05. Effective Data Story

Let's recap what we have learned about problem statements thus far.

A poorly defined problem statement can lead to:

• Solving an irrelevant issue
• An inefficient use of time
• Leveraging the wrong datasets for insight
• Bringing in the wrong stakeholders

A clearly defined problem, instead:

• matters to the business
• is specific and well-scoped
• is actionable

Commonly Asked Questions

Question: Are these the kind of questions we ask ourselves before diving into the data or are these problem statements something that become apparent after looking at the data?

Answer: It really depends on the workflow. You will often have questions in front of you, and will be given a specific dataset. Problem statements are inquiries or the “ask” that are posed to us, and as analysts we are posing of the data to help address the “ask”.

Question: How would you define data storytelling?

Answer: Data storytelling is the ability to extract and convey an actionable, insightful recommendation from a previously-uninterpretable dataset. There are four key parts to storytelling: the beginning, the conflict, the resolution, and the makeup of it all (the characters, hurdles, and the setting).