Beyond the Chart: Rethinking Data Visualisation and Accountability

This dialogue session will facilitate critical reflection on accountability in data visualisation. Visuals do not merely represent data but can play a role in shaping public opinion and driving policy advocacy, especially in moments of public outrage or crisis. Every visual choice from chart type, the colour, the aggregation, the icons, and even supporting images influences how seemingly neutral data points shape the public narrative.

The session will invite participants to think deeply about the connection between visualisation and public narrative building, and the possibilities and limitations of visualisation in advancing research update and advocacy efforts. To what extent should the end purpose and the target audience shape visualisation? Collectively, we will also explore challenges related to ethical, effective and responsible depiction of qualitative data such as lived experiences.

The format will be interactive and entail group work, games, and exercises aimed at learning through collective reflection. We aim to create a space where participants learn from one another, grounded in the belief that each person brings valuable knowledge, insight, and lived wisdom to the conversation.

Finally the discussion will call upon participants in a group discussion on thinking beyond accurate and accessible data visualisation to responsible visualisation.

Key takeaways:

• How to consider the impact of visualisation in shaping public narratives?
• Ethical considerations in data visualisation
• Ethical and responsible visualisation of lived experiences

Who is this session for? We welcome data enthusiasts who’ve wondered about the impact and implications of data visualisation, particularly in the context of social justice.