Where Data

& Story Meet –

The Modern Data Scientist & Modern Marketer

Data is rapidly transforming the way companies are or “mindset” of great data storytelling seemed so
transacting and engaging with customers. Gone are elusive among both data scientists and marketers. I also
the days of not having enough data, now we are being wondered if there was a specific role better suited
inundated with too much data and are struggling to for data storytelling and whether or not we should be
find ways to make sense of it. seeking the necessary qualities in one individual or to
build a team of varied skillsets?
Many organizations seem to be responding by
hiring data scientists, an approach advocated by I found a kindred spirit in Aaron Merlob, formerly
Benjamin Spiegel in an article in Marketing Land, where an Associate in Biomedical Informatics at Harvard
he writes that every marketing department needs a Medical School. We met when he was an instructor
data scientist because they are the “secret weapon” at Galvanize in San Francisco, where I learned he
in helping to demystify the rising complexity of the and I share concerns about the growing gap in great
data landscape. I worry this position supports the data storytelling. We have teamed up to try and shed
stereotype – one that has often let me down – that some light on the subject in hopes the gap in data
every data scientist is also a great data storyteller. After storytelling talent will soon dissipate.
reading this, I couldn’t help but wonder why the “skillset”

1 | Where Data and Story Meet

 As a business leader, especially in the roles of data of the same story. Brown continues with a description
science and marketing, your success is heavily reliant of what might be the perfect data storyteller:
on bridging the gap between data and story. It is
becoming imperative to build and nurture a great data “Ideally, it would be a data
storytelling capability, so that you and your teams can scientist with a flair for
make informed decisions to help grow and transform articulate and emotional
your business. In this piece, we explore the increasing
evocation. However, I am still
demands in skillsets for the modern data scientist
and marketer. Further, we explore the mindset of data
looking for this elusive person.”
scientists and whether or not that mindset differs
from great data storytellers. We also reveal different “[Data storytelling] is definitely an interdisciplinary
ways to build the data storytelling capability. activity,” said Karu. “Data scientists are needed to
extract patterns in data, visualization experts are needed
Before we explore the requirements of data scientists to convey the message in a compelling easy-to-
and marketers, the mindsets of great data storytellers understand manner, marketing [needs to be included]
and how to best build the capability of data storytelling, to understand the needs of and reach the desired target
we must first define what we mean by data storytelling. audience, business domain experience is necessary to
hone in on the right set of questions, and an editorial
staff is needed to communicate the surrounding text in
a compelling way.”
What is Data Storytelling?
The InformationWeek article also recommends data
Data storytelling is the act of humanizing data by turning
storytelling follow general storytelling rules (finding
it into narrative or a story that creates actionable
the conflict, adding the characters, and calling out the
insights, frequently supported by visualizations.
drama) and should convey, in a creative way, how the
data can help the business. Clearly, this is an art form –
As humans, we are conditioned to consume
and quite a complex one at that – so let’s see how we
information not in the form of data, but in the form
can isolate the traits of great data storytellers in both
of stories – even before we can speak as children.
data scientists and modern marketers and then profile
Data storytelling taps into this by integrating data and
the organizational or operational design that best
story to provide readers, or participants, with a
nurtures a great storytelling environment.
true understanding of the insights and an actionable
roadmap of what to do next.

Lisa Morgan captured a number of different perspectives Understanding the Modern Data
on who should be the data storyteller and how you Scientist and Modern Marketer
can write a data story in a recent article for Information
Week. IIThe varying perspectives were intriguing – and The modern data scientist must not only be a master
we especially liked that of contributors Martin Brown, a in data analysis; but also, must understand the
GM at FM Outsourcing, and Zoher Karu, a VP at eBay. business at hand, be able to produce actionable
insights, and convey the findings in a way in which all
Brown said he often has data scientists, business business functions can benefit. Similarly, the modern
analysts, and marketers collaborating on a single story. marketer must not only work in a creative capacity and
However, in doing so, he finds there are three versions rely on data to make decisions; but also, must possess

