The Data Storytelling Workbook

Why Data Stories Matter More Than Ever

Numbers alone rarely move people. The Data Storytelling Workbook starts from that simple, practical truth. Anna Feigenbaum and Aria Alamalhodaei bring together cross-disciplinary research and first-hand project accounts to show how data can be turned into narratives that are both evidence-based and empathetic.

Rather than treating data and storytelling as separate disciplines, the workbook builds a shared vocabulary for journalists, researchers, designers, activists, students, and anyone who needs to communicate complex information clearly.

Inside the Workbook

Structured as a practical teaching and professional development resource, the book moves from core concepts to hands-on activities. It explores audience understanding, narrative structure, power and bias in data, visual approaches, and mapping techniques.

• A narrative approach to data storytelling — how audiences, conflict, characters, and detail shape effective data narratives.
• Navigating data’s unequal terrain — open data, big data, discrimination, and why standpoint matters.
• Visual data storytelling — feminist data visualisation, semiotics, chartjunk, timelines, comics, and multisensory approaches.
• Data storytelling with maps — counter-mapping, participatory maps, and questioning what maps represent.

Built for Practice, Not Just Theory

Filled with activities, exercises, spotlights, and worked examples, the workbook encourages readers to test ideas and create their own data stories. Projects referenced in the book range from public health to housing justice, offering concrete illustrations of ethical challenges like visualising difficult subjects.

Who This Workbook Is For

Educators, students, journalists, communication professionals, designers, and researchers will find flexible material that can be adapted for classrooms, workshops, or self-directed learning. The authors’ experience with Bournemouth University’s Civic Media Hub shows through in the emphasis on collaboration and reflection.

From Information to Impact 📊

Whether you are just beginning to think about data storytelling or already working with data, this workbook provides a structured yet open-ended way to develop more responsible, creative, and persuasive data narratives.