Storytelling with Data – Why Analysis Alone Isn’t Enough

How Vocable’s Research-Based Approach Helps Data Experts Translate Technical Insight into Persuasive Action

Not long ago, I (Megan) began a coaching journey with a senior data analyst we’ll call Maya. Maya had recently presented the most important findings of her year.

Maya had identified a serious flaw buried in the client’s internal reporting data—something that pointed to a serious exposure risk if left unaddressed. She thought she’d done everything right: thorough analysis, clean slides, clear recommendations. It was all there.

But when she presented her findings to the client’s executive team, they nodded politely, thanked her… and moved on.

Weeks later, when the issue flared up during audit prep, the conversation came back to her. Her insight had been right, but her message hadn’t landed.

Maya came to us at Vocable wanting to know: What went wrong?

The Communication Gap Most Data Experts Don't See

At Vocable, we work with brilliant analysts, researchers, and subject matter experts—people whose insight is invaluable to the organizations they support. But we see the same challenge crop up again and again: strong analysis that doesn’t lead to action.

The problem usually isn’t the data. It’s how the data are being communicated.

Maya had structured her presentation the way many data experts do—logically, linearly, and comprehensively. She began with context and methodology, laid out her assumptions, presented the findings, and ended with a conclusion she assumed would speak for itself. It made perfect sense to her—but the significance didn’t land with the decision-makers in the room.

Her presentation followed the logic of her analysis; it showed her audience how the sausage was made, so to speak. At Vocable we call this “process-oriented communication.” It serves a meaningful purpose in technical contexts, but it wasn’t what Maya’s audience of senior leaders needed.

Research in communication and cognitive science shows that when experts deliver data-heavy presentations, non-expert audiences—especially time-pressed decision-makers—struggle to process and act on what they’re hearing. And when too much information is included, even the most important insights can get lost—a phenomenon known as the information dilution effect. Rather than strengthening the argument, excessive detail can actually flatten its impact by overwhelming the audience.

Why Data Storytelling Helps Analysts Drive Decisions

So what did Maya need to do instead?

Rather than a presentation showing her audience how the sausage was made, she needed one designed to help them decide whether it was safe to eat.

In other words, Maya needed to make the shift from process-oriented communication to decision-oriented communication. That means translating data-driven insights into something non-expert audiences—executives, stakeholders, cross-functional team members—can grasp easily and use confidently. That means telling a story.

Data storytelling for analysts may sound like a buzzword, but there’s a reason it’s everywhere. Studies in communication and cognitive science consistently show that story structure improves comprehension and retention of complex information. A 2025 multi-study analysis found that story-based data presentations significantly improved decision-making quality compared to traditional formats. Furthermore, recent research on narrative transportation suggests that audiences are more likely to adopt a presenter’s perspective—and act on their recommendations—when the information is delivered in the form of a compelling story.

Storytelling helps your audience know what matters, why it matters, and what comes next. It makes a decision feel less like guesswork and more like the obvious next step.

From Analysis to Action: What Maya Changed and Why It Worked

When I worked with Maya, I helped her make this shift from process-oriented communication (presentation) to decision-oriented communication (storytelling) by starting with a fresh set of prep questions:

• What decision does your audience need to make?

• What do they care about?

• What’s the one key point your entire case hinges on?

Once she had those answers, everything else followed. The structure of her presentation changed. The visuals changed. The data she included—and what she left out—changed, too.

Had she been able to go back in time and deliver that high-stakes presentation again, it might have opened like this:

“We’ve identified a pattern in your reporting data that could lead to serious exposure if left unresolved. There’s a fix—but we need to move quickly.”

From the very first sentence, she would have given the audience a reason to listen, framed the stakes in their terms, and previewed the value of the solution to come.

While she didn’t get a do-over, Maya did make some big adjustments to her next presentation.

And this time, the decision-makers in the room listened.

Why Data Storytelling Is a Competitive Advantage

As organizations become increasingly data-rich, the competitive advantage belongs not to those with the best analysis, but those with the best analysis who can also effectively translate insights into action.

That’s where we come in.

At Vocable, we help data experts and technical teams translate insight into impact through decision-oriented communication. Our communication coaching for data teams equips clients to identify what matters, connect it to what their audience values, and frame it in a way that drives good decisions.

Data storytelling training is just one of our Areas of Expertise. We also offer Executive Coaching and other forms of team assessment and training that support clear, confident communication across your organization.

If your team is ready to start turning data into decisions, get in touch for a consultation.

CONTACT US TODAY

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