Soft Skills for Data Science Storytelling

data science storytelling is a powerful way to share analytics and complex information with your audience. It can help your team make the right decisions, persuade others to act and communicate key takeaways from your research. But to tell an effective data story, you need to have both hard and soft skills.

According to Hana Khan, founder of Trending Analytics and instructor for Coursera’s Business Analytics Credential of Readiness (CORe) program, the soft skills that are crucial for data science storytelling include the ability to identify key insights based on the needs of your audience. This means focusing on the data that is most relevant to your audience and supporting that key message throughout your narrative. It also requires knowing your audience so you can tailor the content and visuals to their needs.

From Data to Drama: The Psychology of Effective Data Storytelling

Khan also explains that you need to be objective when choosing what data to present. You should avoid manipulating data to fit a certain narrative, as this will lose your audience’s trust. For example, if you use a graphic to represent your data, the visuals should match the actual data. For example, if your data shows that there are more pipeline leakages in one city, you should show the pictorial evidence of this in your narrative.

Creating an accurate and compelling narrative that translates complex data into actionable insights is a skill that can empower anyone in your organization. It can influence leaders, galvanize teams, transform organizations, bolster innovation, and even overcome resistance to change.