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Our industry’s fascination with the art of storytelling – or the science of it, depending on your perspective – isn’t new. Storytelling is a rebranding of the single most vital skill for a researcher: persuasiveness. 

That’s not to say the rest of the research process isn’t important. Clearly. However, the end goal of any research study is to ensure that the customer’s voice is considered in a business decision. Without the ability to persuade clients or stakeholders to listen to the data and take heed of what those customers are saying, the rest of your work is for nought.

The assumption that better design = a more compelling presentation = better storytelling = more persuasion power doesn’t always hold. Don’t get me wrong – I spend far, far longer than I care to admit designing Keynote slides, and I’m a huge advocate of the power of great design. But there are alternatives that should be given equal consideration. 

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