2 | Where Data and Story Meet

 strategic insight and understanding of that data in of marketing and the future is now. More marketers
order to activate and communicate it effectively. are searching our education to better train existing
staff and DMA hears from hiring managers that more
In order to be successful in today’s ever-changing and more their target hire is a data scientist and not a
data landscape, the modern data scientist should marketer.”V
ideally possess eight different skills and abilities:
advanced analytics, business acumen, communications
& collaboration, creativity, data integration, data
The Modern Data Scientist
visualization, software development, and system
administration.1 But can one person actually possess
The original conception of a data scientist was a
all of those skills and abilities? According to Accenture,
businessperson with a technical skillset. More than
it most definitely is a challenge: “Executives are
a simple liaison between business and IT, he or she
struggling to find individuals who possess all eight
played on both teams: identifying strategic and tactical
data scientist skills and abilities. A data scientist team
business problems and then being a part of the team
can serve as an alternative.”III
solving them, too.

Similarly, today’s marketers require a unique

In an oft-quoted Quora post from 2014, Michael
combination of skills, abilities, and mindsets. With the
Hochster at Pandora saw two types of data scientists:
customer experience a driving force in nearly all business
Type A and Type B. The A is for Analysis and the B
decisions, modern marketers must possess creativity,
is for Building.VI
technology, analytics, customer voice and corporate
vision capabilities, business acumen, and a thorough
Type A “analysis-focused” are the deep subject matter
understanding of data as it applies to business goals.
experts, and are highly specialized in getting every last
Yet most, even those holding the CMO designation,
drop of performance out of data.
do not possess all six traits. According to Forrester’s
2017 Predictions Guide, CEOs will exit at least 30%
Type B “building-focused” are more familiar with
of their CMOs for not mustering the blended skillset
software engineering practices, contribute to big
needed to drive digital business transformation,
data systems, online machine learning initiatives, and
design exceptional personalized experiences, and
generally strive to find their work ‘in production.’ That
propel growth.IV
said, technical specialization does not allow data
scientists to live up to their original conception as a
The Interactive Advertising Bureau’s Data Center of
business person with a technical skillset: they have
Excellence recently released a model and whitepaper
become just another technical contributor.
that define the key components of the data lifecycle,
using those components as indicators of a company’s
Historically, analysis- and building-focused data
maturity. The study found only about one-third of
scientists were enough to accomplish most all data
marketers feel they have a good grasp of dealing
science requirements; however, we now need data
with data. According to Neil O’Keefe, SVP at the
scientists to understand how the data and systems
Direct Marketing Association (DMA), “This is a cry for
actually apply to the business. Burtch Works, a highly
help from the marketing community. This is the future
regarded data science recruiting firm, writes: “Put simply,

1
Harris, Jeanne; Shetterley, Nathan; Alter, Allan; and Schnell, Krista. “The Team Solution to the Data Scientist Shortage” Accenture
Institute for High Performance, 2013.

3 | Where Data and Story Meet

 a data scientist has formidable experience with statistics and external data to their broader organizations. Riley
and computer science, as well as the business acumen Newman at Airbnb wrote about his group as being in
to derive actionable insights from data and prescribe a proactive partnership with the business rather than
actions based on those insights.”VII Following the engaging in reactive stats-gathering.IX Meanwhile,
release of the Burtch Works 2016 Annual Data Drew Harry at Twitch pointed out, “The consultation
Science Salary Survey, Linda Burtch, Founder & process is the heart of what a good data scientist
Managing Director of Burtch Works, indicated does. They teach their customers how to ask good
“business acumen is the #1 complaint or concern that questions and how to interpret the results. They don’t
I hear from clients.”VIII just hand someone numbers.”X

Let us now consider a third type of data scientist: In one form or another, the value Type C data scientists
Type C for Consulting. Type C “consulting-focused” bring to the table is their ability to act as change agents,
data scientists are part of internal consulting efforts, while working in a sea of ambiguity and unknowns,
building internal decision support tools, advising others and who, ultimately, tell stories with data. Therefore,
on how to get the most from data, and above all, effective storytelling, or lack thereof, is either the key
helping communicate the value hidden in their internal accelerant or the key inhibitor of capturing value.

