The PolicyViz Podcast

Join Dr. Laura Sicola, a cognitive linguist and communications expert, as she dives into the art of effective presentation. She discusses the 'expert’s curse' and how technical professionals can enhance communication by tailoring their messages for broader audiences. Learn about the significance of storytelling to establish executive presence and build rapport. Dr. Sicola also shares practical tips on slide design, vocal delivery, and audience engagement, helping listeners convey complex ideas clearly and compellingly.

I’m so excited to welcome Ellen Lupton to the PolicyViz Podcast! Ellen Lupton is a designer, writer, and educator. The all-new edition of her bestselling book Thinking with Type launched in March 2024. Other books include Design Is Storytelling, Graphic Design Thinking, Health Design Thinking, and Extra Bold: A Feminist, Inclusive, Anti-Racist, Nonbinary Field Guide for Graphic Designers. She teaches in the Graphic Design MFA program at Maryland Institute College of Art in Baltimore (MICA), where she serves as the Betty Cooke and William O. Steinmetz Design Chair. She is Curator Emerita at Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum in New York City, where her exhibitions included Herbert Bayer: Bauhaus Master and The Senses: Design Beyond Vision.Keywords: #EllenLupton, #Typography, #Design, #PolicyVizPodcast, #InclusiveDesign, #TypefaceVsFont, #DataVisualization, #ExtraBoldBook, #GraphicDesign, #Underrepresentation, #FintechDesign, #SocioeconomicImpact, #EducationalApproaches, #QualitativeResearch, #UserEngagement, #HumanCenteredDesign, #MICADesign, #BilingualProjects, #InstagramDesign, #TwitterDiscourse, #AIDesignConcerns, #BiasInAI, #AITypefaces, #UnderservedLanguages, #NewRailAlphabet, #FunctionalTypefaces, #WomenInDesign, #CalibriCritique, #TimesNewRoman, #ThinkingWithType, #DesignConceptsSubscribe to the PolicyViz Podcast wherever you get your podcasts.Become a patron of the PolicyViz Podcast for as little as a buck a monthFollow Ellen on Instagram and her website, and find her latest book, thinking with type on AmazonFollow me on Instagram,  LinkedIn,  Substack,  Twitter,  Website,  YouTubeEmail: jon@policyviz.com

In this week’s episode, I interview Natalia Kisileva about her transition from engineering to data visualization and her work in data art and physicalization. We discuss her great Substack newsletter “Flowers and Numbers” and how she shifted her focus to data art, fostering community-building efforts, after the pandemic. Natalia emphasizes making data accessible through tangible experiences and highlights the importance of community, particularly in initiatives like a Telegram group for women learning interactive visualizations. Our conversation explores the relationship between physical and digital data art, and Natalia advocates for creative visualizations to engage audiences emotionally and enhance communication. Learn more about Natalia’s work and how you can bring data art and data physicalization into your own work!Keywords: PolicyVizPodcast, JonSchwabish, NataliaKisileva, EngineeringToDataVisualization, DataArt, Physicalization, FlowersAndNumbers, PandemicShift, CommunityBuilding, TangibleData, DataAccessibility, TelegramGroup, WomenInVisualization, InteractiveVisualizations, PhysicalVsDigital, CreativeVisualizations, EmotionalEngagement, CorporateCommunication, ArtisticDataPresentations, InPersonInteractions, 3DPrinting, TravelInspiredArt, MothersExperiences, StrengthAndBravery, SupportiveCommunity, NewsletterEngagementSubscribe to the PolicyViz Podcast wherever you get your podcasts.Become a patron of the PolicyViz Podcast for as little as a buck a monthSign up for Natalia’s Flowers and Numbers newsletter and check out her website.Follow me on Instagram,  LinkedIn,  Substack,  Twitter,  Website,  YouTubeEmail: jon@policyviz.com

