From Complex Data to Visual Communication
Educational Data Animation and Visualization System
This project explores how important it is for educational research data to be accessible to all audiences through visual communication.
I worked on redesigning and animating data visualizations for the Emerging Bilingual Steering Committee. What initially appeared to be a visual design task quickly became a communication challenge centered around hierarchy, readability, interpretation, and ultimately storytelling.
Rather than simplifying the data itself, I focused on simplifying the experience of understanding it.
Overview
Outcome
Improved readability, visual emphasis, and accessibility
Important data is hidden behind lack of visual clarity
Problem
Created animations and a visual communication design system
Solution
Context
The generalities of this project were assigned to me during E3 Alliance’s Spring 2026 fellowship.
The Emerging Bilingual Steering Committee provided a set of educational research graphs with the goal of improving their usability, visual clarity, and adaptability across multiple communication platforms.
As the Data Animation & Visual Design Fellow, the project involved redesigning and animating the graphs while ensuring that the underlying research remained accurate and aligned with E3 Alliance’s existing brand guidelines.
Although the task initially appeared visual in nature, the project quickly evolved into a UX challenge focused on how people process and interpret information.
The Challenge
The main challenge was communication, not visual design.
The original graphs already contained meaningful insights and accurate research-backed data. However, many lacked clear visual hierarchy, readability, and emphasis.
This created several usability problems:
dense labels and clutter
competing visual elements
low scanability
unclear focal points
difficult interpretation under time constraints
As I analyzed the graphs, I realized the issue was not the complexity of the data itself.
The problem was that the most important insights were not visually prioritized.
The core challenge became:
How do we preserve complexity while making the information easier and faster to understand?
My Role
I served as the Data Animation & Visual Design Fellow, leading the redesign and animation of educational data visualizations for E3 Alliance.
My work included:
visual analysis
hierarchy redesign
accessibility considerations
motion design
iterative exploration
visual systems development
More importantly, I focused on understanding how users interpret visual information.
I consistently asked:
What should viewers notice first?
What insight matters most?
How can the graph communicate more immediately?
This shifted the project from a purely visual exercise into a user experience problem centered around comprehension and communication.
The Problem
Before redesigning the graphs, I focused heavily on research and analysis.
I gathered examples of existing data visualizations, studied communication systems, reviewed accessibility considerations, and analyzed previous E3 Alliance graph variations.
I also printed and annotated graphs by hand to identify recurring patterns and opportunities for improvement.
Through this process, I identified several recurring issues:
weak hierarchy
inconsistent emphasis
overcrowded labels
low readability
lack of visual entry points
At the same time, I recognized several strengths:
strong underlying narratives
accurate data representation
consistent categorization
meaningful comparisons
The data itself was not the issue.
The real issue was that the insights required too much effort to interpret.
Turning Point
One of the biggest realizations during the project was understanding that effective data visualization is not about decoration — it is about guidance.
Instead of treating every element equally, I began designing around intentional hierarchy:
emphasizing key insights
reducing visual competition
controlling pacing through animation
guiding attention step-by-step
The conversation shifted from:
“How do we display all the information?”
to:
“How do we communicate the most important takeaway first?”
This fundamentally changed the direction of the redesigns.
Visual to System
As the redesigns evolved, consistency across graphs became increasingly important.
Rather than creating isolated visuals, I began developing a reusable visual communication framework.
This system included:
color hierarchy rules
typography standards
accessibility considerations
grayscale contrast testing
layout consistency
animation principles
The goal was to create a scalable system that could remain consistent across:
reports
presentations
social media
websites
videos
public-facing communication materials
This transformed the project from a series of graph redesigns into a reusable communication system.
Iteration
The redesign process involved extensive experimentation, critique, and collaboration.
I created multiple versions of each graph while continuously working with both Communications and RADS teams to ensure that the visual changes remained aligned with the underlying data.
The process included:
sketching
hierarchy testing
infographic exploration
animation timing
label restructuring
accessibility adjustments
presentation testing
Every iteration was evaluated around one central question:
Does this make the information easier to understand?
Final Designs
The final visualizations focused on:
stronger hierarchy
reduced cognitive load
clearer comparisons
improved readability
accessibility
cross-platform flexibility
Animation was used intentionally to:
guide attention
pace information
emphasize insights
reduce interpretation effort
Rather than requiring viewers to search for meaning, the redesigned visuals directed attention toward the intended takeaway immediately.
Outcome
The final deliverables included:
redesigned educational data visualizations
animated graph systems
reusable visual communication guidelines
accessibility-focused hierarchy systems
scalable cross-platform assets
The redesigns improved clarity and usability while maintaining the accuracy and integrity of the original research.
Most importantly, the project reframed data visualization as a user experience problem focused on communication and comprehension.
Reflection
This project fundamentally changed the way I think about visual communication.
I realized that data visualization is not simply about presenting information — it is about designing interpretation.
Good visual communication reduces friction, guides attention, and makes complexity feel approachable.
Most importantly, I learned that clarity is not achieved by removing information, but by structuring it intentionally.
This project reinforced one of the central themes throughout my work as a designer:
bringing clarity to complexity through structure, hierarchy, and communication.
Project Presentation
Presentation Format
This is the same case study found above in a more traditional and effective format.