Data2Kids initiative: Inspiring children to visualize data – with Alex Kolokolov, Data2Kids

00:00:00: not to solve a problem or achieve KPI.

00:00:05: Sometimes I understand that we should find time for playing with data!

00:00:30: expert in data visualization, but the reason I invited him was that he runs a non-profit project called Data to Kids That Teachers and Inspires Children To Visualize Data.

00:00:42: And i thought it's not only fun ,but also good initiative

00:00:47: for

00:00:47: bringing ideas of data and visualizations with children.

00:00:53: Hi, Gaston.

00:01:02: Nice to meet you too and great to have here.

00:01:05: I saw a super interesting website or initiative that's called data-to-kids.

00:01:11: the idea is To bring data visualization know how our knowledge to kids at least That's my impression And do run it Alex.

00:01:18: so maybe give us an overview.

00:01:20: Give us a bit of background.

00:01:22: Why did you started?

00:01:24: What are you doing there?

00:01:25: I started as data nerd, sixteen years ago.

00:01:31: When i was getting older and became a father of course... ...I wanted to share my professional passion with my kids And they asked me what am I doing?

00:01:47: Am I being paid for?

00:01:49: And, uh...I tried to explain and they said that i'm just turning numbers into pictures.

00:01:57: My older daughter say what do people really pay for this?

00:02:05: because even I can turn numbers in the pictures!

00:02:13: It was one of the reals when realize that kids have interest to this topic.

00:02:22: And of course I need more interesting explanation and created magic characters for each chart, put them in a story... Finally i got a book Kristina Magic Charts.

00:02:45: This book tells about journey of young girl who gets into world of data to save her dad Who's was pulled in by dirt data?

00:03:00: And when he was working too late

00:03:03: Mm-hmm.

00:03:05: So my kids inspired me to start this non perfect project and Now we run.

00:03:14: so tomorrow will have host final ceremony of Data Visualization Award, Data to Kids and honor the past infographics and dashboards made by kids from seven-to-twelve years old.

00:03:32: I mean it's a great idea also to spark curiosity in this topic.

00:03:42: You can use in everyday life anyway to have a better understanding about data and visualizations.

00:03:48: So how was the reception?

00:03:50: Yeah, so what did you see?

00:03:52: What happened once you started this project?

00:03:55: first year of procrastination.

00:03:58: second year for sketching And another kind of procrastinating on.

00:04:05: the third year was active stage.

00:04:10: So during twenty-twenty five, we developed this storyline published book and organized these awards.

00:04:23: Maybe at the time Lakebork was related to this point that my older kids grew up And they were not interested anymore.

00:04:36: So my doctor was interested when she was six, seven maybe eight but later... She wasn't engaged.

00:04:46: But my younger son even when he was five He started asking questions what am I doing at work and When i published this book or even when I've got electronic version?

00:05:03: He was one of the first readers But my daughters at nine and eleven, they didn't read it.

00:05:11: So do you think there's like a very perfect age group for this?

00:05:16: Or is just more individual from your daughter but also see children with older than seven or eight participating in this?

00:05:27: My opinion that core audience are kids from seven to nine.

00:05:33: But when we started data visualization toward, We realized that the audience is much broader.

00:05:43: And now it... We have projects submitted by five years old and twelve years old because they use different tools.

00:05:54: And being a kid of five you built your chart from toys at six.

00:06:01: You may build it Lego blocks and kids older than ten they really use some of them.

00:06:10: use Minecraft, Roblox or even Excel.

00:06:15: Or some sketching tools.

00:06:17: And They build dashboards.

00:06:20: Of course it's imitation of dashboard but It looks like sections frames bars pie charts for example about autumn leaves.

00:06:30: there is no KPIs like in business dashboards, but it's data visualization.

00:06:37: Some distribution statistics about colors and size of autumn leaves?

00:06:44: Okay so children from seven to twelve roughly or five to twelve.

