Finding Meaning in Utilities Data: Visualization and Storytelling – January 24, 2024 (Private)

Analytics effectiveness and impact depends on visualization skills of two kinds – ability to create visuals and ability to understand visuals. The real value of visualization does not come from creating visuals, but from understanding what they tell you. With the language of words, we learn reading and writing as separate but related skills. Similarly, with visual language we need to learn understanding (reading) and creating (writing) as distinct but related skills. Data analysts at the top of their game go beyond creating data visualizations. They add narratives to interpret the visuals and to explain insights and recommendations. In short, they tell data stories.