The Data Narrative Structure

Every data presentation tells a story with three acts. Act one: the situation and why it matters. "Pipeline velocity has declined 18% over the last two quarters." This is the problem. It is stated in one sentence with one number. Act two: the analysis and what it reveals. "The decline is concentrated in deals above $200K where the average sales cycle extended from 45 to 68 days. The root cause is a new procurement process at enterprise accounts." This is the finding. It is supported by two to three charts. Act three: the recommendation and what it costs. "We recommend adding a dedicated procurement navigator to enterprise deals. Estimated cost: $150K. Projected impact: restore velocity to baseline within one quarter, recovering $2.1M in accelerated pipeline." This is the ask. It connects the finding to an action with a quantified outcome.

1. Act 1: Situation (2 minutes) One slide. The key metric that triggered the analysis. The trend that demands attention. No methodology. No data exploration. One number, one trend, one reason this matters.
2. Act 2: Analysis (4-5 minutes) Two to three slides. Each slide makes one point supported by one chart. The chart answers a specific question. The annotation tells the story. The narrative connects the slides into a causal chain.
3. Act 3: Recommendation (3-4 minutes) One to two slides. The recommended action, the expected outcome, the cost, and the timeline. Present the recommendation as a decision to be made, not a finding to be absorbed. End with a specific ask.