Introduction

This introduction presents an overview of the key concepts discussed in the subsequent chapters of this book. The book introduces key concepts on data-driven storytelling bridging several domains and pointing to seminal research and exemplary stories from practitioners. It lays out the perceptual and cognitive foundation of how humans understand and perceive events, stories, data graphics, and ultimately visual storytelling. The book reflects on exploratory and explanatory aspects of Data-driven stories (DDSs). It introduces the concept of narrative design patterns that aim to facilitate the shaping of compelling DDSs. The book discusses different device form factors and their affordances and characteristics for different storytelling settings. It describes the lifecycle of visual data stories, including the tools and methods that authors employ to create visual stories, the processes they go through, and the major pain points they experience.