Every time I give a talk about data storytelling, someone in the audience asks: aren’t we manipulating people if we choose the narrative angle?
So, are we?
First off, a reality check. No one dreams of going through your messy spreadsheets on their own. No one wants to navigate 47 columns, guess which numbers matter and figure out what it all means for their strategy. When you select, structure and present data for an audience, you’re actually doing them a favour.
Think about it this way. A doctor doesn’t hand you the raw lab results and say good luck. They read the data, identify what matters, and explain it to you in terms you can understand.
That’s called expertise.
The same applies to data storytelling. You’ve spent weeks analysing the data. You understand the nuances, the outliers, the context. Your audience hasn’t. They need you to guide them to the insights. If you don’t, one of two things happens: they either misinterpret the data, or they ignore it entirely.
So no, choosing an angle is not manipulation. It’s communication.
But there is a catch
That said, the question isn’t entirely off base. There is a balance to be found between guiding your audience through the insights and leading them towards a specific narrative you like. Here are my two best practices on how to stay on track.
One, select the best insights for your audience. They have a decision to make, a programme to fund, a question their board keeps asking. That’s the conflict your story has to address. The insights worth showing are the ones that help them resolve it. This is what turns selection into a favour. So before you pick anything, settle two things: who are you talking to, and what do they need to decide?
Two, think of the human behind the data. Whether you’re reporting app usage stats or the number of people who have access to water, there are real people behind those numbers. Would they be comfortable with how you’re representing their reality?
A simple test
If the principles above feel abstract, here’s something more concrete. Before you present or publish your data story, ask yourself: if my grandparents were reading, would they be proud of how I’m communicating this?
Not whether they’d understand the charts. Whether they’d be proud of the integrity behind them. If the answer is yes, you’re on solid ground.
Thanks for reading!
See you next month,
—Evelina