Why storytelling is so powerful in the digital era | Ashley Fell | TEDxUniMelb

Summary

Ashley Fell, head of communications at McCrindle Research, discusses the power of storytelling and the importance of visual communication in the digital age. Using examples like 'The Very Hungry Caterpillar,' she emphasizes how stories create emotional connections. In a world where technology dominates and attention spans are shrinking, visuals and compelling narratives are key to effective communication. Fell highlights the shift towards data visualization to make complex information engaging and accessible, underscoring the need for stories that inspire, involve, and instruct. She encourages the use of visuals to bring data to life and create meaningful, impactful narratives.

Takeaways

• 📚 The script opens with a personal connection to 'The Very Hungry Caterpillar', highlighting the emotional impact of stories and their ability to resonate with readers.
• 🍏 The story of the caterpillar's eating habits is used as a metaphor for human behavior, particularly the tendency to indulge and then suffer consequences, which the speaker identifies with.
• 📈 The speaker, Ashley Fell, introduces herself as the head of communications at McCrindle Research, emphasizing the importance of combining research with effective communication.
• 🧠 The script discusses the future of work, focusing on the importance of soft skills like communication and leadership in an era of digitalization and automation.
• 📊 Ashley Fell explains the role of McCrindle Research in analyzing data, turning complex information into infographics to make research data more accessible and engaging.
• 🌐 The presentation touches on the 'Great Screen Age', noting the shift in attention spans and the increased time spent on devices over face-to-face interaction.
• 📉 The script illustrates the shrinking attention spans with the comparison of audiences at the inaugurations of Pope Benedict and Pope Francis, showing a significant increase in device usage.
• 👀 The importance of visuals in communication is underscored, with statistics showing that 90% of information transmitted to the brain is visual and processed much faster than text.
• 🌐 The speaker addresses the global fears of Generation Z, which revolve around technology and connectivity issues like low Wi-Fi and battery life, rather than traditional fears.
• 📝 The script emphasizes the need for stories to have the 'four I's': Interest, Instruct, Involve, and Inspire, to effectively engage and communicate with audiences.
• 🔥 The final analogy compares a good story to a campfire, suggesting that like a campfire, a good story has color, picture, and movement, and can hold the audience's attention.

Q & A

What is the speaker's favorite childhood story and why does it evoke emotion in her?

The speaker's favorite childhood story is 'The Very Hungry Caterpillar' by Eric Carle. It evokes emotion in her because it was a book that her mother used to read to her repeatedly, and she associates it with fond memories of her childhood.

What does the caterpillar in 'The Very Hungry Caterpillar' do on the first day of its life?

On the first day of its life, the caterpillar in 'The Very Hungry Caterpillar' eats through one apple.

What happens to the caterpillar on Saturday according to the story?

On Saturday, the caterpillar tends to splurge and eats a lot more food than on other days, which results in a stomach ache that night.

How does the speaker relate the story of 'The Very Hungry Caterpillar' to her own life?

The speaker relates the story to her own life by drawing a parallel between the caterpillar's eating habits and her own occasional overindulgence in food, especially during the weekend.

What is the concept of 'CLASS' mentioned by the speaker and what does it stand for?

The concept of 'CLASS' mentioned by the speaker stands for Communications, Literature, Art, and Social Skills. It is a playful take on the acronym STEM, emphasizing the importance of soft skills alongside science and technology in the future workforce.

What is the role of McCrindle Research as described by the speaker?

McCrindle Research is a Sydney-based research agency that specializes in analyzing data, particularly in the areas of future of work, digitalization, and automation. The agency turns complex data into infographics to make research data more accessible and engaging.

Why are visuals important in effective communication according to the speaker?

Visuals are important in effective communication because the brain processes them faster than text, and they go directly into our long-term memory. Visuals can capture attention and make information more memorable and engaging.

What is the term used to describe the current age of digital disruption and why is it significant?

The term used to describe the current age of digital disruption is 'The Great Screen Age.' It is significant because it reflects the shift towards spending more time on electronic devices than on face-to-face interactions, and the impact this has on attention spans and information consumption.

What are the 'four I's' of engaging stories as mentioned by the speaker?

The 'four I's' of engaging stories are Interest, Instruct, Involve, and Inspire. These elements help to capture and maintain the audience's attention, impart meaning, connect with the audience on a personal level, and motivate them.

How does the speaker use the analogy of a campfire to describe the power of storytelling?

The speaker uses the analogy of a campfire to describe the power of storytelling by highlighting how a campfire, like a good story, has color, picture, and movement, and how it engages people's attention. Just as people gather around a campfire to share stories, the conference attendees are likened to a modern-day gathering around a 'fireplace' of knowledge and shared experience.