Types of Modern Data Scientists

4 | Where Data and Story Meet

 up until finding a strategic solution. Never being
The Modern Marketer
satisfied with the status quo propels the consultative
part of a marketer to find ways to use both creative
The role of the marketer has not been an easy one
development and data to achieve the most desirable
to universally define due to varying and growing
returns.
complexities of the function. There are a number of
category iterations of the marketer, and those have often

been described in context of either being left-brained The Modern Marketer Brain
or right-brained. Left brained are those marketers who
focus more on the “logic” or analytics and tracking
ien
Sc t
side of marketing. Whereas, right brained marketers ultati
ns

ific
are those who focus more on the “creative” or content

ve
Co
and visual side of marketing. Because we believe the
Artis
modern marketer must use both sides of the brain, we are

tic
going to build on the concept of different “parts” of the
modern marketer, as defined by Salesforce in a blog
post: Part Artist and Part Scientist.

Part A or the “scientific” part uses data to improve

marketing accuracy and effectiveness. This part of a
marketer is heavily focused on performance tracking,
operations, historical and predictive analytics, and how
marketing impacts the bottom line. The scientific part
of a marketer is well-organized and meticulous.

Part B or the “artistic” part connects a company’s

product or brand to the customer on an emotional
level. This part of a marketer tends to be more skilled
at written content, creative and visual assets, social
collaboration tools, and digital marketing. The artistic
part of a marketer is the forever customer advocate.

Let us now consider a third part of a modern marketer:

Part C or the “consultative” part. The consultative
part of a marketer bridges the two mindsets of
artistic and scientific to move the business forward.
It fuels intellectual curiosity and enables strategic
problem solving. The consultative part looks beyond the
established practices for ways to improve the business
and discovers trends in market and customer behaviors
to help support the decision making process. It also
enables the marketer to know the right questions
to ask and gives them the persistence to never give

5 | Where Data and Story Meet

 • They are driven to be creative and will want to
Identifying the Characteristics of
create not only solutions, but also elegant
Great Data Storytellers solutions (i.e., the code could be more elegant,
or there might be a better graph to visualize the
To better understand the required skill sets and/or
solution).
mindset of great data storytellers, we decided to focus
• They will thrive in a job culture that values
on the data scientist function as our target subject,
different approaches and out-of-the-box thinking.
since it is this role that currently carries the bulk of data
• They have a strong desire to “do things the right
and insights responsibilities.
way,” and will encourage others to do the same
• They will be comfortable speaking to defend
We teamed up with Talent Analytics, Corp., an
what they believe to be right, even in the face
organization that specializes in understanding how
of controversy.
to hire and retain top talent by creating customized
• They have an extremely high sense of quality,
benchmarks to help companies predict how candidates
standards, and detail orientation, often
will do in their jobs, pre-hire. These benchmarks
evaluating others by these same traits. They
are mostly built around the soft skills and mindsets
are highly conscientious and will provide
of candidates, of which companies find difficult to
careful follow-through on detailed projects and
both articulate and assess during the hiring process.
complex assignments.
Our goal of the Talent Analytics partnership was to
• They tend to be somewhat restrained and
explore whether or not we could determine if great
reticent in showing emotions, and may be less
data storytellers are governed by a mindset or skill set.
verbal at team or organizational meetings unless
asked for input, or if the topic is one of high
Talent Analytics, Corp. and the International Institute of
importance.
Analytics conducted a study on Analytics Professionals
• They may take calculated, educated risks – only
in order to see if the “mindset” of the data scientist
after a thoughtful analysis of facts, data, and
differed from the mindset of other professionals. The
potential outcomes. They persuade others on the
study revealed an undeniable “raw talent mindset” of
team by careful attention to detail, and through
the Analytics Professional.
facts, data, and logic, not emotion.
• They appreciate security in projects, systems,
“Our goal with this groundbreaking Study was to use
and job culture.
quantitative analysis to learn more about the mindset
of Analytics Professionals / Data Scientists rather
We then looked at 30 data scientists, classified as
than qualitative discussions and guessing,” said Greta
great data storytellers, to determine whether their
Roberts, CEO and co-founder of Talent Analytics,
mindsets differed from the Analytics Professional
Corp. This Study focused on practical outcomes that
benchmark.
could be used by businesses, rather than for purely
academic interests. A clear mindset did emerge. This
From this comparison, we found that data scientists
led to the creation of a valuable Industry Benchmark for
who had been classified as great data storytellers
hiring, deploying and utilizing Analytics Professionals.”
are indistinguishable on “mindset dimensions” from
Here are some highlights from the study:
the general population of Analytics Professionals.
Therefore, when looking at great data storytelling among
• Analytics Professionals have a cognitive
data scientists, we believe it is a teachable skillset.
“attitude” and will search for deeper knowledge
Why? Because the Analytics Professional mindset is
about everything.
already predisposed to intellectual curiosity, creativity,

