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The benefits of storytelling’s are long-known and its potential to simplify concepts, create emotional connection, and capacity to help retain information has been explored in different areas, such as journalism, education, and others. The necessity to incorporate storytelling in visualizations arises from the need to share complex data in a way that is engaging. Advances in technology have enabled us to go beyond the traditional forms of storytelling and representing data, giving us more attractive and sophisticated means to tell stories. In this work we present the results of a focus group study that was conducted with the purpose of collecting information on the narrative elements in a collection of visualizations and the possible inclusion of storytelling elements in those. In this study information about the visualizations in terms of comprehension, navigation, and likability was also collected with the intent of identifying elements that are appealing in the visualizations. Furthermore, we suggest strategies for storytelling in visualizations.
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How to Tell Stories Using VisualizationResults of a focus group study
What springs to mind when you hear the word “storytelling”? For most of us, it conjures up images of children gathered in front of a rocking chair, rapt with attention as an elder narrates a fairy tale. Unencumbered by the inhibitions of older years, they aren’t afraid to interrupt and ask for details to satisfy their curiosity, or clamor for more when the story ends. Ma et al (2012)
A well-told story conveys great quantities of information in relatively few words in a format that is easily assimilated by the listener or viewer. People usually find it easier to understand information integrated into stories than information spelled out in serial lists (such as bulleted items in an overhead slide). Stories are also just more compelling. Gershon and Page (2001)
All stories are sequences of causally related events. However, the good ones tend to share several important features. First, they take time to unfold, and their pacing matches the audience’s ability to follow them. Second, they hold the audience’s attention by having interesting settings, plots, and characters. Finally, they leave a lasting impression, either by piquing the audience’s curiosity and making them want to learn more or by conveying a deeper meaning than your everyday run-of-the-mill sequence of causally related events. Ma et al (2012)
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However, the visual representation might be more compelling and memorable than the script. After all, we all began our lives getting most of our information visually. To represent information in as compelling a way as possible, we need to choose and exploit an appropriate medium and genre to impart it, support our mission, and communicate with our intended audience. Gershon and Page (2001)
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Focus group
● Gather information about factors such as comprehension, likability, and navigation that a possible visualization target audience can have.
● The method was used because it fosters the discussion between the participants and enables us to obtain qualitative and affective information from participants easily.
● This focus group sessions were conceptualized as an exploratory exercise to obtain an emotional response from the participants, an aspect that could not be evaluated using the survey method.
Procedures
● There were a total of 16 participants, divided into 2 groups of 8 elements each.
● The groups were mixed in terms of gender and age.● The location for the sessions was a classroom with a
computer with Internet connection for each participant.
● The participants received a rating sheet to rate the visualizations on a scale from 1 to 10, in terms of comprehension, likability, and navigability.
● The participants were asked semi-structured questions about the visualizations.
01
Evo
luti
on
of
the
Web
02
Ho
me
and
aw
ay
03
Dea
th p
en
alty
in t
he
US
map
ped
04
Ho
w lo
cal n
ew
s is
go
ing
mo
bile
05
Fac
es o
f th
e d
ead
06
Bri
tish
tro
op
s ki
lled
in A
fgh
anis
tan
07
Wh
at d
oe
s ch
ina
cen
sor
on
line?
08
Ho
w m
uch
CO
2?
09
Ho
w m
any
ho
use
ho
lds
are
like
you
rs
10
Dea
th p
en
alty
sta
tist
ics,
co
un
try
by
cou
ntr
y
11
Gro
un
d Z
ero
no
w
Th
e m
ost
dis
cuss
ed
Lin
ks a
s co
nte
xt
No
n-P
laya
ble
Average rating for each visualization and consequent ranking
Scores given by the participants to each visualization in terms of comprehension, likability, and navigation
