The Power of Storytelling in Data Communication:
Why It Matters

February 7, 2024
product management
5 min read

By Anshuk Pal Chaudhuri – Data Scientist, Oracle

Why do you think storytelling is important while communicating data in product management?

Whenever we are building something, everybody would have an audience. Whenever we are building something, be it service, product, or application we should know what we are building for and what does the audience really want about it. Whether we are building a new product, service, or complex data analysis, the way product managers convey information can make the crucial difference. This is where the art of storytelling becomes important.

Key Takeaways:

Creating exciting content and presenting is well is one of the ways of effective storytelling in product management.
Creating and telling stories around a particular concept are much more impactful compared to just facts or just numbers.
One of the ways to humanize data is by sharing a memory of a story that has been told to us, and more importantly, stories which are interesting to us.

In this article

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1. Creating exciting content

How do you create some exciting content? Whether you are creating an algorithm, a program, or accumulated meaningful data, the way you present it matters. At the end of the day, the way product managers present this thing to their stakeholders, customers, clients, partners, etc. is very important. It is essential to consider that whatever we are presenting, we should be able to build a storyline towards it.

2. Memorability of stories

Take an example of Amazon. Employees working there don’t really prefer using powerpoint presentations. Instead, they prefer whiteboard sessions. The key is, messages which are delivered as stories are way more memorable that picks on your particular brain and your mind extremely hard. Just putting around some numbers and data points on PPT, excel etc. if we are able to create stories around it, they are much more hard hitting compared to just facts or just numbers.

3. Humanizing data

We as humans love stories. If as a product manager, you are asked a formula about calculus or maybe a trigonometry or mensuration formula and you may or may not recollect it. But if the same question has been asked in a different way of telling a story, it is easier to remember that. That is exactly what happens to us as human beings, we can keep a fair memory of a story that has been told to us, and more importantly, stories which are interesting to us. Hence, stories are one of the best ways of communicating numbers.

The ability to communicate data effectively is a skill that can set you apart. The key lies in recognizing the power of storytelling. By creating narratives around your data, you not only make the information more exciting and memorable but also ensure that your message resonates with your audience.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. What is the power of storytelling with data?

Storytelling is essential in communicating data in product management because it can transform mundane presentations and thought processes into compelling narratives that captivate stakeholders.

2. What is the most important element in data storytelling?

The most important elements in data storytelling are creating exciting content, memorability of stories and humanizing data.

3. How do you humanize data in storytelling?

One of the ways to humanize data is by sharing a memory of a story that has been told to us, and more importantly, stories which are interesting to us.