6 | Where Data and Story Meet

 and passion for problem solving – characteristics the healthcare industry experts. It is very important to
required in data science. encourage the diversity of skills and perspectives on
the final outcome.”
If you already have a data scientist on your team, then
it is very likely you can mold them into a great data We also interviewed Hunter Whitney, a design strategy
storyteller via proper support and skills development. consultant, instructor, and author of the book Data
If you do not already have a data scientist on your Insights. He believes effective data storytelling
team and are looking to hire one, we recommend you increasingly requires an emerging mindset and
use the Analytical Professional benchmark created by skillset that draws on principles from a range of
Talent Analytics, Corp. to guide your search. fields including design, statistics, psychology,
neuroscience and journalism. “People from many
different backgrounds can build up these skills and
knowledge,” Whitney says.
Developing and Nurturing
an Environment for Great Whitney began his career as a journalist and thinks
Data Storytelling there are many important practices from that profession
that directly relate to data storytelling. He says, “Good
We interviewed John Miller, principal of Camus Group, journalists need to sift through a lot of data and think
to find additional ways to develop the skill set of great critically to find the heart of the story. They must
data storytelling. An expert on the topic, he built the also assess the accuracy of what they are reporting
visual literacy program and curriculum at one of the and distill it into forms that are concise, accurate, and
top global consulting firms and now helps companies truly engaging to audiences.” Whitney believes different
bring together the power of data products, design members of any team will inevitably have different
thinking, and management consulting to help strengths, but that all would benefit from a shared
clients understand the most important issue to solve, baseline understanding of what’s involved in the full
Miller states, process of identifying and communicating a data story.
He is currently working on an online educational
“The responsibility of
program with UC Davis Extension and Coursera that
data storytelling should not focuses on data visualization and storytelling with
be put on one individual, but Tableau. “The program emphasizes the underlying
rather spread across a team skills and abilities needed to draw insights from data,
made up of individuals, who as and how to communicate those insights in an effective
and compelling way.”
a whole, possess the diversity
of skills and abilities required Building teams capable of data storytelling is as easy
for great data storytelling,” as ABC: Activation Between Collaborators. Don’t rely
on the ‘unicorns’ in data science, marketing, or other
“For example, on a project to visualize the future of business functions who might have all of the analytical,
healthcare, the primary author was a management building, creative, scientific, and consultative skill
consultant who worked with a team to storyboard the requirements. After all, how many unicorns have you
narrative, the visual designer inspired the team with seen in your lifetime? Instead, bring together people
sketches of subsequent data visualization, and the with diverse perspectives and varying technical skills
data scientist and data analys debated the validity of who exhibit a natural curiosity and passion for solving
the insights and conclusion of the analytic model with problems and the know-how of change management.

