Structuring a Narrative

Why this matters

As a Data Analyst, you often have 3–5 minutes to make a point in a meeting. A clear narrative turns scattered charts into a decision. Structuring your story helps stakeholders grasp the context, feel the urgency, trust your insight, and agree on the next step.

Concept explained simply

A narrative is the path you guide your audience along: from where we are, through what changed, to what we should do. Think of it as a sequence of four beats: Context → Tension → Insight → Action.

Mental model

Camera moves model:

• Zoom out (Context): establish the baseline or goal.
• Zoom in (Tension): show the problem, spike, or gap.
• Pan (Insight): connect causes and impacts.
• Focus (Action): one clear, doable next step.

Reusable frameworks

SCQA (Situation → Complication → Question → Answer)

• Situation: the stable context or goal.
• Complication: what changed or why the status quo is risky.
• Question: the decision or uncertainty raised by the complication.
• Answer: your recommendation, supported by key evidence.

PQIA (Problem → Quantification → Insight → Action)

• Problem: name the issue plainly.
• Quantification: size it with 1–3 metrics.
• Insight: the “why” behind the numbers.
• Action: the next step and owner/timebox.

B-M-E (Beginning → Middle → End)

• Beginning: orient; define success.
• Middle: conflict and evidence.
• End: decision and impact if we act.

Worked examples (3)

Example 1: Product funnel drop

Raw finding: “Sign-ups down 12% WoW.”

SCQA version:

• Situation: Sign-ups have grown 4% monthly this quarter.
• Complication: Last week, sign-ups fell 12% WoW, concentrated on mobile web.
• Question: Is this noise or a break in the funnel?
• Answer: A/B logs show the new CAPTCHA added 4s delay; completion rate on mobile dropped from 86% to 67%. Revert CAPTCHA on mobile; ship async load by Friday.

Example 2: Marketing ROI

PQIA version:

• Problem: CAC rose beyond target in May.
• Quantification: CAC +18% MoM; influencer channel +52% CAC; blended ROAS fell from 2.2 to 1.7.
• Insight: Influencer CPMs spiked; creative fatigue after 3 weeks; same creative drove 70% of spend.
• Action: Pause top 3 creators; rotate 2 new hooks; cap frequency at 3; review in 10 days.

Example 3: Ops SLA breaches

B-M-E version:

• Beginning: Our 24h ticket resolution SLA keeps CSAT above 4.6.
• Middle: Breaches rose from 6% to 14% after queue routing change; 80% of breaches in Billing; shift overlap reduced by 1 hour.
• End: Restore previous routing for Billing; add 2-hour overlap Tue–Thu; expect breaches back under 8% next week.

How to structure your narrative (step-by-step)

1. Define the decision
   What do you want the audience to do?
   Write a one-sentence “decision ask.”
2. Choose a framework
   Pick SCQA for execs, PQIA for issues/ops, B-M-E for demos or reviews.
3. Select only essential evidence
   1–3 metrics, 1–2 visuals; add a baseline or benchmark.
4. Draft the beats
   Write 1–2 sentences for each beat (Context/Tension/Insight/Action).
5. Pressure-test
   Ask: Would a busy leader understand in 30 seconds? Is the action obvious and doable?
6. Polish headlines
   Turn slide titles into messages: “Mobile CAPTCHA cut completion −19pp” (not “Funnel”).

Exercises

Do these now. You can compare with sample solutions and adjust.

Exercise 1 — Turn scattered notes into SCQA

Notes: “Traffic stable. Sign-ups down on mobile web. New CAPTCHA last Tuesday. Support tickets: ‘can’t submit.’ Desktop fine. Revenue impact small so far.”

1. Write a short SCQA (5–7 sentences total).
2. End with a one-line recommendation with owner and due date.

Exercise 2 — 1-slide story for the CFO (PQIA)

Scenario: Churn increased among monthly subscribers in Q2. CFO wants cost impact and next step. You have one slide.

1. Fill this template: Title (recommendation), Key metric, Why it matters, Next step (owner/timeframe).
2. Suggest one visual and one supporting stat.

Common mistakes and how to self-check

• Dumping data before context: Always start with baseline/goal.
• Vague actions: Replace “optimize” with “revert CAPTCHA on mobile by Friday (Eng).”
• Too many metrics: Keep 1–3 core numbers; move the rest to backup.
• Assuming causality: Use experiments, holdouts, or timing evidence.
• Jargon overload: Use plain words; define terms once.

Practical projects

• Project A: Rebuild a past weekly update using SCQA and present in 3 minutes. Record and review clarity of the ask.
• Project B: Create a 1-slide PQIA for an incident postmortem. Share with a peer for critique.
• Project C: Build a “story bank” with 5 reusable templates (SCQA, PQIA, B-M-E, 1-slide, experiment arc).

Who this is for

• Data Analysts who present findings to product, marketing, or operations stakeholders.
• Anyone who needs to turn analysis into a clear decision quickly.

Prerequisites

• Basic descriptive analytics (trends, comparisons, segments)
• Comfort summarizing metrics and creating simple visuals

Learning path

• 1) Structure narratives (this lesson)
• 2) Choose visuals that fit the message
• 3) Build executive-ready one-pagers
• 4) Run quick validations (experiments, holdouts)
• 5) Present with confidence and handle Q&A

Quick Test

Take the quick test to check your understanding. Available to everyone; sign in to save your progress.

Mini challenge

Pick a current metric that moved this week. In 120 words, write a SCQA with a single recommendation. Read it aloud in under 45 seconds. Refine until the action is unmistakable.

Next steps

• Use the 1-slide story formula in your next status update.
• Adopt a default framework per audience (SCQA for execs, PQIA for ops).
• Create a template with placeholders for Context, Tension, Insight, Action.