Participatory visualization with Wordle
Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 19, 2026

Using Generative Art to Convey Past and Future Climate Transitions
Published on: March 31, 2023
Fernanda B Viégas1, Martin Wattenberg, Jonathan Feinberg
1IBM Research. viegasf@us.ibm.com
Abstract:
We discuss the design and usage of "Wordle," a web-based tool for visualizing text. Wordle creates tag-cloud-like displays that give careful attention to typography, color, and composition. We describe the algorithms used to balance various aesthetic criteria and create the distinctive Wordle layouts. We then present the results of a study of Wordle usage, based both on spontaneous behaviour observed in the wild, and on a large-scale survey of Wordle users. The results suggest that Wordles have become a kind of medium of expression, and that a "participatory culture" has arisen around them.
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