Never before have so much data and information been available as they are today. The ability to understand this data, extract value from it, and communicate it effectively will be of crucial importance in the coming years.
In this session, Professor Kay Schröder introduces the fundamental aspects of information visualization and demonstrates how we can use these principles to make data clear and comprehensible. He addresses the influence of cognitive perception on interpretation and explores how we can leverage these insights to keep pace with increasingly complex content.
This presentation examines the intersection between human perception and data representation, offering practical approaches to transform overwhelming information into meaningful insights. By understanding the psychological foundations of how we process visual information, participants will gain valuable tools for creating more effective and intuitive data visualizations in their professional work.

Last week, I had the incredible opportunity to deliver a lightning talk at the Royal Theater during this year's Cultura Nova Festival. The topic of my talk was "Generative AI in Art," and I was truly inspired by the program and the other presentations.

What stood out the most for me was the societal relevance of the discussions. The Philharmonie Zuid Nederland, for instance, showcased their project "uncertain Four Seasons," which employed generative AI to reinterpret Vivaldi's classics in the context of future climate models. It was a remarkable fusion of art and science, highlighting the power of AI in shaping our creative expressions and responses to critical issues.

I was equally captivated by the work of the Belgian art collective, Playfield, which utilizes machine learning to stimulate participation in societal debates. Their innovative approach underscores how AI can be a catalyst for engagement and dialogue in contemporary society.

The Cultura Nova Festival provided a fascinating glimpse into the intersection of AI and the arts, and I'm excited to see how these ideas continue to evolve. Kudos to all the brilliant minds behind these projects!

I was honored to deliver a keynote presentation at this year's "User Experience of Data - Visualizing Data for Actionable Insights" conference at the Generali Campus. The event featured a comprehensive evening program with distinguished speakers including René Stoffels-Fuchs, Ji-seung Shin, Nicole Reinhold, and other industry experts.
Using data is like following a treasure map. You follow it wherever it leads to find the X and dig up the treasure hidden below the surface. This special event represented a collaborative effort between the Aachen Usability Meetup and the Aachen Data & AI Meetup, focusing on human-data interaction in spatial contexts. Together with three additional experts from the field, we presented diverse perspectives on uncovering the wealth of information buried within data.
The evening program explored several crucial topics:

-Standards in Data Presentation
-Real-time Insights with Animated Visualizations
-Understanding Your Customer with Data Storytelling
-Immersive Analytics - Visualization Beyond Two-Dimensional Displays
-Battle of the Viz – Which Solutions Work Best for Different Use Cases?

This cross-disciplinary approach highlighted the importance of thoughtful data visualization in transforming raw information into actionable insights across various industries and applications.