Say hi to Jonathan!

Hi there, I’m Jonathan! My time at Datawrapper started this winter, and I’ve been with the communications team as a working student. You might have spotted my name on the Data Vis Dispatch, which is now my main contribution. Since interviewing new hires is a comms task, this is probably going to read more like a monologue.

Who am I and what's my background?

I’m currently finishing my bachelor’s degree in product design (industrial design, that is, not software — although I’ve also dabbled in the UI/UX side of things). I was born in Kassel, where I started studying art history and aesthetics for a year, before deciding to do something “real” and pursue design in Potsdam.

I’m now living in Berlin, doing freelance design and photography gigs from time to time, while sinking most of my resources into building loudspeakers and my passion for the outdoors.

How did I end up at Datawrapper?

I’m not yet at a point where I would feel comfortable advertising myself as a designer to companies but I could also not imagine doing some random office job in order to keep the lights on. Since data vis is not too far from design in many ways, joining Datawrapper’s communications team seemed like a good opportunity to work in a creative environment without selling myself out.

What will I do at Datawrapper?

So far, my input has been mostly directed towards social media and the blog: keeping things up to date, coming up with new formats and rethinking old ones, and getting Datawrapper’s Instagram account up to speed. While Vivien, our other comms working student, is away for an internship, her work on our blog’s Data Vis Dispatch is falling into my hands.

How did I get interested in data vis?

Besides product design, UAS Potsdam also teaches interface (UI/UX) and communication design. This has enabled me to lean into all of these directions a bit, leading to a few projects that included data visualization.

When I can find the time for it, I occasionally pursue generative and audiovisual art, and since VJ work could be considered real-time data vis, this might be my most hands-on contact with the wider field.

Any other project I would like to share?

With 307racingteam, I co-founded a local outdoor collective last year, getting people together for regular activities. Through collaboration, design, and photography, it’s a creative outlet for myself and the other members. Ultimately, we are looking to make our own gear, because we want to offer an alternative to the abundance of profit-driven trash that’s out there. Consider joining us sometime!

Welcoming myself at Datawrapper with this blog post is a bit odd, but I’m glad to be here and looking forward to the next months! If you'd like to see more of my work, visit dahledesign.com or my Instagram @jonathan.dahle.