{"id":69047,"date":"2021-05-19T13:25:30","date_gmt":"2021-05-19T11:25:30","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-za\/blog\/?p=69047"},"modified":"2026-01-29T17:58:14","modified_gmt":"2026-01-29T15:58:14","slug":"how-to-make-your-data-influential","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-za\/blog\/how-to-make-your-data-influential\/","title":{"rendered":"How to make your data influential"},"content":{"rendered":"
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A practical decision-making function is the heartbeat of every business.<\/p>\n

In the past, people made decisions that relied heavily on heuristics and hunches; it was impractical to analyse problems at a truly granular level. But that has changed. The breath-taking proliferation of data and the parabolic rise in processing power have given us the means to enrich and improve our decision-making capabilities.<\/p>\n

To fulfil this higher purpose, data must be presented in a way that resonates and influences a wide variety of users.<\/p>\n

The importance of storytelling<\/h2>\n
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\u201cData doesn\u2019t mean anything until you turn it into a story.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

Those were the words of Mohammed Mosam, Director of Sage AME, during a recent CFOSA webinar on data visualisation. He\u2019s spot on.<\/p>\n

We justify every decision we make using a background story we\u2019ve concocted. Then we lean on the facts and figures to prove that our decision was rational.<\/p>\n

Our thought process might go like this: I bought the shoes because I\u2019ve worked hard and deserve them (story). And they were 20% off, so technically, I also saved money (facts and figures).<\/p>\n

Without the story, the numbers lose their power to influence. And therein lies an important lesson for those using data in business \u2013 if you want your findings to change the way things are done, they need to be embedded in a story.<\/p>\n

That narrative must:<\/p>\n

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  1. Deal with a problem that matters to your customers, employees, or suppliers; and<\/li>\n
  2. Use data that makes it easy to understand the story.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    Together, this will give your audience a reason to act and the necessary information to rationalise their decision.

    \n\tDownload your free copy of CFO 3.0: Digital transformation beyond financial management<\/a>\n<\/div>\n<\/p>\n

    Begin with the end in mind<\/h2>\n

    It\u2019s tempting to dive headlong into the data, searching for an insightful pattern. But if their findings don\u2019t connect with a bigger problem, their output risks redundancy. So to make a meaningful contribution, they must instead work backwards by starting with a defined problem.<\/p>\n

    These sentiments were echoed by Gerhard Hartman, Vice President of Medium Business for Sage Africa & Middle East, during the webinar.<\/p>\n

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    \u201cThe first step is to identify the burning issue in your organisation that you would like to fix. Then ask if that challenge can be addressed using data,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

    In other words, with clarity around the problem you\u2019re trying to solve, you\u2019ll have a better idea of the story or narrative that your data needs to help create. In turn, that should also help narrow your field of view to only the information that matters.<\/p>\n

    That focus is important for two reasons:<\/p>\n