The difference between data and insight (and why it matters)
How do you make data work for you? At a recent Wisdom event, we heard a lot about professionals struggling with ‘data overwhelm’ - not being sure about the numbers they needed, or struggling to tell a compelling story with them.
This blog looks at the difference between data - raw numbers on a page - and insight - data framed in a way that allows it to serve a broader purpose.
Data vs Insight
A data point is a fact. A fact tells you what has happened.
An insight is a story. A story tells you how and why something happens.
The difference between ‘data’ and ‘insight’ is that insight is data scaffolded in such a way that it allows it to be understood and fitted into a broader context - data made powerful by being framed as a story.
Why does this matter?
We are a story-telling, meaning-searching animal. When we dream, we spend time engaged in deeply immersive stories; in our waking hours, we spend five hours in various screen narratives of different kinds. We daydream constantly. We’re almost always in a story mode of one kind or another.
That’s why data on its own often falls flat. But when you present data through a story, you give it form, emotion, and direction — and that’s when it truly lands.
So how do you do this well?
Decide on your story
Check the story you’re writing is one that people need to hear. For day-to-day data questions, it’s often better to work backwards. Say I’m trying to figure out why my company culture is siloed. Think of how you could tell a story that might answer the question - for example…
- Our company culture is siloed because [leaders don’t communicate with one another]
- Our company culture is siloed because [incentives encourage different parts of the business to pull in different directions]
- Our company culture is siloed because [this is the way things operate in our industry]
Identify the data that fits with your story
Then, look at what data could fit with this story
- [Leaders don’t communicate with one another]: What are the internal messaging flows like? How much time do they spend in meetings with one another?
- [Incentives encourage different parts of the business to pull in different directions]: What are the correlations between different groups OKRs?
- [This is the way things operate in our industry]: What are other companies review sites saying? Use a tool like Wisdom to see what are their review scores - how do they score for appeal?
Check if your data and story fit together
Either the data fits your story - in which case you have the data you need, and the story to help you tell it. Or it doesn’t - in which case the story you’re telling is not be the right one, and it's time to test another explanation.
Check your story is one people want to read:
If insights are 'data-as-a-story', then the ordinary rules about story-telling apply. The best stories are well written - so:
- Keep your story short, sharp and snappy. Pay attention to 'value per word' - and make sure that everything in your insight is contributing to your broader narrative
- Make it easy to see the relevant part of your data. Choose graphs carefully, and add shading to pick out relevant information
- Put your takeaways front and center - so people can spot the 'so what' of your data.
Find the best data for the best insights
Data is most powerful when it tells a story. Wisdom helps you go beyond numbers to uncover the real insight into how your employer brand is seen — inside and out.
Turn scattered signals into clear, actionable stories to drive better hiring and culture. Book a demo with Wisdom to see the full picture.
Make your brand talented.
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