Beyond Numbers: Choosing Participant-Led Storytelling
by David Lloyd-Lewis, Co-founder & Chief Product Officer
Written reports have long been the go-to way for documenting program and funding outcomes. They’re structured, consistent, and great for presenting clear data. They make it simple to compare results across different programs and help organizations show accountability. Plus, their polished look can boost an organization's credibility and serve as a solid record of activities.
But, despite these strengths, written reports often fall short. They tend to focus on numbers rather than human experiences, missing the rich stories that truly show a program’s impact. Important insights can easily get lost in long PDFs that few people actually read. In fact, a World Bank study found that nearly one-third of their reports were never even downloaded, and most others barely had any readers. This highlights how traditional reporting can fail to engage stakeholders and influence policy effectively.
This is where participant-led storytelling comes in, offering a fresh approach that captures deeper insights and amplifies the voices of those most affected.
Redefining the Written Report
Consider Folktale. It’s more than just a data collection tool; it’s a platform that redefines traditional reporting and how we connect and engage. Why not explore how stories, with their visually rich and contextual nuances, can shape the decisions we make?
Folktale empowers participants to share their own experiences, ensuring their voices are heard and their realities are truly reflected. By fostering deep listening and collaboration, Folktale helps you connect more genuinely with the people you serve, offering a method that may be less formal but is full of authenticity.
Folktale’s approach fits naturally with many communities, especially those that value oral storytelling and visual expression over traditional written reports. This inclusivity allows more people to share their stories in their own way, creating a richer and more connected understanding of what’s really happening.
Video content, in particular, is powerful for engagement. Studies show that viewers remember 95% of a message delivered through video, compared to just 10% through text. With 65% of people being visual learners, video combines sight and sound to effectively convey information and keep your audience’s attention.
Folktale isn’t just a different method; it’s a whole new way of understanding impact. By shifting the power to those who matter most, Folktale closes the gap between you and your impact, providing insights that go beyond numbers. It captures the emotions, challenges, and successes of the communities you serve, driving meaningful change by effectively weaving evidence of program and funding outcomes through storytelling.
Folktale is a user-friendly platform for organizations to gather qualitative data through video storytelling.
Our secure platform enables the collection of authentic voices and lived experiences, helping organizations understand communities better and make informed decisions.
Incorporate Folktale into your monitoring, evaluation, and reporting processes and streamline how you to engage with participant-led stories.