00:06:48: And what you just mentioned leads me into a question.

00:06:51: So how does it work?

00:06:52: do we give them an exercise Or is it just about they can visualize whatever they like?

00:06:59: So how do you basically come up with the content for visualization.

00:07:05: We provide examples, we don't make specified assignments... ...we just provide directions and find their own paths.

00:07:18: So drone apps need specific guidelines!

00:07:23: And when I work with my corporate clients, I have to prepare guidelines.

00:07:32: Step one, step two... But kids surprised me that they don't need any guidelines!

00:07:39: Just an image.

00:07:43: really there's enough to tell them a question and they will develop the story.

00:07:50: We hosted several online workshops When we explain how to work with data, and tell the story in simple words.

00:08:01: We explained typical configurations of each diagram.

00:08:06: Bar chart, pie chart, bubble chart... And I forget to mention that i'm not only one author.

00:08:14: so I have a co-author and co-founder of this project Natalia Kisilova.

00:08:19: She is mostly about Data Art And we've got our collaboration that I'm mostly about data and running this as a business project.

00:08:30: She runs the creative projects, together we organized all these webinars.

00:08:39: Mostly she explained to children how to work with charts play with how to play this data because I, uh...to be honest i can't.

00:08:58: I forgot-I've forgotten HOW TO PLAY THIS DATA!

00:09:01: I CAN ONLY WORK WITH DATA.

00:09:03: Excellent excellent.

00:09:05: so um basically how do now children hand in their projects?

00:09:13: What are they producing?

00:09:16: We will definitely link to the website.

00:09:18: I think there are great examples as a gallery page, but maybe you can describe what do you get?

00:09:27: As a feedback for two children basically submit.

00:09:30: so they're

00:09:31: three categories cracked painting and digital.

00:09:40: The most popular is painting when draw all the visuals.

00:09:49: But these visuals also, many of them are based on data and we received even video recording.

00:09:59: when a young boy shows his paper table about football statistics He builds an infographic and really each stripe, each color explains data.

00:10:25: And I'm happy that he makes it manually and engages his creativity and inspiration.

00:10:34: so some of them make research.

00:10:37: for example nine years old girl asked her classmates what is the happiness for them and ask to rank their happiness level from one to ten.

00:10:54: And reasons why they evaluate such levels, how it depends... She's got like academic research of for happiness level distribution genders gender distribution age purposes and created well illustrated report.

00:11:26: Much better than adults.

00:11:30: excellent.

00:11:31: so yeah, so children draw children use digital tools, software or whatever and crafting I also found quite interesting.

00:11:43: So they are stacking Legos or gummy bears toys.

00:11:51: so i think that's very creative overall.

00:11:55: did you hear maybe some feedback from the parents?

00:12:00: It sounds like it is a playful way but if we describe There's a lot in it, meaning maybe some research even how to get the data and then think about okay.

00:12:11: How can I visualize that?

00:12:12: And be creative actually doing like drawing or building something?

00:12:18: Did you get any feedback from perhaps parents on this project influence children?

00:12:26: Talking with my parents I discovered our social impact Because it's not only about teaching.

00:12:36: It is also about spending meaningful time together.

00:12:46: at the same time, they are playing but sharing their professional values and teaching keys.

00:12:54: But this isn't an academic assignment that you should solve.

00:13:00: these tasks do together and they haven't far.

00:13:06: We started to be honest, we start it as a promo event but business events failed.

00:13:15: sales conversion is low because we don't use marketing best practices selling points on all the marketing stuff.

00:13:29: We make it from our hearts like intention.

00:13:33: And, uh... It's really non-perfect project.

00:13:36: but I feel this social impact and i feels that we are doing the right thing.

00:13:42: Cool very good.

00:13:44: so um from maybe first tell us how it works?

00:13:49: So can everyone participate is free.

00:13:53: do children have to pay or parents may be for their pay to participate.

00:13:58: So how does it work?

00:14:00: It's totally free, everyone can participate.

