• 27 June 2025

Working with Stories in Amazon QuickSight

Understanding Stories in Amazon QuickSight

Stories in Amazon QuickSight enable users to create a guided data narrative by capturing a sequence of analysis visuals, known as scenes. These scenes can be arranged in a storyboard and played in a specific order to convey key insights effectively. The feature is widely used for presentations, executive summaries, and walkthroughs, offering an experience that surpasses traditional dashboards.

In essence, Stories in Amazon QuickSight offer a form of narrative BI, helping stakeholders follow a structured storyline instead of analyzing dashboards on their own.

How Stories in Amazon QuickSight Work

Each story in Amazon QuickSight consists of one or more scenes captured from an existing analysis. A scene reflects:

• All visuals present in the analysis at the time it's created
• The current filter conditions and sort orders

It's important to note that while scenes capture the visual layout and configurations, they do not freeze the data. When a story is played, visuals are rendered with live data from the connected dataset, ensuring the story always reflects the most current insights.

Key characteristics of Stories in Amazon QuickSight :

• Scenes can be reused and revised as the underlying analysis evolves.
• A storyboard is the container that holds all the scenes associated with a particular story.
• Users can play scenes sequentially to deliver a consistent data storytelling experience.
• Interactivity is limited within stories compared to a QuickSight dashboard, as the focus is on narrative rather than exploration.

Practical Use Cases for Stories in Amazon QuickSight

Organizations use Stories in Amazon QuickSight to :

• Present monthly performance reviews to executives
• Provide a snapshot narrative for board meetings
• Explain KPI changes to non-technical audiences using interactive visuals
• Demonstrate key findings from A/B test results

Compared to embedded analytics or live dashboards, stories are ideal when the goal is to lead viewers through insights step-by-step rather than allowing free exploration.

Best Practices for Creating Stories

To maximize the impact of Stories in Amazon QuickSight :

• Name your storyboard clearly to reflect the subject or objective
• Keep each scene focused—ideally, one insight or trend per scene.
• Maintain consistency in visual design (colors, layouts, filters)
• Avoid overcrowding scenes with too many charts or filters.
• Test the story using current data to verify accuracy

You can create multiple stories from the same analysis and tailor each for a specific audience—finance, sales, or operations.

Why DataTerrain Supports Stories in Amazon QuickSight

With extensive experience across BI platforms, DataTerrain enables clients to leverage Stories in Amazon QuickSight fully. Our certified professionals assist in:

• Designing and deploying storyboards for strategic communication
• Aligning story content with business KPIs
• Integrating stories with broader QuickSight dashboard structures
• Enhancing narrative through data storytelling techniques

We’ve supported over 300 clients across the U.S. and continue to deliver value through scalable, impactful business intelligence solutions.

Conclusion: Tell Better Stories with Amazon QuickSight

Stories in Amazon QuickSight empower users to move beyond static reports and engage audiences through structured, insightful narratives. From presenting data in meetings to walking stakeholders through complex trends, this feature is a powerful tool for driving clarity and impact.

Whether you're focused on executive reporting or training sessions, Stories in Amazon QuickSight offer a compelling way to deliver narrative BI with live data and rich visuals.

Need expert help building your QuickSight stories or dashboards?

Contact DataTerrain for support with Stories in Amazon QuickSight, dashboards, and automated reporting.

Visit : www.dataterrain.com