Data, Design, and Trust

Data, Design, and Trust explores the double-edged sword of information design in an era of unprecedented data saturation. While we rely on big data to map our world and guide our decisions, the visual languages we use to translate that data are never neutral. From the inherent biases baked into algorithmic collection to the rhetorical power of storytelling, the "objectivity" of data and its many forms of visualization are increasingly under scrutiny. As we witness a growing erosion of trust in institutional data, we must reevaluate the responsibility of data and its designers as mediators of truth.

Together, we ask: In an age of "alternative facts," how can information design rebuild public confidence? To what extent does the aesthetic polish of a visualization mask the messy reality of inherent bias? How does data storytelling balance the need for clarity with the ethical necessity of nuance? Is the erosion of trust a result of poor literacy, or a justified reaction to the weaponization of information? How can we design for transparency so that the audience can see not just the conclusion, but the provenance of the data itself?

This Salon took place on January 20, 2026.