Thinking Inside the Box: Considerations for Putting Data Physicalization Workshops in a Box

Derya Akbaba, Camilla Svensson, Claudia Torelli, Martin Callmeryd, Miriah Meyer


Workshops In A Box screenshot

Abstract

Visualization researchers utilize workshops both for applied research and to engage different populations with visualization- based activities. While there are many benefits to running visualization workshops, their utility and impact rely on the presence of a researcher who has deep knowledge about visualization theory and practice. In this work, we introduce workshop-in-a- box as a design concept intended to challenge the researcher-centric approach to data physicalization workshops. Through a design study with a socially innovative organization, we deployed several data physicalization workshops that our collaborator ran instead of us. Based on this experience, along with two accompanying case studies that validate the concept, we present material and procedural considerations for how to put data physicalization workshops into a box and the implications it has for extending visualization research outside the bounds of academia


Citation

Derya Akbaba, Camilla Svensson, Claudia Torelli, Martin Callmeryd, Miriah Meyer
Thinking Inside the Box: Considerations for Putting Data Physicalization Workshops in a Box
Computer Graphics Forum (EuroVis), 2026.


Acknowledgements

This work is funded in part by the Swedish Research Council (Grant No. 2024-05726); by the Wallenberg AI, Autonomous Systems and Software Program (WASP) funded by the Knut and Alice Wallenberg Foundation.

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