What is the speaker's parting advice regarding the use of visuals in storytelling?

The speaker's parting advice is to use visuals when telling an important story, especially one involving data. She encourages the creation of visuals that can generate interest and intrigue, maintain the story's meaning, and achieve cut-through in our technologically integrated times.

Outlines

00:00

📚 The Power of Storytelling and Childhood Memories

Ashley Fell, head of communications at McCrindle Research, begins by sharing her emotional connection to 'The Very Hungry Caterpillar,' a story that resonates with her due to its repetitive reading during her childhood. She humorously relates the caterpillar's eating habits to her own occasional overindulgence, highlighting the importance of identifying with a story's protagonist. Ashley then introduces the concept of adapting stories like 'The Very Hungry Caterpillar' to reflect different emotions, such as 'The Very Hangry Caterpillar,' suggesting the universality of emotional experiences. She transitions into discussing the role of communications in a research context, emphasizing the value of soft skills in the face of automation and digitalization, and introduces the term CLASS as a counterpart to STEM, representing Communications, Literature, Art, and Social Skills.

05:00

📱 The Great Screen Age and the Evolution of Attention

The speaker explores the impact of technology on society, referring to the current era as 'The Great Screen Age.' She illustrates the shortening of attention spans by comparing two historical events, the inaugurations of Pope Benedict and Pope Francis, to show the shift from minimal to pervasive use of mobile devices. Ashley discusses the average time spent on content-rich websites and the unique characteristics of Generation Z, who are deeply integrated with technology. She emphasizes the fear of losing connectivity, as represented by low Wi-Fi, buffering circles, and low battery symbols, indicating a reliance on digital communication. The summary also touches on the brain's preference for visual information, explaining how visuals are processed faster and retained longer than text, and the importance of this in effective communication in a data-rich world.

10:03

🎨 The Art of Research Visualization and Storytelling

Ashley Fell concludes her presentation by emphasizing the role of visuals in research communication. She explains how McCrindle Research transforms complex data into infographics that are not only visually appealing but also maintain data integrity and accuracy. The speaker discusses the 'four I's of storytelling: interest, instruct, involve, and inspire,' and how these elements are essential for effective communication. She uses the metaphor of a campfire to describe the gathering at the conference as a modern equivalent, where stories and knowledge are shared, much like the communal experience around a fire. Ashley encourages the audience to use visuals when telling important stories, especially those involving data, to capture interest, convey meaning, and achieve impact in our technologically integrated world.

Keywords

💡Storytelling

Storytelling is the central theme of the video, emphasizing the power and importance of narratives in communication. The speaker highlights how stories like 'The Very Hungry Caterpillar' evoke emotions and create connections. The concept is used to illustrate how effective storytelling can engage and inspire, making complex data more relatable and impactful.

💡Visual Communication

Visual communication refers to the use of images, infographics, and other visual elements to convey information effectively. The speaker argues that in a world of information overload, visuals are crucial for capturing attention and ensuring that data is not just seen but remembered. The concept is demonstrated through examples like the transformation of research data into engaging infographics.

💡Digital Disruption

Digital disruption is discussed in the context of how technology has fundamentally changed how we communicate and consume information. The speaker mentions 'The Great Screen Age,' where technology dominates our lives, leading to shorter attention spans and the need for more engaging content. This disruption challenges traditional methods of communication and necessitates new approaches.

💡Attention Span

Attention span is a key concept in the video, referring to the decreasing amount of time people are willing to focus on a single piece of content. The speaker notes that in the age of digital media, attention spans are shrinking, making it even more important to communicate quickly and effectively. This concept underscores the need for visual storytelling to capture and hold attention.

💡Generation Z

Generation Z, also known as 'Digital Natives,' is highlighted as a generation that has grown up with technology and is highly integrated with digital media. The speaker contrasts this generation with previous ones, emphasizing their unique communication habits, such as a preference for visuals and their global connectivity. The concept is used to illustrate how communication strategies need to adapt to the habits of younger audiences.

💡Infographics

Infographics are a tool for visual communication mentioned in the video as a way to make complex data more accessible and engaging. The speaker discusses how their research agency turns statistical data into visually appealing infographics to ensure the information is easily understood and remembered. This reflects the broader theme of making data more impactful through visual storytelling.

💡Post-Truth

Post-truth is a term used to describe a cultural and political environment where emotional appeal and personal beliefs have more influence than objective facts. The speaker mentions this as the Oxford English Dictionary's word of the year for 2016, highlighting the challenge researchers face in communicating accurate data in a world where truth is often secondary to narrative.

