• Data

• Visuals

• Narrative

A little too much of one may distract your audience.

Data

The foundation of your data story.

It is defined as the primary building block of every data story.

It should be the core element of a data story and a data story should constantly find its origin in data.

Visuals

Helps both engage and enlighten audiences and help create more insight than only words and numbers.

It is the glue that binds your story to the data.

Narrative

The structure of your data story.

Supports struggling data experts and data storytellers organize their known information and prioritize between essentials and non-relevant contents that they will present to their audience for them to easily digest and connect to.

For successful data storytelling…

…it is important for your audience to understand the visualization

Enlighten

The goal of data and visuals in data storytelling should result in the audience being enlightened by the presentation.

It allows the audience to gather insight even before you speak.

Explain

When data is married to narratives, it explains to its audience how to analyze and interpret the data.

Helps your audience to understand and interpret your insights.

Engage

Merged narratives and visuals result for the audience to remain entertained and engaged.

Types of Data Visualization

• Comparison

• Composition

• Distribution

• Relationship

Comparison

Type of Data Visualization to show the dependence and relationship between two or more datasets/data points

Comparison representations

• Line Chart

• Column Chart

• Bar Chart

• Two-Axis Chart

Time-series data

The number of respondents to a survey per day over a one-month period or travel time across the city depending on the time of day.

Differentiating Trends

Is a visual representation of data that highlights distinct patterns or trends within the data set. This type of chart is used to emphasize specific trends or variations in the data that may not be immediately apparent in a standard trend chart.

Composition representations

• Pie Chart

• Donut Chart

• Stacked Column Chart

• Stacked Area Chart

• Waterfall Chart

Composition

To show how data is part of a whole.

Displaying Residence of members in a group

A common application where maybe you need to report on respondents to your survey and show where they’re from One example I showed was a cookie recipe

Distribution

To show outliers in our data while it shows common items subdivided across several categories or features.

Distribution representations

• Line Chart

• Column Chart

• Scatter Plot

• Two-Axis Chart

Relationship

To show an implicit relationship between data or variables.

Relationship representations

• Bubble Chart

• Scatter Plot

• Two-Axis Chart

“The two words — ‘information’ and ‘communication’ are often used interchangeably, but they signify quite different things. Information is giving out while communication is getting through.”

Quote by Sydney J. Harris

Components of a Good Presentation

• Content

• Human Element

• Structure

  • Packaging

Content

It is the heart of any presentation. It is the vital element that all the other components will enhance.

Your presentation has to be UNDERSTOOD as well as REMEMBERED.

Content Checklist

• What will you present?

• Who are you presenting to?

• How to measure results of the presentation

Principles of Effective Content

It is vital and sound to incorporate the truthfulness of your data.

Content must always bear the truth.

It should always come out with facts and proof.

Because your content when presented to an audience can become their reality.

The Three Ps

• Purpose

• People

• Preparation

Purpose

You have to formulate a precise objective. Identify why and what you want to present.

Create and outline by listing as many things as you can of what you want to include in your presentation.

Give yourself time to layout everything. You can subdivide it into categories or parts.

People

Get to know your audience. Remember to consider the audience to achieve your objective. Associate your personality with your message in a positive way.

What do you want the audience to take away from your presentation?

Preparation

Plan the facts, style, pace, tone and your tactics.

Practice a lot.

Preparation begins as soon as you agree to the presentation.

Red Zone

The beginning of a presentation where you seem like you don’t know what to do or where to start.

Green zone

As you begin putting things together, it’s going to be a difficult start, and gradually you will get into a rhythm.

Brown zone

The moment you think it’s enough but you give it a little more just to the point before it becomes too much.

Menu Bar

Located at the top, it includes menus like File, Data Worksheet, Dashboard, Story, Analysis, Map, Format Server, Window, Help — each offering specific tools and options.

