# Identifying Framing Practices in Visualization Design Through Practitioner Reflections

arXiv: https://arxiv.org/abs/2508.20383 · HTML: https://mlsanity.com/paper/2508.20383/

## Key facts

- Cited by 1 papers in the map (data through 14 Oct 2026).
- First posted on arXiv 28 Aug 2025.

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

- [More Human or More AI? Visualizing Human-AI Collaboration Disclosures in Journalistic News Production](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2601.11072/) (2026)

## Abstract (arXiv)

Framing -- how designers define and reinterpret problems, shape narratives, and guide audience understanding -- is central to design practice. Yet in visualization research, framing has been examined mostly through its rhetorical and perceptual effects on audiences, leaving its role in the design process underexplored. This study addresses that gap by analyzing publicly available podcasts and book chapters in which over 80 professional visualization designers reflect on their work. We find that framing is a pervasive, iterative activity, evident in scoping problems, interpreting data, aligning with stakeholder goals, and shaping narrative direction. Our analysis identifies the conditions that trigger reframing and the strategies practitioners use to navigate uncertainty and guide design. These findings position framing as a core dimension of visualization practice and underscore the need for research and education to support the interpretive and strategic judgment that practitioners exercise throughout the design process.