00:14:05: so technically parents submit application but we trust that this project is made by child.

00:14:20: of course parents may help anyway.

00:14:27: There is no price fund.

00:14:31: They attend webinars, prepare some training assignments if they want and finally work on their project and submit this application.

00:14:46: We invited about fifty recognize professions in the field of data analytics and infographics.

00:14:55: And they judge all these projects, provide feedback... Tomorrow we will look at a shortlist called The Names Of Winners.

00:15:10: Okay excellent!

00:15:11: So tomorrow it'll be May ninth because this podcast is published later.

00:15:18: But do you plan another award?

00:15:20: Is there something coming up this year, maybe.

00:15:23: Maybe next year we will find sponsors or collaboration with technical brands for example because it takes a lot of efforts to run these activities and still non-profit activity.

00:15:44: collaborate and find sponsors, continue to make this event annual.

00:15:51: Excellent!

00:15:52: Very good... You are a long-time expert in data visualization, dashboarding etc.

00:16:02: Did you find anything now with working with the kids?

00:16:06: And seeing what they produce?

00:16:08: is there something to be learned for let's say grownups When they visualize data, did you see anything there that you say hey this is actually a good approach or something that also grown-ups should consider?

00:16:24: I'd say of course.

00:16:27: There's no serious frameworks that can adapt to business projects.

00:16:37: for me it's different things Common ideas like data physicalization.

00:16:46: Okay, but now working with data We need to do it so fast and use AI tools And we don't have time for playing.

00:17:00: It's not about operating is about Deep deep thinking and finding insights.

00:17:08: For me its different topics But Sometimes, I understand that we should find time for playing with data and building something not to solve a problem or achieve KPI.

00:17:27: And they have some sort of professional deformation because... ...I need the reason to analyze data!

00:17:35: And i forgot how do it?

00:17:37: for fun but.. ..i did this ten years ago.

00:17:41: So I have this gap of playing and any many data at least forgot how to play.

00:17:50: Yeah, that makes sense!

00:17:52: That leads me another question now... How do you see the state for data visualization?

00:18:01: How advanced is it?

00:18:03: can we expect?

00:18:05: maybe Do less thinking ourselves about visualization because AI will support this or come up with good ideas.

00:18:14: How far do you see the whole, especially gen AI space?

00:18:18: Or also let's say commercial vendors in BI and visualization?

00:18:24: how advanced to see that the whole space

00:18:28: can correctly visualize data tools specially cloth.

00:18:34: they started to feel what is the correct visualization and they don't follow formal rules.

00:18:45: They like chart chooser, this is a bar chart as a line chart And I know that they will feel better how to visualize.

00:18:57: but they still don't fill their insights and business reasons, this is still a space for humans.

00:19:07: To find these insights how to engage people make actions based on those insights.

00:19:17: so we have data, visuals, insights & actions.

00:19:23: My profession now is more about communication with people.

00:19:28: first ten years in this profession, I spent talking to data.

00:19:34: But my second decade and talk into people and find arguments and inspiration how to make these decisions not get into analysis paralysis.

00:19:57: Alex, thanks so much for giving us a bit of insight into your kids project.

00:20:02: I wanted to end this with the question what was the most funny visual you got or maybe the most impressive one?

00:20:12: What really stuck with you as being super interesting?

00:20:18: One my favorite data physical object school grades.

00:20:29: each branch was a specific school subject.

00:20:33: So it was unexpected.

00:20:37: I never imagined that we can display rates as the tree in general, um i was surprised with food visuals.

00:20:51: yeah

00:20:53: We can use so many food and this is a good metaphor as a taste of data.

00:21:02: A Taste Of Data, that's great ending!

00:21:04: Thanks so much Alex.

00:21:05: I wish you all the best with his project.

00:21:07: Thank You for this non-profit And i think really interesting educational projects.

00:21:15: Hope to see you soon.

00:21:16: Bye bye.