Towards a Deeper Understanding of Data and Materiality

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.