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Data confidence: 96% claim it, only 66% deliver when it counts, says Canva
92% feel confident analyzing and interpreting data, yet 74% make spreadsheet errors that impact their work.
45% actively avoid data work altogether despite recognizing its value. This avoidance can significantly impact business outcomes, especially for marketing and sales teams who need data to shape narratives that resonate with internal stakeholders, existing customers, and potential buyers.
Canva's “Beyond the numbers: how data storytelling redefines communication” report reveals a workplace challenge: while data has become indispensable to business operations, key external-facing teams like sales and marketing struggle to confidently translate complex insights into compelling narratives. This hampers productivity, contributes to data errors, heightens workplace anxiety, and ultimately prevents teams from unlocking the full power of the insights available.
Based on responses from more than 2,400 marketing and sales professionals spanning North America, Europe, and Asia-Pacific, the report uncovers why traditional approaches to working with data are failing modern teams and the strategic opportunity business leaders have to invest in data storytelling skills that drive impact.
The findings specific to India include:
A confidence-competence gap hinders productivity
96% claim confidence working with data yet only 66% feel confident when starting a data-heavy task
92% feel confident analyzing and interpreting data, yet 74% make spreadsheet errors that impact their work.
Common challenges include:
42% struggle with formulas
41% have difficulty interpreting complex spreadsheets
46% find analysis challenging
Even though 81% of organizations offer regular data literacy training, 80% still experience data anxiety
45% actively avoid data work altogether despite recognizing its value
This avoidance can significantly impact business outcomes, especially for marketing and sales teams who need data to shape narratives that resonate with internal stakeholders, existing customers, and potential buyers.
Data storytelling is essential but challenging
Data now drives more decisions than ever, with organizations increasingly dependent on insights to stay competitive.
91% report increased organizational reliance on data in the last two years
95% say they’re expected to be data literate in their roles
97% work with data and spreadsheets weekly
96% feel more confident presenting when using data visualizations
96% say data visualizations enhance credibility
44% still struggle to create effective data visualizations
As organizations continue to amass more data, the ability to transform numbers into engaging narratives has shifted from a specialized skill to a critical business capability.
AI and modern data tools are key to closing the gap
The traditional approach to data tooling is failing modern teams, creating friction and confusion rather than an intuitive path to rich data-powered narratives.
58% find it difficult to switch between different data tools
96% likely to adopt easier-to-use data visualization tools
49% willing to invest up to three hours learning new solutions
91% believe AI can improve their ability to work with data by automating tedious tasks and suggesting effective data visualizations, but many still have concerns over trust, accuracy, and AI’s impact on creativity
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