Backed by Data: Launch

Read your Challenge Statement and watch your Challenge Champion’s Set the Stage video. Be sure you have a clear understanding of the problem.

Then do some research to identify and understand the users – the people or organizations who need a good solution to this problem. What do users need in a solution? Why? What’s wrong with the solutions they have now?

Setting the Stage with Your Challenge Champion

Challenge Champion Alex Velez explains your Challenge: Backed by Data.

Challenge Scenario

Modern technology makes it easier than ever to create and share compelling narratives that are designed to influence our perspectives and actions. Individuals, companies, and even government organizations are using many types of data to tell convincing stories – but just because a story is persuasive does not mean that it is complete, nor does it mean that the data were analyzed or presented accurately. Although such narratives can provide a quick way to understand issues and make decisions, stories that are justified using outdated, limited, or invalid data can have harmful repercussions.

Social media influencers could play a powerful role in counteracting these incomplete narratives. Using their platforms, influencers can tell alternate stories or present new perspectives on stories using more valid or representative data. In this challenge, you will have an opportunity to create, re-evaluate, and reframe common narratives using your unique experiences and insights. By analyzing valid data from reliable sources and communicating your findings effectively, you can make a meaningful difference by retelling a once problematic story. 

Challenge Statement

Your challenge is to design an influencer brand that shares data-backed content to tell stories that have been overlooked or misunderstood. You need:

• A genre. Describe the types of stories your social media account will produce (e.g., environmental, social justice, sports) and the outlet you will use to reach your audience.
• Exemplar content. Create an example of the type of content your brand will produce. This should:
  • Provide background information that sets the stage for your audience.
  • Present a new perspective on the data that is illuminated by combining multiple variables.
  • Include data visualizations to help your audience better understand the story and interpret your scenario based on key characteristics of your visualizations and your data.
  • Influence your audience to take action.

Disclaimer: You may not use copyrighted images, music, or any other resource, nor anything related to any individual or organization’s brand, without explicit permission from the owner.

Click here to view the Backed by Data Challenge Statement PDF

Meet the Challenge Champion

Learn more about Challenge Champion Alex Velez.

Think About It

What ideas do you have for your solution?

What information do you need to create a viable solution for your target consumers?