💡The Great Screen Age

The Great Screen Age is a term used to describe the current era dominated by digital screens and technology. The speaker discusses how this age has led to a shift in how people consume information, with more time spent on devices and less on face-to-face interactions. This concept is central to understanding the changes in communication practices and the need for more engaging content.

💡Research Visualization

Research visualization is the process of turning complex, quantitative, and qualitative data into visual formats like charts, graphs, and infographics. The speaker's agency specializes in this, making data more accessible and impactful. This concept ties into the broader theme of using visuals to enhance understanding and retention of information in an age of information overload.

💡Communication Skills

Communication skills are highlighted as essential in a world where automation and digitalization are on the rise. The speaker argues that while STEM skills are important, soft skills like communication, leadership, and interpersonal abilities are crucial for future success. This concept is linked to the idea that effective communication, especially through storytelling and visuals, will remain a key asset in the workforce.

Highlights

The emotional connection to 'The Very Hungry Caterpillar' as a childhood favorite, highlighting the power of stories to evoke emotions.

The caterpillar's eating habits as a metaphor for human behavior and the importance of identifying with the protagonist.

The humorous suggestion of creating 'The Very Hangry Caterpillar' as an adaptation to relate to a wider audience.

The role of McCrindle Research as a Sydney-based research agency and the speaker's role as head of communications.

The importance of soft skills like communication and leadership in the face of automation and digitalization.

The concept of CLASS (Communications, Literature, Art, and Social Skills) as an alternative to STEM for future-proofing careers.

The transformation of complex data into engaging infographics to make research data accessible and understandable.

The impact of the 'Great Screen Age' on our attention spans and the shift towards a digital, social, mobile, and visual society.

The comparison of historical images to illustrate the drastic change in human behavior due to technology and screen time.

The fear of low Wi-Fi, buffering circles, and low battery symbols as modern anxieties in a technologically dependent society.

The brain's preference for visual information and its role in effective communication in the age of information overload.

The significance of the Oxford English Dictionary's 'word of the year' choices reflecting societal trends and the rise of visual communication.

The role of research visualization experts in maintaining data integrity while creating simple, impactful visuals.

The 'four I's of engaging stories' - interest, instruct, involve, and inspire - and their application in data storytelling.

The comparison of a campfire to a modern conference, emphasizing the timeless power of gathering and sharing stories.

The final advice on using visuals to tell important data stories effectively in our technologically integrated era.

Transcripts

Transcriber: Anton Zamaraev Reviewer: David DeRuwe

I wonder what your favorite story was when you were younger.

Perhaps it was a story that your parents read to you over and over again.

Well, mine was "The Very Hungry Caterpillar" by Eric Carle.

You see, it's a story that evokes emotion in me

because it's the book that my mom used to read to me over and over again.

You know, back in the day, when we actually read books.

(Laughter)

But if you're familiar with this book, you'll know that, as the name suggests,

the caterpillar is indeed born very, very hungry.

And he actually eats really well for the first week of his life.

Monday, he ate through one apple.

On Tuesday - two pears.

On Wednesday - three plums etc.

But then, if you're familiar again with the story,

you'll know that on Saturday, he tends to splurge just a bit.

And I think, it's really cute at the bottom;

it says, "That night he had a stomach ache."

Now, a good story is one that you can identify with,

and I identify with the protagonist of this book.

You see, sometimes I'm like,

"I'm going to eat really healthy this week; it's going to be awesome."

And then it gets to a certain point in the day,

or it gets to the weekend,

and you kind of eat everything that you can see.

(Laughter)

But all this is to say, I guess, that we again identify,

and some of you might not identify with this.

You might be really disciplined.

So I thought, perhaps for you, it could be that we could, maybe,

create an adaptation of this book.

And maybe we could call it "The Very Hangry Caterpillar"

because, I'm sure, a lot of us have felt that emotion

at one time or other in our lives.

But all this is to say that stories are extremely powerful.

Well, my name is Ashley Fell, and I'm the head of communications

at McCrindle Research.

We are a Sydney-based research agency.

Now, I bet you're wondering,

"What does research have to do with communications?"

And I have been asked this question before in my life

when I studied for a Bachelor of Communications.

And any arts degree students out there will understand my pain, I think.

We get a bit of a bad rep sometimes.

But I just want to say in our research,

that we discuss a lot about the future of work, the future workforce,

and what's going to happen with digitalization, and automation,

and things like that.

And a lot of that focus is on the STEM subjects:

science, technology, engineering, and math.

