Nodes of Design#90: Data + Design by Darjan Hil & Nicole Lachenmeier

Nicole Lachenmeier is a Swiss information designer and co-founder of the data experience agency Superdot, founded in 2011. Alongside her team, she has developed over a hundred visual tools and design systems for large companies, NGOs and governmental organizations. Besides her agency work, Nicole teaches visualization (and design) at several design universities. She also won many accolades for her work in visualisation and design.

Darjan Hil is an information designer. He co-founded Superdot with Nicole while working as a researcher at the University of Applied Sciences, Northwestern Switzerland. In addition, Darjan has taught at various Swiss Universities, lecturing on data visualization and information design principles. He is co-author of Visualizing Complexity, the Handbook for Modular Information Design and initiated the event series On Data And Design in Vienna, Basel and Berlin.

Both of them at Superdot make complex issues understandable with innovative and attractive information design and data experience design.

In this episode, Darjan Hil⁠ and ⁠Nicole Lachenmeier shared great insights on Data+Design; we started the episode by defining the intersection between data and design. Then, what was one of the most complex data viz challenges that Nicole and Darjan had to improve and why? We then discussed balancing accuracy and clarity with the desire for creativity and visual appeal in data visualisations. Later, we discussed the role storytelling plays in crafting patterns for data visualisation and how information design and visualisation are applied to promote social progress or deal with significant societal issues.

Special Shoutout to Darjan Hil & Nicole Lachenmeier Book - Visualizing Complexity: Modular Information Design Handbook

Resources Mentioned in the Episode

The First Six Books of the Elements of Euclid - Oliver Byrne Information Architects Hardcover - Richard Saul

Graphic Design Manual: Principles and Practice - Armin Hofmann

The Women in Data Viz:
Valentina D Efillipo
Federica Frangapane
Stefanie Posavec

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This podcast aims to make design education accessible to all. Nodes of Design is a non-profit and self-sponsored initiative by Tejj.