Overview:

"Creative Data Thinking: Blending Analytics with Storytelling and Design" is a hands-on, workshop that bridges the gap between data literacy and creative communication.

In today's world, data alone doesn't persuade - stories do. This course helps participants learn how to transform raw data into meaningful, human-centered insights using the principles of storytelling, design, and visual thinking.

Why should you Attend: Participants will explore how analysts, designers, and strategists can collaborate to craft narratives that inspire action, align stakeholders, and bring clarity to complex ideas. Through real examples, exercises, and frameworks, learners will walk away with the mindset and tools to make data not just informative - but unforgettable.

By the end of the course, participants will be able to:

• Explain the concept of creative data thinking and its value in decision-making
• Analyze and synthesize data insights into compelling narratives that resonate with diverse audiences
• Apply design principles (clarity, contrast, hierarchy, emotion) to improve how data is communicated visually
• Craft data stories using frameworks that balance logic (analytics) and emotion (storytelling)
• Use storytelling tools (characters, conflict, journey) to make complex data more relatable
• Develop a one-slide "data story" prototype combining narrative, visuals, and key insight
• Adopt a creative workflow that merges analytical thinking, design sensibility, and audience empathy

• The Art of Creative Data Thinking
  • Lecture: What is creative data thinking?
  • Explore examples from journalism (e.g., The New York Times, The Pudding) and business storytelling (e.g., Airbnb, Spotify)
  • Discussion: When did data change your mind - and why?


• From Numbers to Narrative
  • Framework: Insight - Tension - Story - Action
  • The storytelling arc in data (setup, conflict, resolution)
  • Exercise: Turn a simple dataset or insight into a 3-sentence story
  • Group share and quick feedback.


• Designing for Clarity and Emotion
  • Principles of data design: clarity, hierarchy, contrast, and empathy
  • Visual storytelling techniques - charts, color, typography, whitespace, and flow
  • Activity: Redesign a cluttered chart into a clean, story-driven visual
  • Discussion: What makes a visual feel human?


• Practice: The Data Story Sprint
  • Group or solo exercise: Create a one-slide data story using a provided dataset or topic
  • Steps:
    • Identify the key insight
    • Frame it as a question or tension
    • Design a single visual + headline + takeaway
  • Tools: Google Slides, Canva, or paper sketching
  • Peer review: "What's the story your data is telling?"


• Presenting Data that Moves People
  • How to connect with your audience: emotion, simplicity, pacing
  • Use the "3S Rule": Setup, Story, So what?
  • Live mini-demo: transforming a bland slide into a narrative moment
  • Discussion: How to tailor data stories for executives vs. teams


• The Creative Data Workflow
  • Framework: Collect - Connect - Create - Communicate
  • Checklist: how to go from dataset to decision
  • Exercise: Plan your next data story using the storytelling canvas


• Wrap-Up & Reflection
  • Key takeaways: creativity as a multiplier for clarity
  • Share: one action you'll take to improve your next presentation
  • Closing resources and recommended tools

• Data analysts and scientists who want to communicate insights with greater clarity and impact
• Designers and creatives who want to make data part of their storytelling toolkit
• Product managers, marketers, and strategists seeking to make data-driven decisions more persuasive
• Consultants, educators, and researchers who regularly present data to non-technical audiences
• Students and career switchers looking to build hybrid data-design communication skills