JPL/Caltech ArtCenter

Abstract

Data visualization frequently provides audiences with novel semantic and computational presentations. How does a multifaceted team expand this scope by harnessing the power of visualization as a tool to think with? The NASA JPL/Caltech/ ArtCenter data visualization program demonstrates how scientific knowledge, shaped from data and theory, is equally co-constructed from diverse human perspectives. We will share case studies from Mars Rover Path planning and PIXLISE, a visual reasoning tool for understanding planetary geology. Working from source data through mixed media artifacts, these projects explore co-design methods for complex scientific domains with real-world applications. Our methodology emphasizes that all participants in the co-design process are both learners and experts. In this dynamic, the design and coding process are unique modes of critical discovery.