Chapter 10: Telling Relevant Stories

Being relevant with data means bringing information to light that is important to current issues at hand. When deciding what story to tell, relevance to the audience should always be paramount. Telling relevant stories also requires context or a frame of reference. In a business context, a business model provides a framework for storytelling. Leadership audiences expect concise arguments both for and against the proposal, while peer and subordinate audiences may need more details to help them understand the full picture and to facilitate execution. We will learn about deciding what the relevant parts of the business are and organizing the story presentation using a pattern. A pattern for relevant storytelling seeks to explain the journey of where the story began, what happened, where things are now, and where things could be in the future. A story is not meant to merely present facts and figures but should also advocate for a position. Stories that...