7 | Where Data and Story Meet

 Instead of trying to find the “magic bullet” or “unicorn”
DO of the great data storytellers, it is recommended to
• Be open and build a data storytelling team with build a team of diverse individuals who can bring a
people who embody a diverse mix of hard and variety of interest, skill, and perspective to the table.
soft skills.

• Empower the team with corporate support and Companies should support a teaming atmosphere
training to further develop business judgment and where data scientists, marketers, and professionals
consultative skills. alike are immersed in the business line, so that they
are better positioned to know what questions to ask to
• Collaborate and team with key business units to move the company forward.
determine which questions are the “right” questions
the team should be asking and answering in their
When comparing which is more crucial to data
data story. I love this quote from The Hobbit, as
storytelling success, mindset or skill set, we have
also shown in Whitney’s book: “There is nothing
determined that the answer is a whole lot of both. There
like looking, if you want to find something…You
is no question great data storytelling requires a wide
certainly usually find something, if you look, but it
range of skill sets; but also, it requires a great deal
is not always quite the something you were after.”
of intellectual curiosity, healthy skepticism, passion
• Integrate all participating team members of discovery for growth opportunities, and change
into the line of business. Your teams will be management.
unsuccessful if you assume each contributing
function should stay in their “box” of job Contrary to a perception that qualities of a mindset
responsibilities and do not allow them to fully cannot be taught, scientists are learning that people
comprehend the intricacies of your business. have more capacity for lifelong learning and brain
Show your data scientists and marketers your development than ever thought possible. In her book
real business problems in actual context and Mindset, Carol Dweck compares what she calls
illuminate your vision for a better future. the Fixed Mindset versus the Growth mindset. Fixed
being the mindset that I cannot do what has been asked
• Make sure the data story is applicable to of me; whereas, the Growth mindset would be that I
your business challenge, is relatable to how the
cannot do what has been asked of me yet.
company can grow its business, and is simple
enough for every business unit to understand
In her book, Dweck writes,
and apply.
“Although people may differ
in every which way – in their
Conclusion initial talents and aptitudes,
interests, or temperaments
Great data storytelling is not one size fits all. It requires – everyone can change and
an open mind in how one might structure the grow through application and
team responsibilities, and it also requires on-going
experience.”
engagement to support the data storytelling capability.

8 | Where Data and Story Meet

 Your company and business needs will determine how you willing to lead and support a culture of diversified
best to construct your data storytelling team; however, and design thinking that might in fact disrupt the way in
your mindset as a corporate leader may be the most which you are currently doing business? We hope so.
crucial component to successful data storytelling. Are

About the authors

Randa McMinn is a marketing and customer insights Aaron Merlob is a data science and engineering
leader with 18 years of experience in customer leader with 10 years of experience consulting with
acquisition, engagement and revenue growth for retail, startups and SMBs. At ABUV Media, Aaron leads
business services, and real estate organizations. She is a software, reporting and analytics team, a marketing
known for her ability to turn crucial insights into business operation team, and works on culture and leadership
ideas that result in improved organizational and development. In other full-time roles, he has managed
financial performance. Currently, Randa is consulting big data teams and projects, owned an analytics
for organizations in technology and business services product roadmap, and held a faculty appointment at
with emphasis in start-up, brand development, GTM Harvard.
strategy, restructuring and change management. In
other full-time roles, she managed B2B, B2C and
B2B2C teams and initiatives that improved enterprise
brand frameworks, drove transformational change, and
advanced technologies through experimental design
and testing.

i
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1
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iii
Harris, Jeanne; Shetterley, Nathan; Alter, Allan; and Schnell, Krista. “The Team Solution to the Data Scientist Shortage”
Accenture Institute for High Performance, 2013.
iv
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October 28, 2016.
v
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vi
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vii
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viii
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ix
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June 30, 2015.
x
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xixi
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xii
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9 | Where Data and Story Meet