Tool bar

Just below the menu bar it provides quick access to common actions:

• Undo/Redo

• Save to Tableau Public

• Add worksheet/dashbord/story

• Sort, filter, and formatting tools

Data Pane (Left Sidebar)

Displays your connected data sources and fields:

• Dimensions (categorical data)

• Measures (numerical data)

• Calculated Fields, Sets, and Parameters

Workspace (Canvas)

The central area where you build visualizations:

• Drag field here to create charts

• Drop zones for Rows, Columns, and Marks

Marks Card

Controls how data is visually represented:

• Customize Color, Size, Label, Detail, Tooltip, and Shape

Shelves

• Rows and Columns Shelves: Define the structure of your visualization

• Filters Shelf: Apply filters to control what data is shown

• Pages Shelf: Create animations or step-by-step views

Sheet Tabs

At the bottom, you can switch between:

• Worksheets (individual charts)

• Dashboards (combinations of sheets)

• Stories (narrative sequences)

Status Bar

Located at the bottom, it shows:

• Summary of selected data

• Tooltips and messages

File

This menu handles file-related operations:

• New / Open / Save to Tableau Public

• Export

• Print

• Close

File: New / Open / Save to Tableau Public

Create a new workbook, open an existing one, or save your work to Tableau Public.

File: Export

Export images, data, or packaged workbooks.

File: Print

Print dashboards or worksheets

File: Close

Close the current workbook

Data

This menu manages your data sources:

• Connect to Data

• Refresh / Edit Data Source

• Convert to Live / Extract

• Replace Data Source

Data: Connect to Data

Add or modify data sources.

Data: Refresh / Edit Data Sources

Refresh data or open the data source tab to make changes.

Data: Convert to Live / Extract

Switch between live connections and data extracts

Data: Replace Data Source

Swap one data source for another

Worksheet

This menu controls worksheet-specific settings:

• Show Title / Summary / Caption

• Clear

• Duplicate Sheet

• Actions

Worksheet: Show Title / Summary / Caption

Toggle display elements

Worksheet: Clear

Remove filters, formatting, or the entire worksheet.

Worksheet: Duplicate Sheet

Make a copy of the current worksheet.

Worksheet: Actions

Set up interactivity like filters or highlights

Dashboard

Used when working with dashboards:

• New Dashboard

• Add / Remove Sheets

• Actions

• Device Preview

Dashboard: New Dashboard

Create a new dashbaord.

Dashboard: Add / Remove Sheets

Manage which sheets appear in the dashboard.

Dashboard: Actions

Add interactivity between dashboard elements

Dashboard: Device Preview

See how your dashboard looks on different devices.

Story

For creating data-driven narratives:

• New Story

• Add Story Points

  • Update / Remove Story Points

Story: New Story

Start a new story.

Story: Add Story Points

Add new steps or views to your story.

Story: Update / Remove Story Points

Modify or delete parts of your story.

Analysis

Controls analytical features:

• Aggregate Measures

• Forecast / Trend Lines / Reference Lines

• Totals / Table Calculations

Analysis: Aggregate Measures

Toggle between aggregated and disaggregated data.

Analysis: Forecast / Trend Lines / Reference Lines

Add statistical elements.

Analysis: Totals / Table Calculations

Show row/column totals or apply calculations

Map

Used when working with geographic data:

• Map Layers

• Map Options

• Geocoding

Map: Map Layers

Toggle map features like streets, borders, or names

Map: Map Options

Customize map appearance.

Map: Geocoding

Edit or add geographic roles

Format

Controls visual formatting:

• Font / Shading / Borders

• Lines / Adjustment

• Workbook Theme

Format: Font / Shading / Borders

Customize the look of your worksheet or dashboard

Format: Lines / Alignment

Adjust gridlines and text alignment.

Format: Workbook Theme

Apply a consistent style across the workbook.

Server

For publishing and connecting to Tableau Server or Tableau Public:

• Sign in / Sign Out

• Public Workbook / Data Source

• Tableau Public > Save to Tableau Public

Server: Sign in / Sign Out:

Connect to your Tableau Public account

Server: Publish Workbook / Data Source

Share your work online

Server: Tableau Public > Save to Tableau Public

Upload your workbook to the web.

Window

Manages the Tableau interface:

• Show Side Bar / Tabs / Sheet Sorter

• New Window

Window: Show Side Bar / Tabs / Sheet Sorter

Toggle interface elements.

Window: New Window

Open another instance of the worbook.

Help

Provides support and documentation:

• Tableau Help / Sample Workbooks

• Start Page / About Tableau

• Send Feedback

Help: Tableau Help / Sample Workbooks

Access tutorials and examples

Help: Start Page / About Tableau

Return to the start screen or view version info.

Help: Send Feedback

Report issues or suggest features.