Data Journalism: How Enlighten Designs Turns Information Into Trust

The Misinformation Moment

People the world over are very worried about misinformation and where they can find news they can trust.

• According to the Pew Research Center, 72% of adults across 25 countries say the spread of false information online is a major threat to their country.

• A June 2025 report from the Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism found that news avoidance has reached record levels worldwide. Across nearly 50 countries, 40% of respondents said they sometimes or often avoid the news — up from 29% in 2017 and matching the highest rate ever recorded. The numbers were even higher in the United States (42%) and the United Kingdom (46%).

But there’s a counterweight: when people can see the source of the news for themselves and even interact with the facts, trust goes up. Research shows visual stories stick in memory far longer than text alone.

For Enlighten Designs, these facts set our course. If the goal is clarity and credibility, data journalism isn’t optional. It’s essential.

Enlighten's Journey into Data Journalism and Storytelling

Our journey into data journalism started in newsrooms, shoulder‑to‑shoulder with reporters responsible for explaining sprawling, high‑stakes datasets: election returns, public health numbers, climate indicators, and local economies. The question was always the same: How do you turn complexity into clarity without losing the truth?

We found an answer by pairing rigorous reporting with modern analytics and data visualisation, so even small teams could publish stories that were accurate, explorable, local, and human.

Partnering with Microsoft Data Journalism Program

In 2016, Enlighten Designs joined Microsoft’s Data Journalism Program, training newsrooms worldwide to use Power BI for interactive, source‑linked storytelling. Together, we helped reporters:

• Connect live, well‑documented data sources

• Make methodology transparent with on‑page links

• Publish fast at newsroom scale

This interactive approach to data journalism revolutionised how readers consume information, making complex stories more accessible and credible. By allowing audiences to explore and verify data themselves, news organisations built stronger relationships with their readers while maintaining transparency in their reporting.

Data Journalism in Action

As a result of our partnership with Microsoft, we successfully implemented several groundbreaking projects. Our collaboration enabled us to transform innovative ideas into tangible solutions that deliver real value to journalists and their audiences.

• Election Night with The AP: The Associated Press leveraged Enlighten's data visualisation capabilities to transform election coverage, the interactive data visuals let readers zoom from national results down to their own county in real time. Nearly a million people followed along as updates appeared before their eyes. “Microsoft Power BI enabled us to deliver a powerful, first‑class visualisation that rose to the challenge on election night,” said Troy Thibodeaux, AP. 

• POLITICO Europe: In the 2019 European Parliamentary elections, live visuals let voters track results as they happened. Seat projections, regional tallies, and turnout maps were transparent and up to the minute.

Each project proved the same point: when people can explore the data themselves, understanding deepens ... and trust follows.

Building a Global Community of Data Journalists

Our partnerships with Microsoft, the AP and POLITICO set the stage for other journalists. So the next step in our journey was to start a global community of storytellers by hosting webinars and training sessions for Microsoft. 

We explored how data-driven storytelling can fight back at misinformation and rebuild trust in media. We shared our expertise in using Power BI to create transparent, interactive graphics, demonstrating real-world examples for brands, like Red Bull and NASCAR.

This also made us extremely proud as our journey in data journalism has put New Zealand on the map for digital storytelling.

The Future of Data Storytelling in Journalism is More Important than Ever 

Data journalism and storytelling are no longer optional tools. They have since the become essential. Information will grow to be more complex and the need for clarity and insight will always follow.

We’re excited to continue leading the charge and help newsrooms, brands, and organisations everywhere unlock the power of data-driven storytelling. If you want to use data and its power of storytelling through visualisation, check our services.