Data-driven storytelling to support decision making in crisis settings: a case study

Abstract

Data-driven storytelling helps to communicate facts, easing comprehension and decision making, particularly in crisis settings such as the current COVID-19 pandemic. Several studies have reported on general practices and guidelines to follow in order to create effective narrative visualizations. However, research regarding the benefits of implementing those practices and guidelines in software development is limited. In this article, we present a case study that explores the benefits of including data visualization best practices in the development of a software system for the current health crisis, as well as the impact of not doing so. The system had high volatility in its requirements and short development cycles, prioritizing the delivery of functionality and real-time visualizations. This meant that narrative and visual aspects were set aside and that only some best practices were followed by the development team.