And while I don't want to undermine what these amazing students do,

our research has shown that it's those that have the soft skills,

the interpersonal skills, the communication skills, leadership

that are going to have a really great chance of withstanding automation

when the robots come and things like that.

So I was thinking, we'll let the science students have the STEM,

and I reckon us, art students, will take the CLASS.

[Communications, Literature, Art, and Social Skills]

But really, communications?

What does communications have to do with research?

Well, in our research, we deal with a lot of data

that looks like this: quantitative, surveys, statistics, numbers etc.

We also deal with qualitative data,

which is long and wordy research and findings

from surveys and in-depth interviews and focus groups.

We also deal with the ABS.

Not sure if anyone has had any experience with that,

but we analyze this data because, frankly,

not many people wake up wanting to pour over spreadsheets every single day.

So that is our job; that's what we do.

We analyze the data.

We analyze this kind of data, and we turn it into this.

We turn it into infographics, and this is our passion.

This is - we are all about bringing research data to life.

You know, important research sitting in statistics and Excel spreadsheets

isn't going to get the kind of cut-through that it needs to get

in the world that we live in, because our world is changing.

You see, we're living in a time of great change.

In Australia today, in the generation that we’re living,

you know, our education,

our learning styles are changing, our classrooms are changing.

We live in a world where the concept of sharing has changed.

We live in a world where the concept of a story has changed -

and even for us young adults out there.

So much so that we're living in an age of digital disruption.

We are living in what we call "The Great Screen Age."

You see, we are spending more time on our devices than we ever have before.

And it was two decades ago, in the year 1997,

that the amount of time we spend on electronic media

surpassed the amount of time we spend in face-to-face interaction.

And so in this "Great Screen Age,"

not only are we spending more time on technology,

but our attention spans are getting shorter.

Just to depict it to you visually, what is happening in our world today.

So this is in 2005, outside the historic location of the Sistine Chapel -

people gathering for the inauguration of Pope Benedict.

Do you note the small Nokia phone in the bottom right-hand corner?

Fast-forward eight years later

to the inauguration of Pope Francis in the exact same historic location.

And this is what it looks like.

(Laughter)

We are living in technologically integrated times.

It's almost as if we are filtering the current

through the technological lens.

This is the world that we live in; our world is changing.

And, as I mentioned, our attention spans are contracting.

The ABC content-rich website

with multiple news programs and all that kind of thing -

the average visitor is spending just three minutes and 55 seconds,

and that's one of the top-rated sites.

You know, YouTube and Facebook up that average,

but for content-rich sites,

it's just three minutes and 55 seconds per day for the average user.

But how much has this changed for my generation?

For your generation?

You know, if you are a uni student,

and your age is under the 23 kind of age thing,

then you are classified as Generation Z.

And I'm just above that, I'm Gen Y.

And these are some of the other labels given to the emerging Generation Z:

the "Digital Integrators," the "Screenagers," the "Generation Connected."

They're the "iGen," "Digital Natives," "Dot Com Kids," "Generation Gamers,"

and the "Click'N Go Kids."

What is the one central theme in all those labels?

Technology, isn't it?

And it's interesting because we know that Generation Z and all of us

are global now.

We are globally connected,

as well as digital, social, mobile, and visual.

And our biggest fears globally

are no longer spiders, snakes, and heights.

But rather we fear low Wi-Fi,

(Laughter)

we fear the buffering circle,

(Laughter)

and, most importantly, we fear the low battery symbol

(Laughter)

when all forms of communication and connectivity cease to exist.

You see, we are living in times

of message saturation and information overload.

This is the world that we are living in.

But the key to understanding effective communication and cut-through

is in the understanding of how the brain works.

You see, the brain responds to visuals,

which makes sense because we live in a visual world.

If we think about how we retain information and how we store it,

you know, data like this isn't going to cut it anymore.

If it has an important story to tell,

which we believe, as researchers, that it does,

then communicating it like this is no longer possible.

It's just not going to get cut-through.

We know that the written-word text goes into our short-term memory

where we can retain around seven bits of information,

whereas visuals go straight into our long-term brain

where they are indelibly etched.

And so it's important to know that 90% of information

transmitted to the brain is visual, and we process visuals faster,

in fact, 60,000 times faster in the brain than text.

And of course,

as data analysts, as researchers, it's more than just about creating

an effective, fun, colorful story like "The Very Hungry Caterpillar."

It's about meaning and data accuracy.

And it's interesting -

you know, the Oxford English Dictionary each year releases its word of the year,

and it summarizes, kind of, and depicts what has happened in the year before.

