As an evaluator with extensive experience in exhibition evaluation, I’m passionate about the intersection of evaluation and experience design. Recently, I spoke with Brenda Cowan, Professor at the Fashion Institute of Technology (FIT), about this topic. Over the past two decades, Brenda has played a key role in shaping and growing FIT’s Exhibition and Experience Design Masters program, consistently emphasizing the importance of evaluation in training future designers. We discussed why she believes it’s crucial for emerging designers to understand how evaluation happens and how it supports their work. Enjoy these highlights from our conversation!

About 10 years ago, I stood in front of my first-ever class, a newly minted teacher. I was nervous: I was still a graduate student. What did I know about teaching? As the class began, I calmed my nerves by wielding one of the few tools I had in my back pocket: an icebreaker question. “Would you rather battle a lion or fight a shark?” The students laughed; they each answered, showing a bit of their personality with each response. My nerves began to settle, and I thought, “Oh, yeah, I forgot. My students and I create this space of dialogue together, and we can use questions to build connections.” As I grew as an educator over the next couple of years, I loved facilitating learning. I was surprised at how much I enjoyed the role of facilitator—I liked (as the cool kids might say) “holding space” for inquiry, critique, and dialogue. So, I went on to explore other facilitation roles; I served as a writing tutor, and I trained to become a museum docent.

Responding to uncertainty and loss with resilience and imagination isn’t easy. But we believe it’s essential to thrive in our current world. This month, we spotlight three resources that describe how museums are rethinking “business as usual.”

There are so many ways to tell a visual story with quantitative data. We’ve all come across data visualizations that communicate information in a clear and compelling way (for example, this amazing data story in the New York Times). But, I’m sure you’ve also encountered visualizations that leave you scratching your head, wondering what you are looking at and what you are supposed to be taking away. It can feel overwhelming to know where to start with making or improving your own visualizations.

Never fear! I want to share a few simple tips to keep top of mind when you are creating your next data visualization.