Understanding Data Visualization Design Practice

Area of Science:

• Data Visualization Design
• Human-Computer Interaction
• Design Practice

Background:

• Growing popularity of professional data visualization design roles.
• Limited understanding of real-world, professional design practices.
• Disciplinary differences in how practitioners and researchers approach complex design problems.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore data visualization design practice from the practitioners' perspective.
• To understand the methods and decision-making processes used by visualization designers.
• To investigate the gap between academic research and professional practice in data visualization.

Main Methods:

• Practice-led research approach.
• Interviews with twenty professional data visualization designers.
• Inquiry into design processes, decision-making, and methods.

Main Results:

• Practitioners do not adhere to highly systematic design processes.
• Designers rely on situated knowing and acting, drawing from precedent.
• Methods and principles are chosen based on immediate situational appropriateness.

Conclusions:

• Practitioner approaches differ significantly from typical research models.
• Findings inform engagement between visualization researchers and practitioners.
• Implications for curriculum development and training of future data visualization designers.