Inclusive Data Visualization (Dagstuhl Seminar 23252)

Abstract

Data plays an increasingly important role in our lives, and data visualization pervades our world as a means not only to analyze and explore data but also to identify and communicate insights. Most existing data visualizations, however, remain out of reach for many people with disabilities as they are designed on implicit assumptions about people’s sensory, cognitive, and motor abilities. With an aim to tackle the significant equity issues posed by inaccessible data and data visualization, this Dagstuhl Seminar brought together researchers and practitioners from relevant fields, including visualization, accessibility, human-computer interaction, and health informatics. Five - both remote and in-person - invited talks gave participants an opportunity to understand barriers and challenges people with various disabilities currently face. With lightning talks and demos, participants shared their experiences and research relevant to inclusive data visualization. In addition, through brainstorming and discussion in break-out sessions combined with short report back presentations, participants identified research challenges and opportunities for inclusive data visualization.