Analytics + Storytelling = Influence

Learn the art and science of data storytelling with new DATAacademy training app

Using data smarter empowers businesses to communicate better, to innovate faster, and to grow at pace. The trouble is, even the word “data” intimidates most people and many of us feel like it’s going to overwhelm us.

DATAacademy is a new training app, designed to help individuals and teams make smarter use of data. It works on iOS and Android, on both phones and tablets. Through a diverse and growing library of training courses, DATAacademy can help anyone use data smarter – in the stories they tell and in the products and services they develop and bring to market. The app has been created by Sam Knowles, the founder of data storytelling consultancy Insight Agents and author of the books Narrative by Numbers (2018) and How To Be Insightful (2020, both from Routledge).

The first course available from DATAacademy is Data+Story, a six-module learning journey designed to improve data storytelling skills. Launched in 2021, Data+Story introduces the six Golden Rules of data storytelling set out in Narrative by Numbers. The immersive and interactive nature of the course – powered by the pioneering mLearning platform Quickclass – features films and animations, quizzes and questions at regular steps throughout the course. Also included are a series of major exercises – one or two per module – which the DATAacademy team review and then provide learners with individual, personalised feedback.

The DATAacademy app can help anyone get started on their data storytelling journey today. Working at their own pace, learners will join the growing number of people who’ve learned the Data+Story way – including teams at Unilever and Sky TV, Novartis and Tesco. The approach helps all sorts of organisations use data smarter, talk like people talk, and sound human.

Data+Story is most relevant for those who work in marketing, communications, sales, analytics, finance, insight, and market research. But since the two defining skills of corporate success today are the ability to make sense of data – and the ability to use the insights extracted from data to tell better stories – most functions benefit from the Data+Story approach. Analytics + Storytelling truly does equal Influence in the modern knowledge economy.

To find out more, you can email DATAacademy@insightagents.co.uk or complete this simple form.