Vora - The Power of Data Storytelling

SAGE was founded in 1965 by Sara Miller McCune to support the dissemination of usable knowledge by publishing innovative and high-quality research and teaching content. Today, we publish over 900 journals, including those of more than 400 learned societies, more than 800 new books per year, and a growing range of library products including archives, data, case studies, reports, and video. SAGE remains majority-owned by our founder, and after Saras lifetime will become owned by a charitable trust that secures our continued independence.

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Visualization and intelligence are what set this book apart. The Power of Data Storytelling will make you think differently about the way you present arguments and the usage of data in those discussions.

Siddhartha Rastogi, Managing Director, Ambit Capital

If history were taught in the form of stories, it would never be forgotten. Kiplings quote holds equally true for data. Stories leave a powerful impact, which is not possible with data alone. Very often, teams struggle to connect the dots in understanding valuable insights behind data and have a hard time in making critical data-based decisions. This can be solved if loose-hanging valuable data gets a shape. This book tells us exactly how we can make data more meaningful with the power of data storytelling. A must-read for all corporate professionals.

Bhawna Agarwal, CEO, Serial Entrepreneur;
Advisor to VCs

Sejal has impressively encapsulated the art and science of data storytelling. This book is a handy guide for professionals across industries and experience levels to effectively communicate their views to their audience, who often have a very short attention span.

Jitendra Gohil, CFA , Head of Equity Research
at a leading multinational bank

The simple yet powerful concepts discussed in this book will help put your thoughts and data in a compelling and impactful manner. Through this book, you will learn a structured approach to organize thoughts, data and analysis, which will change the way one communicates with data.

Nachiket Naik, Managing Director, IREP Credit Capital

A great storytelling on the concept and principles of data storytelling. An absolute must in the exponential and explosive, current and future world of the data big bang!

Dr Vikas V. Gupta, CEO and Chief Investment Strategist,
OmniScience Capital

Data presentations are less about data and more about the meaning behind the data. Sejal introduces simple and practically applicable writing and visualization nuances that help bring out the data insight to make your reports and presentations much more impactful. A beginner or an experienced professional will find something new to take away from this book.

Siddharth Ladsariya, Angel Investor, Director,
Everest Flavours Ltd; Founder,
Young Volunteers Organization

Copyright Sejal Vora, 2019

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or utilised in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage or retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher.

First published in 201 by

Published by Vivek Mehra for SAGE Publications India Pvt Ltd, typeset in 11/14 pts Amasis by Fidus Design Pvt Ltd, Chandigarh.

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Name: Vora, Sejal, author.

Title: The power of data storytelling / Sejal Vora, Corporate Trainer.

Description: Thousand Oaks: SAGE Publications India Pvt Ltd, [2019]

Identifiers: LCCN 2018060841 | ISBN 9789353282905 (print (pb)) | ISBN 9789353282929 (web) | ISBN 9789353282912 (E pub 2.0)

Subjects: LCSH: Business presentationsTechnological innovations. | Digital storytelling. | Information visualization.

Classification: LCC HF5718.22 V67 2019 | DDC 658.4/52dc23

LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2018060841

ISBN: 978-93-532-8291-2 (ePub)

SAGE Team: Neha Pal, Mahira Chadha, Ankit Verma and Kanika Mathur

For

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Please write to me at
Vivek Mehra, Managing Director and CEO, SAGE India.

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This book is also available as an e-book.

Numbers have an important story to tell.
They rely on you to give them a voice.

Stephen Few

A s an investment research analyst for a decade, every day came with a new set of data, bringing a new adventure along with it. To me it seemed like the numbers were luring me into their mesmerizing world to share some secrets which no one else knew. Digging through the data mesh to uncover interesting insights was particularly exciting, rewarding and satisfying. Every number had a story to tell, and it was upon me to find these stories and share them with the world!

After a decade in the corporate world, it was my time to take a tough decision and follow my passions, the first step to which was becoming a corporate trainer. But even as a corporate trainer, the wonderland of numbers kept luring me in, and it appeared as if the universe was compelling me to go on a certain track. The multiple interactions I had across a host of industries kept leading me to one main pointtelling stories to make your messages impactful.

From the variety of data and research analysts whose core jobs entail data analysis and its presentation to the multiple reports and presentations prepared for the consumption of internal management teams and even financial market products relationship managers and advisors, all of them had one thing in common. They were all seeking to learn more about how to make their data communications impactful. But most of these people arent even aware of the simple changes they can apply to make their messages stick.