Towards a Deeper Understanding of Data and Materiality
S. Sandra Bae · Creativity and Cognition · 2022
Data physicalization enables people to represent and interact with data physically rather than digitally. Physical representations afford visual analysis in comparable ways to traditional, desktop-based visualization by introducing new capabilities, such as facilitating tactile manipulation, accessible interactions, and immersion, that are beyond traditional 2D visualizations. However, physicalization has historically been a niche aspect of visualization research due to its unique challenges. In this paper, I discuss the current challenges of data physicalization and address three areas where data physicalization can aid other research thrusts: broadening participation, supporting analytics, and promoting creative expression. This paper exemplifies each approach through the lens of my work.