Data Storytelling
Where Data and Analysts Collide
Data speaks a language that is often misunderstood. In the world of Technology Business Management—also known as TBM—analysts share an intuitive connection with data. Yet, many business leaders don't share the same data fluency. According to a study by Oracle, 70% of business leaders have abandoned decisions because the data was overwhelming. While others might see complexity, we see the stories, patterns, trends, and insights that others miss. We understand the nuanced context needed when crafting stories with data. Our ability to translate raw data into meaningful insights has become the heart and soul of TBM.
Even though we understand the data, we don't always communicate our findings effectively. Whether it's overly bulky and technical presentations, misaligned messaging, or chaotic visuals, our poor communication can cause notable findings to be overlooked. If stakeholders don't grasp the full context behind the numbers, decisions can be misguided, and all that work we did as analysts will be left on the cutting room floor.
As TBM analysts, our unique advantage lies in our access to data from all three domains. This multidimensional view of the organization allows us to uncover hidden patterns and untapped opportunities. However, with this access comes responsibility. Overanalyzing or getting lost in the data is easy, so we must engage experts to validate or challenge our findings. And because we don’t own the source data, we can’t assume others see what we see without explanation or context. That's why data storytelling is crucial for TBM analysts. It's not just about creating reports. It's about telling a cohesive, straightforward, data-driven story that business leaders can respond to and act on.
An INK PPT article revealed, "Presentations with stories are 22 times more memorable than those with only facts." This powerful statistic underscores why data storytelling is the secret sauce for mature TBM programs. Though many TBM analysts are stuck in execution mode—sourcing, uploading, testing, and publishing data—those who can effectively analyze and communicate their findings drive the most significant impact for their organizations.
From my experience as a TBM analyst, consultant, and executive, I’ve seen how establishing dedicated time for developing compelling readouts of your TBM program yields tremendous benefits for the organization and your career. Through working with countless counterparts in these roles, I’ve identified four key ways TBM analysts can develop into better storytellers: know your audience, simplify your visuals, be direct and clear, and give context.
Four Ways Analysts Can Become Better Data Storytellers
1.) Know Your Audience
To enhance your data storytelling capabilities as a TBM analyst, you must tailor your presentation to your audience’s needs. Whether you’re presenting to finance leaders about cost allocation, IT leaders about service optimization, or business leaders about value realization, understanding their specific concerns helps you focus on what matters most. I remember a CIO repeatedly telling me and his team, “If I’m 10-15 feet away from the screen, it should still be obvious where I need to focus my attention”— e.g., the big red bar or the noticeable spike on a graph.
To ensure your presentation is effective, consider this framework:
Decision-making needs – What key decisions will your audience make based on this data? For instance, is the organization looking to reduce IT spending or invest in growth?
Success metrics – Which metrics drive their business goals? Are they focused on cost per service, adoption rates, or business value metrics?
Time constraints – How much time do they have to absorb the information? Can you tell your story in 5 minutes if needed?
Preferred format – Do they engage best with bar graphs, visual dashboards, or statement-driven slides?
2.) Simplify Your Visuals
A study by the University of Minnesota found that the human brain processes visuals 60,000 times faster than text. This is why visuals are imperative in data storytelling. Visuals emphasize the trends and patterns you’ve discovered in the data. However, graphs and charts can sometimes confuse the audience if they aren’t crafted intentionally and simply. When creating visuals for your data story, you want to design them with your audience in mind. A line or area chart is ideal for illustrating changes over time. A scatter or bubble chart might be more effective when comparing variables' relationships. The key is ensuring your visuals are digestible, purposeful, and on-brand for your audience. For example, when presenting cloud cost optimization opportunities, a simple red/green comparison of optimized vs. unoptimized instances can be more impactful than detailed usage metrics.
Color theory is another way to enhance clarity and simplify your visuals. Use red to signal pain points or misalignment (like over-budget services), gray or black to indicate stagnancy (stable application cost), and green to highlight successes or opportunities for growth (cost savings from an action taken). Before finalizing your visuals, ask yourself:
Is this the best way for my audience to understand and compare my key points?
Does this visual spark an “aha” moment?
3.) Be Direct & Clear
When presenting TBM findings, start with the business impact and clearly identify the problem. Next, provide a thorough but focused breakdown of the data insights—how are the findings impacting the business, and what’s the next step? Offer actionable, data-driven recommendations that guide your stakeholders toward the solution.
For example, “Our analysis shows a 30% increase in shadow IT spending, causing $2M in duplicative services. Here’s how this impacts our operational efficiency, and here are three specific actions we can take to consolidate these services.”
Your goal is for stakeholders to leave the meeting with a clear understanding of the situation and a path forward that addresses or resolves the root cause of the problem.
I prefer to structure messages into three parts:
Problem/Opportunity: Clear statement of what you found.
Business Impact: Why it matters to the organization or the specific stakeholder.
Action steps: Specific recommendations or options based on the root cause analysis.
4.) Give Context
Context is crucial in TBM storytelling because it helps executives make informed decisions amid competing priorities. Think of context as the guardrails that prevent misapplication of your insights.
When presenting TBM data, consider three key contextual elements:
Historical Performance: show how metrics have evolved over time.
Industry Perspective: Compare against relevant benchmarks.
Business Impact: Connect to strategic initiatives and outcomes.
For example, instead of just reporting, “Cloud costs increased 20% year-over-year,” provide fuller context: “While cloud costs increased 20% YoY, this strategic investment in our digital transformation has reduced time-to-market by 40% and positions us below industry average cost benchmarks by 2026.”
Strong contextual elements include:
Comparative metrics, year-over-year, industry benchmarks.
Strategic initiatives impacting the numbers.
Future state implications.
Business metrics, ROI, time-to-market, etc.
Remember: even the most compelling data points can lead to misguided decisions without proper context. Your role is to ensure leaders understand not just the “what” but the “so what” of your findings.
The Power of Data Storytelling in TBM
As TBM analysts, we have the ability to communicate data-driven insights through compelling narratives, which transform raw data into actionable business decisions. We effectively combine technical expertise with strong storytelling. We don’t just share information—we drive organizational change.
I’ve seen firsthand how strong data storytelling can be:
Accelerate decision-making processes.
Build trust between IT and business stakeholders.
Turn complex TBM insights into clear business value.
Transform technical metrics into strategic conversations.
The strategies we’ve discussed—knowing your audience, simplifying visuals, being direct and clear, and providing context—aren’t just presentation tips. They’re tools that help bridge the gap between technical complexity and business value. Remember, as TBM analysts, our unique perspective across finance, technology, and business domains is our superpower. It’s not just about having access to data—it’s about making that data tell a compelling story that drives meaningful action for your organization.
The 3-Slide Challenge
Ready to put these principles into practice? Take on the 3-Slide Challenge with your next presentation. Here’s the format:
Slide 1: Context and Problem Statement
Slide 2: Data Insights and Business Impact
Slide 3: Recommendation and Next Steps
This constraint will force you to:
Focus on what truly matters to your audience.
Simplify your visuals to their core elements.
Be direct with your message and actionable recommendations.
Provide only the most essential context.
