Data Viz DC: An Interactive Introduction to Data Physicalization with Jon Schwabish

Data Viz DC Monthly Meetup: Agenda: 5:30 - Doors 5:30 - 6:15: Food & Socializing 6:15 - 6:30: Introductions 6:30 - 8:00: Data by Hand: An Interactive Introduction to Data Physicalization If you're interested in the intersection of Data Science, Visual Design, UI/UX, Art, Psychology, and Business Intelligence, this event is for you! --- Data by Hand: An Interactive Introduction to Data Physicalization Jonathan Schwabish, PhD Data physicalization is the act of creating data visualizations in physical space—with twine, Post-it notes, stickers, foam board, and even food. Many physicalization projects showcased in books and papers are built for exhibition, where the viewer has little influence over the visualization itself. This session takes a different approach: collaborative, community-driven, and affordable enough to run in any classroom or office. We’ll begin with a short lecture situating data physicalization within the broader landscape of data visualization and establishing the shared vocabulary—data types, encodings, chart families—needed for the work that follows. The remainder of the session is hands-on. Working in small groups, participants will use and build physical charts from everyday materials, then step back to discuss what the act of encoding by hand makes visible: the design choices, the trade-offs, and the questions that a screen tends to hide. Bio Dr. Jonathan Schwabish is an economist, author, and educator whose work focuses on improving how researchers, scientists, analysts, and policymakers communicate data and evidence. Through his writing, teaching, and public engagement, he works to make complex research more accessible to broader audiences and more useful for decisionmaking. He is the author of four books on data visualization and research communication—Better Presentations, Elevate the Debate, Better Data Visualizations, and Data Visualization in Excel—which provide practical guidance for presenting data and communicating research clearl