Data storytelling has become essential in public health. When done well, it turns complex data into insights that inform decisions, shift priorities, and improve community outcomes. But moving from a dataset to an audience-centered story isn’t always straightforward.
This resource was created in direct response to feedback from FLEXED participants who needed actionable tools to apply data communication concepts during fast-moving public health responses.
Creating a Data Story in Four Steps: A Practical Guide for Local Public Health provides a structured framework to help you move from data to action. The tools guide you in clarifying your message, understanding your audience, and communicating insights effectively.
Data storytelling sits at the intersection of analysis, communication, and design. Like any skill that blends multiple disciplines, it takes time to develop. With practice, you can better identify meaningful signals in data, frame insights for specific audiences, connect findings to real-world impact, and make clear, actionable asks. This guide offers a practical approach to building those skills. For those looking to strengthen the communication side of this work, NACCHO’s Data Communications Starter Guide provides additional practical strategies, templates, and examples to help translate data into clear, audience-centered messaging that drives action.
You don’t need to be an expert to start improving how you communicate data. Explore the Data Storytelling Guide and the Data Communications Starter Guide to begin building data stories that drive action in your community.
An Example Data Story Using the Framework
To bring the framework to life, below is a real-world example that walks through each step from identifying a key data point to developing a story designed to drive action.
To see this data storytelling example in practice, view the product here.
Creating a Data Story in Four Steps
This guide introduces NACCHO’s 4D Data Storytelling Framework, a structured process to help you move from raw analysis to meaningful communication:
Discover the Data Signal – Identify the “signal” or key takeaway that represents a meaningful shift in understanding, rather than just reporting noise.
Define the Audience – Tailor your message by exploring the specific beliefs, motivations, and level of influence.
Develop the Narrative Frame – Use a structured narrative arc (Character, Conflict, Resolution) to connect numbers to the human outcomes your audience cares about.
Design the Delivery – Use the decision tree to choose the right format, from a rapid newsletter blurb to a high-impact public facing product, based on your goals and the audience.
Download the Data Storytelling Guide
Looking for additional support on communicating your data effectively? Explore NACCHO’s Data Communications Starter Guide to complement this framework and strengthen your messaging approach.
How LHDs Can Use This Resource
Whether you are a solo epidemiologist or part of a large communications team, this guide is designed to be flexible and practical:
As a Step-by-Step Process: If you’re new to storytelling, follow the worksheets to build your narrative from the ground up.
As a Partnership Tool: Use the “Who Should Be Involved” section to facilitate collaboration between data analysts, subject matter experts, and communications teams.
To Strengthen Messaging: Use the Step 3 worksheet to ensure your “Ask” is clear, actionable, and aligned with your audience’s priorities.
To Strengthen Data Communication Skills: Pair this guide with NACCHO’s Data Communications Starter Guide, which offers practical tips, templates, and examples to help translate data into clear, audience-centered messaging and support more effective outreach.
What is FLEXED?
Flexible Local Epidemiology for X-factor Emerging Diseases (FLEXED) is NACCHO’s open learning community focused on strengthening local epidemiology capacity for emerging and evolving public health threats.
Join the FLEXED Virtual Community to access event updates, recordings, and tools like this one. Participation is flexible; engage in live sessions, explore resources on demand, or join peer discussions based on your interests and availability.
No application or prior participation is required; FLEXED is open to all NACCHO members.
