# The Social Construction of Visualizations: Practitioner Challenges and Experiences of Visualizing Race and Gender Demographic Data

arXiv: https://arxiv.org/abs/2502.09048 · HTML: https://mlsanity.com/paper/2502.09048/

## Key facts

- Cited by 1 papers in the map (data through 14 Oct 2026).
- First posted on arXiv 13 Feb 2025.

## Built on by (most cited first, 1 of 1)

- ["I Hadn't Thought About That": Creators of Human-like AI Weigh in on Ethics And Neurodivergence](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2506.12098/) (2025)

## Abstract (arXiv)

Data visualizations are increasingly seen as socially constructed, with several recent studies positing that perceptions and interpretations of visualization artifacts are shaped through complex sets of interactions between members of a community. However, most of these works have focused on audiences and researchers, and little is known about if and how practitioners account for the socially constructed framing of data visualization. In this paper, we study and analyze how visualization practitioners understand the influence of their beliefs, values, and biases in their design processes and the challenges they experience. In 17 semi-structured interviews with designers working with race and gender demographic data, we find that a complex mix of factors interact to inform how practitioners approach their design process, including their personal experiences, values, and their understandings of power, neutrality, and politics. Based on our findings, we suggest a series of implications for research and practice in this space.