Beyond Dashboards – Lessons in HR Data Storytelling

HR functions capture vast amounts of data, yet too many reports leave leaders unmoved. This keynote shows how techniques borrowed from unlikely places can refresh the way you present people metrics. Through a step-by-step makeover of a real HR dataset, you will see the impact of precise language, guided attention, and narrative structure. Expect practical, low-tech methods for planning messages, design tips for decluttering visuals, and clear guidance on crafting stories that spark productive dialogue among senior stakeholders. You will leave ready to transform engagement scores, turnover trends, and other people data into stories that drive meaningful action.

• Sourcing storytelling approaches from outside the corporate world to re-energise HR communication.
• The three essentials of data storytelling: use words wisely, focus attention, and construct a narrative arc.
• Step-by-step transformation of an HR dataset into a compelling story.
• Low-tech planning tools—storyboards, sketches, sticky notes—for shaping messages before visual design.
• Design tactics to spotlight critical insights and suppress visual noise.
• Integrating story structure with visuals to prompt decisive conversations among senior leaders.

• Identify unconventional sources of inspiration that sharpen your data communication.
• Apply the principles of precise language, focused visuals, and narrative flow to any people metric.
• Plan and test your message with simple tools before opening slides or BI software.
• Create visuals that guide leaders straight to the point and remove distractions.
• Craft concise stories that turn HR analysis into decisions, action, and measurable impact.

Cole Nussbaumer Knaflic

CEO · storytelling with data

With talent shortages, hybrid work, and rising workforce costs, HR data now carries strategic weight. Yet dashboards packed with metrics often fail to sway decision-makers. Bridging the gap between analysis and influence is essential for culture, policy, and talent strategy to keep pace with business goals.