I was in math club in eighth grade. Growing up, numbers and math were always fun, and didn’t seem at odds with my interest in the arts. Although these two worlds are quite different, I have always loved the interplay between them.
I'm immersed in reports these days, creating them for both web and print, all while looking for inspiration from the best examples available out there. They vary in style and content, but a common thread is the relationship between data and story.
Still, a common mistake I see many organizations make is to inundate readers with a bunch of data without connecting it to a story that the reader can enter. Then it’s just a collection of percentages or numbers or that mean nothing to the lay person.
We humans were storytellers long before the time of data collection and statistical research came into play. We’re in an era where apps can calculate things down to how many calories I burn walking into the kitchen. We are enamored of numbers and, let’s be honest, data does have a lot of power.
But our humanity is rich and deep, and I believe stories and comparisons engage us far more than statistics can.
(Side note: storytelling is such a ridiculously overused word in the social impact communications space that I hesitate to use it. What do we really mean by a story? I believe it gives us access to our natural human superpower of empathy. We can – we WANT – to see the world through other people’s eyes. We can’t help but project ourselves into stories. It’s the ultimate virtual reality.)
Then there are comparisons. We understand our world through comparison. Observe children and you can quickly see our fundamental nature at play. A child who asks, “how far is the store?” might have difficulty comprehending, “It’s 20 minutes away.” But say, “It’s twice as long as the walk to grandma’s house,” and suddenly there’s clarity and understanding; a comparison that makes sense.
All right, so you’ve gathered the information for your annual report through blood, sweat and tears. You’ve hounded your colleagues for content and spent hours combing through data, and gosh darn it you are going to share those numbers!
Now, take a breath. It’s time to figure out which numbers are the most important (please don’t share them all). And then, ask yourself, “how can I present those numbers so people’s eyes don’t glaze over?”
Here are some real-life examples to clarify what I mean.
Let’s say a community lending organization supported 150 entrepreneurs in their city. That number alone doesn’t mean much. Now, answer these questions:
Next, think about pairing those numbers with an in-depth story that delves into the challenges of being an entrepreneur (I could write a book on that one.)
Consider another example:
Imagine an international environmental organization declares, “Our efforts have conserved 500 million kWh of energy over the past year.”
I’m guessing this statement doesn’t make you want to run home and tell your partner all about it. Scientific jargon like 'kWh' can be alienating and reduce the impact of what you’re trying to communicate.
So, let's bridge that gap: 'We saved 500 million kWh of energy, equal to 47,000 American household’s annual energy usage.'
How does that impact you? Do the numbers mean more to you now?
Combining data with stories breathes life into numbers, making them relatable and impactful. Adding comparisons helps bring them to the scale of a single life. So, as you compile information for your next report, think about what comparisons you can make and what stories you can tell.