We are living in the age of data, which allows us to describe, quantify, and summarize societal issues. Turning real-world events into data points, however, introduces a level of abstraction that can strip away the emotional weight of a topic. How can we use design and data visualization to inform viewers, without desensitizing them to the subject matter?

Rachel is a Design Technologist at Watershed specialized in data visualization, mapping, & digital-physical fabrication. She has a background in art history and interaction design. Her work explores the emotional, cultural, and aesthetic relationships between geo/location data and the physical world. Rachel has created a multitude of small companies to explore these ideas, building co-creation interfaces that transform a user’s data into a custom-made object.