Scientific story telling

Welcome, reader!

Imagine you have generated a bunch of data and metrics around your scientifically-derived product. What is the best way to let the world know the story of your science and its impact? In fact, why is it important to weave a compelling story around your work? Read on to know how an impact can be created by effective story telling of science.

Scientific story telling for Organizations

Organizations are constantly generating data, be it be research data, product performance metrics or customer insights. To spin a compelling narrative, organizations should be able to create an emotional impact on customers and stakeholders. That’s where story telling comes in. The rigor of science notwithstanding, story telling can urge customers and stakeholders to take action and lead to creating of a brand identity built on trust. A good story telling template allows organizations to effectively communicate their science while serving the purpose of marketing and branding as well.

In this edition of our newsletter, we elaborate on the key elements of scientific story telling.

Outlining the purpose: It is important to define the goal of the story telling exercise. Is it about the company’s vision, or about a particular research study or about the details of a product? A clear message has to be at the forefront of an effective story. Take Moderna’s blog posts for instance, which start off with a quote that puts out the message upfront.

Describing pain points: A compelling story describes a challenge and how it can be solved. Use the same strategy to craft an engaging scientific story around your product. This article by Pharmavoice describes the challenges of the spreading bird flu recently and how it can be tackled using vaccines and therapeutics.

The Scientific solution: This is the part where the scientific solution or the product can be introduced and highlighted. This section would include the research findings and various technical data. For instance, Pfizer has a series of “stories” on their official website that weaves narratives involving their researchers and sometimes patients groups, while subtly conveying the science.

Visualizing the numbers: An impactful story often talks in numbers. An even more effective way is to use visual tools to represent the numbers the right way to create maximum impact on the audience. This article by the World Economic Forum is exemplary in how data is represented while making a strong case for understanding CO2 emissions through the ages.

Adding the human touch: Every problem becomes relevant when a human face or voice can be put to it. Use testimonials and other ways to bring in real life angles to your story to strike an emotional chord with the audience. A company that works with rare diseases, Amicus therapeutics, has a dedicated communication section ‘rare stories’ about patient families, sharing their testimonials and underscoring the need for the research in this space.

Calling to action: A compelling story needs to have an outcome: which means it can end with a call to action. If your story has inspired the audience, it would be well worth converting it into an definitive action. In this article from Genentech for partners, the article ends with a form to sign up to partner with them, evoking an immediate action.

In summary, scientific story telling is about weaving compelling narratives around data, with visual tools as powerful instruments to invoke an action from the audience. When leveraged the right way, scientific story telling can build trust and increase credibility for an organization.

In this edition we feature the efforts of Dr.Omics Labs in bringing their science to their audience in a palatable form. Dr.Omics Labs is a DNA testing firm which delivers the crucial information hidden in the genetic material for different conditions and aspects of daily life. Not only do they engage with the audience through social media, they also write blog articles to explain the importance of their services. In the words of CEO and Founder Dr. Deepshikha Satish, “At Dr.Omics Labs, we believe that effective communication is at the heart of translating scientific advancements into tangible benefits for individuals. We're not just providing DNA testing services, we're empowering people to understand the intricate workings of their own bodies. Scientific storytelling plays a vital role in this process. It's about taking complex genetic information and transforming it into relatable narratives that resonate with a lay audience. We strive to bridge the gap between cutting-edge research and individual health decisions.

By crafting compelling stories, we can make complex scientific concepts accessible and engaging, fostering a deeper understanding of how genetics influences health and wellness. This understanding empowers individuals to take proactive steps towards managing their health, preventing potential risks, and optimizing their well-being. It's about making science less intimidating and more human, building trust and fostering a collaborative approach to personalized health. Moreover, in a rapidly evolving field like genomics, clear and concise communication is crucial for dispelling misinformation and building public trust. Scientific storytelling allows us to present accurate information in a way that is both informative and engaging, promoting a more informed and empowered population. It's about making science relevant and applicable to everyday life, inspiring curiosity and fostering a lifelong interest in learning about our own biology.”

Looking to Story tell through Videos? This paper in the Journal of Science Communication details the motives, methods and approaches to scientific story telling though videos. With increasing mass communication happening through videos, it is important for those communicating and marketing science to best sell their content through videos and the article gives pointers for the same. The article showcases the video capture of the science of whale watching as an example. Read the article to know the nuances of scientific story telling through the medium of videos.

In this edition we highlight our work for a lab in creating a document that told the story of the group’s work. This work was titled “Yenamalli’s microverse” and described a microorganism and techniques they use to study it. The document clearly defined the problem followed by the solutions developed by the lab and the research that is following. We used a combination of design and text to create a story that could engage a new student looking at their research or even any lay person looking to understand what goes on in a lab such as this.

Have you read our latest article yet?