In this episode of the PolicyViz Podcast, I talk with Zach Bowders on the intricacies of data visualization, the impact of dashboards on decision-making, and the fine line between plagiarism and inspiration. We discuss the importance of context-driven visualization choices over rigid adherence to traditional formats and highlight the need for flexibility. Our conversation stresses the balance between complexity and user familiarity, the value of learning from failures, and the necessity of client engagement to accurately meet their needs. We also talk about the challenges inherent in building trust with clients, sharing sensitive information, and the implications of changes to the Tableau public license for small nonprofits.Keywords: PolicyVizPodcast, DataVisualization, JohnSchwabisch, ZachBauders, Dashboards, DecisionMaking, PlagiarismVsInspiration, TableauConference, InnovationInDataViz, FlexibilityInDesign, ContextDrivenChoices, VisualizationMethods, LearningFromFailures, DashboardDesign, ClientEngagement, StJudeResearch, TerminologyPrecision, ClientTrust, SensitiveData, TableauPublicLicense, Nonprofits, OriginalityInDesign, CitingInspiration, AttributionGuidelines, SkillDevelopment, ContinuousLearning, TechnicalSkills, SoftSkills, DataPlusLovePodcast, PodcastEpisode, CreativeFields, DataVisualizationChallenges, mathematics, Al, machine learningSubscribe to the PolicyViz Podcast wherever you get your podcasts.Become a patron of the PolicyViz Podcast for as little as a buck a monthFollow Zach on Twitter and find his podcast Data+Love on SpotifyFollow me on Instagram,  LinkedIn,  Substack,  Twitter,  Website,  YouTubeEmail: jon@policyviz.com

On this week’s episode, I talk with Jessica Calarco about her book “Holding It Together: How Women Became America’s Safety Net” and the role of qualitative data in research and data visualization. Calarco, a sociologist from UW Madison, discusses her research on family life inequalities and the shift to a “DIY society,” where individuals, particularly women, manage risks without government support, leading to reliance on low-wage caregiving. She critiques the wealthy elite for discouraging collective social support and emphasizes the need for policy changes to ensure basic needs, caregiving opportunities, and work-life balance through measures like paid family leave. We also talk about Jessica’s data collection efforts, which involved more than 400 hours of interviews, surveys, and national studies, to understand human experiences deeply. She addresses critiques of qualitative research’s representativeness, arguing its strength lies in capturing life’s complexities.Keywords: data, data visualization, flourish, jessica calarco, holding it together, safety net, DIY, data analysis, qualitative data, qualitative data analysis, qualitative data analysis - coding and developing themes, machine learning, nvivo, dedoose, ai, data scientist, qualitative data analysis thematic analysis, qualitative data collection, university of wisconsin, data analyst, data science, machine learning for beginnersSubscribe to the PolicyViz Podcast wherever you get your podcasts.Become a patron of the PolicyViz Podcast for as little as a buck a monthVisit Jessica’s website and find her book “Holding it Together” on AmazonFollow me on Instagram, LinkedIn, Substack, Twitter, Website, YouTubeEmail: jon@policyviz.com

Welcome to Season 11 of the PolicyViz Podcast! After a relaxing summer full of travel and reading and fun, I’m ready to kick off a whole new season of the show. To kick off this season, I’m excited to be joined by Federica Fragapane, an independent designer known for her intricate and beautiful data visualizations. Our conversation delves into her creative process, the tools she uses, and where she finds inspiration. Fragapane, with a Master’s degree in visualization design and experience at Accurat Studio, integrates data into her bespoke visualizations that convey deeper narratives, particularly human experiences and environmental issues. She prefers organic shapes to reflect the living presence behind data, emphasizing beauty, context, audience, and accessibility.Keywords: data, data visualization, flourish, graphic design, how to, information design, graphic design tutorials, graphic design portfolio, graphic design course, online learning, graphic design photoshop, graphic design trends 2024, how to draw, data scientist, Federica fragapane, accurat, AccessibilityInDesign, EngagingVisuals, Inspiration, DataNarratives, VisualizationDesign, InstagramPortfolio, BehancePortfolio, mathematics, Al, machine learningSubscribe to the PolicyViz Podcast wherever you get your podcasts.Become a patron of the PolicyViz Podcast for as little as a buck a monthCheck out Federica's Behance portfolio and follow her on Instagram.Follow me on Instagram,  LinkedIn,  Substack,  Twitter,  Website,  YouTubeEmail: jon@policyviz.com

