Autor: Stiven Garcia
When considering the world of art and design, our thoughts often naturally turn to the great masters of history, figures like Leonardo da Vinci or Pablo Picasso. However, in this process of reflection, we rarely make room in our minds for those behind the engineering of the interfaces of our everyday devices: the designers of cell phone interfaces, computers, and the web pages we endlessly consume.
Today, however, we are starting to recognize that these creative minds do not always come from a strictly design background. The rapid growth of the technology industry in recent years has made it clear that there must be synergy between design and technology in creating products and the people who develop them. In response to this new dynamic, the academic world has felt the need to adapt. Thus, my professional field was born: Multimedia Engineering, which seeks to blend the technical knowledge inherent in engineering with the creativity and freedom inherent in design. The goal is to achieve a fusion that offers the end consumer a comprehensive product that satisfies both in terms of functionality and aesthetics.
Today, I want to share some of my experience in the challenging intersection between engineering and design in the world of data. Throughout my four years as a multimedia engineer in the realm of data, I have constantly faced an essential challenge: How to visually communicate the answers to questions posed by users regarding data?The solution seems simple at first glance: present graphics. However, this initial solution gives rise to deeper questions: Does the user understand the purpose of each type of graph? Is the user familiar with graphical interpretation? The process of developing analysis projects raises a series of crucial questions that require attention.
Allow me to share with you some tools and approaches that have been fundamental in addressing these issues effectively, satisfying the changing needs of our users. There are various ways to design visualizations: from sketches on paper to more advanced creations on platforms like Figma or Adobe XD. One can even choose to use PowerPoint or dive directly into implementation, letting imagination guide the creative process. Personally, I prefer to start with "storytelling", a brief narrative that expresses the story I want to convey with that visualization. From there, I evaluate what kind of graphics or visual representations can answer each aspect of the story and how they can connect with each other. Then, following design principles, I structure the visualization considering elements such as colors, sizes, spaces between elements, and text, ensuring there is cohesion in the overall design. Finally, I take this structure and implement it using the appropriate tools.
Although the process may seem simple at times, it can actually be extremely complex. Skill and experience play a crucial role in achieving smooth execution; however, encountering considerable challenges is also common. A multitude of factors impact the optimal development of a visual analysis project and, more importantly, its acceptance by users. These factors range from the appropriate choice of colors and sizes to a deep understanding of the industry and the target market. Additionally, technical aspects such as data acquisition and structuring, as well as the creation of analytical models that are relevant to users' questions, also come into play.
In an analysis project,
roles are rarely clearly defined, and tasks are not isolated from each other. This dynamic pushes us to prepare as professionals capable of weaving synergy between design and technology. At each phase of the process, each team member plays an integral role, and their approach transcends boundaries, contributing holistically to the project's development.
Ultimately, the creation of visual experiences in the realm of data has become an exciting and constantly evolving discipline. Beyond merely being a bridge between two seemingly disparate worlds, such as engineering and design, it has become a celebration of their interconnection. Each visualization, each graph, becomes a narrative that fuses creativity and technology, communicating stories through data and enriching how we interact with information in the digital age.
If you're interested in exploring more about uniting these two worlds and being part of this exciting confluence, I invite you to discover Wadua Analytics, a company that is leading the forefront in integrating engineering and design in data analysis. Discover how they are transforming the way we perceive and understand information through innovative solutions. Join the data analytics revolution and be part of the fusion between creativity and technology at its finest.
The Art of Designing in Engineering