Data Narrative
Title: [descriptive title] Author: [name] Date: [YYYY-MM-DD] Audience: [role / team] Format: Written memo / Slide deck / Verbal briefing
Opening hook
[One sentence that creates immediate relevance — a surprising number, an unexpected trend, or a clear business implication. This is the spark that earns the reader's attention.]
Example: "For the first time in six quarters, we are growing revenue while losing customers."
Situation
[2–4 sentences establishing shared context. What is the current state? What do we already know? This is what the audience should nod along to — not your finding yet.]
Complication
[2–4 sentences introducing the tension or problem. What has changed, broken, or surprised us? This is why the audience should care. Be specific — name the metric, the direction, and the magnitude.]
Key finding / Governing thought
[State the main finding in one bold sentence. This is the answer. Everything else supports it.]
Supporting evidence
[Evidence point 1 — supports the key finding]
[Data point with context: what happened, how large, compared to what, and why it matters]
[Evidence point 2]
[Data point with context]
[Evidence point 3]
[Data point with context]
Counterarguments / caveats
[1–2 sentences addressing the most obvious objection or limitation. Acknowledging uncertainty increases credibility. "This assumes X — if X doesn't hold, the finding changes to Y."]
So what / Resolution
[2–4 sentences: what does this mean? What decision does it enable? What should happen next?]
Call to action
Recommended action: [specific, with an owner and a date if possible] Decision needed from audience: [what you need from them] Next update: [when you will have more]
Template: narrative_template.md