In this final episode of the season, I welcome Nancy Organ to the show to discuss her new book Data Visualization for People of All Ages. Nancy’s book aims to make dataviz accessible to everyday readers. Our conversation highlights the importance of not altering data simply for aesthetics but to facilitate understanding. We also explore balancing creativity with informed design choices, and suggest alternatives to traditional graphs,  such as infographics,  timelines,  flowcharts,  and diagrams.Keywords: data, dataviz, data visualization, data visualization, bridging data gaps: nancy organ, data gaps: nancy organ on making data visualization, data visualization accessible for all ages, data visualization, data analytics, data analyst, business intelligence, professional certificate program, what is data analytics, jon schwabish, accessible for all ages, chair yoga, nancy organ, nancy organ on making data, data visualization python, data visualization examples, bar graph, data architecture, mathematics, Al, machine learningSubscribe to PolicyViz Podcast wherever you get your podcasts.Become a patron of the PolicyViz Podcast for as little as a buck a monthFollow Nancy on Twitter and find her book “Data Visualization for People of All Ages” on AmazonFollow me on Instagram,  LinkedIn,  Substack,  Twitter,  Website,  YouTubeEmail: jon@policyviz.com

Georgia Lupi joins the show to discuss her work in data visualization, her journey from Accurat to Pentagram, and how she takes a human-centric perspective to working with and communicating data. Our conversation also focuses on her new book, “This is Me and Only Me.” The book encourages kids to observe and collect data to understand emotions and human questions, using symbols and colors to express emotions. Giorgia hopes the book will inspire kids and adults to be imaginative, observant, and mindful. We also have some breaking news on this episode because Giorgia is working on another big project, a new book called “Speak Data” that explores data as a language intersecting various fields.Keywords: data with heart giorgia lupi’s journey from visualization, heart giorgia lupi’s journey from visualization, giorgia lupi’s journey from visualization to human connection, lupi’s journey from visualization to human, heart giorgia lupi’s journey, data with heart giorgia lupi’s journey, giorgia lupi’s journey from visualization, giorgia lupi, dataviz, data visualization, human connection jon schwabish, jon schwabish, visualization, lupi’s journey, heart giorgia, mathematics, Al, machine learningSubscribe to PolicyViz Podcast wherever you get your podcasts.Become a patron of the PolicyViz Podcast for as little as a buck a monthFollow Giorgia on Twitterand find her book “This is Me and Only Me” on AmazonFollow me on Instagram,  LinkedIn,  Substack,  Twitter,  Website,  YouTubeEmail: jon@policyviz.com

Nicole Lachenmeier and Darjan Hil’s new book, Visualizing Complexity: Modular Information Design Handbook, focuses on deconstructing data encodings into fundamental elements to create effective visualizations. They take an exciting and hands-on approach to data visualization design for their own work and how they teach design to others. In this week’s episode of the podcast, our conversation highlights Nicole and Darjan’s journey in data design and how they stress the importance of deliberate thinking, manual effort, and critical analysis in their design process.Keywords: information design handbook, the modular information design handbook, information design, data visualization, information visualization, information design handbook with nicole, nicole hickl, design handbook with nicole lachenmeier and darjan hil, nicole lachenmeier and darjan hil, Design Handbook, design handbook, jim hall, junior designer tips, fuel filler, design resources, handbook with nicole lachenmeier, infographics, data design, data viz, infografik, infographics show, mathematics, Al, machine learningSubscribe to PolicyViz Podcast wherever you get your podcasts.Become a patron of the PolicyViz Podcast for as little as a buck a monthFollow Nicole Lachenmeier and Darjan Hilon Instagram and find their new book her book “Visualizing Complexity: Modular Information Design Handbook" on AmazonFollow me on Instagram,  LinkedIn,  Substack,  Twitter,  Website,  YouTubeEmail: jon@policyviz.com

Nathan Yau’s Flowing Data website was one of the first data visualization websites I discovered in my own data journey. With his new book, Visualize This, now out, I thought it would be a great opportunity to talk with Nathan about his work, his book, and how his own approach to data has evolved over the last several years.Keywords: data visualization storytelling, flowing data, flowing data chart types, visualize this book, nathan yau, nathan yau data, visualize this the flowingdata guide to design visualization and statistics by nathan yau, evolving data visualization, data visualization, crafting the second edition of visualize, edition of visualize this with nathan yau, Visualize This with Nathan Yau, visualize this with nathan yau, o'reilly media, data visualization design, mathematics, Al, machine learningSubscribe to PolicyViz Podcast wherever you get your podcasts.Become a patron of the PolicyViz Podcast for as little as a buck a monthFollow Nathanon Twitter and find his new book “Visualize This” on AmazonFollow me on Instagram,  LinkedIn,  Substack,  Twitter,  Website,  YouTubeEmail: jon@policyviz.com