In 2013, the Oxford English Dictionary's word was "#," hashtag.

It's not even a word; it's a symbol.

And it's where we find, you know, what's trending.

We don't go to new sites;

we just search what's trending on Twitter and Facebook.

In 2014, it was "selfie," possibly by this quite famous one.

Here again, we're trying to show our lives through technology:

what's happening, who we are spending our time with,

the concept of sharing.

In 2015, again, not even a word, but an emoji.

Specifically, the face with tears of joy.

Isn't this just depicting that we communicate visually -

our facial gestures communicate how we feel or they don't.

You know, so it's we're trying to show in our text messages how we feel,

and I'm sure you've all been there,

but if in doubt, you're not sure what the tone your text is taking,

just put in a little smiley face - everyone does that.

But this was the Oxford English Dictionary's word of the year in 2015.

And the word of the year last year, for 2016, was "post-truth."

In a world of Brexit and Trump and all of that, it was 'post-truth.'

And so for us as researchers,

as academics, as those who really believe in the integrity of the data,

it's important that the data we communicate has meaning.

We as researchers, as data analysts,

we also consider ourselves as research visualization experts.

We turn complex data, and we analyze that complex data,

and we maintain its integrity,

and then we communicate it with visuals that are simple, that get cut-through,

that can be shared online.

This is the way that information is moving forward,

and it's so important, even more so in this technologically integrated era

that we are living in today.

It's interesting when you think about the concept of a story

because a story is visual even without the use of pictures.

Let me explain what I mean by that.

Have you ever read a book,

and then a movie adaptation of that book has been released?

Well, my favorite book at the moment -

you'll be pleased to hear it's no longer "The Very Hungry Caterpillar" -

is actually "Pride and Prejudice."

I'm a walking cliche for that, but when I read that book, I loved it.

And then I saw the film adaptation, and I was like,

"That's not what Mr. Darcy looks like.

He just looks an awful lot like Colin Firth."

(Laughter)

And you know,

that is how good stories are inherently visual.

Because even without the use of pictures our brain reconstructs that -

when they have a narrative and we move through that story.

Stories are extremely powerful.

And engaging stories have what we call the "four I's."

Engaging stories firstly create our "interest."

They maintain our attention,

we want to see what it's about, we want to keep reading.

Great stories "instruct" us; they have meaning.

Great stories "involve" us.

And, most importantly, great stories "inspire" us, don't they?

And we know that the brain,

even though it's able to understand and commute complex data.

It's relatable data.

And hopefully our infographics, like quite serious data,

is displayed in fun, visual ways that people can engage with.

It's important that visuals and data today inspires us and connects

not just with the eyes of our brain, but with the eyes of our heart as well.

And that's what a good story does.

This is what we do,

this is a bit of the breadth of what we do.

We take that complex data, we analyze it, and we distill it,

and we communicate it with visuals.

And we hope, and we believe

that research is at its best when it tells a story.

And that is how it can have an impact, and how it can be spread out there.

A good story also has these three components:

it has color, it has picture, and it has movement.

You know,

in "The Very Hungry Caterpillar,"

the colorful pictures that are involved and the moving pages in the storyline.

Great stories have these three components.

This is a photo of my husband.

He loves camping.

Me? Not as much as he does.

(Laughter)

But we've been camping.

We recently got married.

We've been camping over the Anzac weekend.

One weekend we went up to the Blue Mountains.

And if you've ever been camping, you'll know that when you go camping,

building a fire is crucial, isn't it?

You need it for heat, you need it for cooking food -

if you're doing roasted things like that, it's crucial.

But if you've ever been camping these crazy things happen

when you all get together,

and you all just sit around the campfire for hours, and you just stare at it.

It's bizarre.

Maybe, because there's no Wi-Fi and that's all we can do,

but we all sit around the campfire, and we stare at it.

A great campfire has color, it has picture, and has movement -

the crackling, burning, red-orange flames.

It engages our attention like a good story does.

And I kind of liken it to what we're all doing here today.

Like this conference is like a 21st-century fireplace.

We're all gathered here, we're all engaged,

we're all listening, we are attentive, and we're sharing our stories.

We're sharing our learning, our expertise,

and this is what we are doing here today.

And it's just like a good story.

And so this is my parting wisdom to you.

I hope that this presentation today has encouraged you

that when you have an important story to tell,

especially when it involves data, that you can tell it using visuals.

That you can create interest and intrigue.

That you can maintain the meaning of that story.

And that hopefully then you can get cut-through

in these technologically-integrated times that we are all living in today.

Thank you.

(Applause)