Post by David Morales de los Reyes

Yesterday at Amsterdam Data Design Den, I was inspired by the talks on data visualization. Even if is not specifically my field, I found many connections with Product & Service Design, especially in how we deal with complexity, structure messy insights, and bring narrative into data. Here are some of my takeaways: Nadieh Bremer (Visual Cinnamon) Some speakers captivate you immediately. Her passion, process, and visuals were incredible, and her points resonated deeply with my own design practice: • Narrative in data → She showed how patterns and clusters only become meaningful when framed in a story. Which really connect with UX research: group insights, find patterns and themes, and then shape them into a story stakeholders can relate to. • Play, iterate, experiment → Nadieh shared how many messy drafts she makes before reaching the final result. It was a good reminder for me to give space to exploration instead of expecting the first idea to “work.” • Iterative feedback → Her process is never linear, and that resonated deeply. In product design too, sharing early and refining along the way is the only way to reach clarity. Be mind blown by Nadieh’s work: https://lnkd.in/enxiHdbd ⸻ Jeroen Krul (Clarify) Jeroen explained how they turn complex data into accessible and engaging through storytelling which is something us UX/Product/Service designers need to deal with constantly. • Visual storytelling as strategy → Jeroen framed design as more than aesthetics: it’s a way to align stakeholders, simplify tough decisions, and build a shared understanding. I see this every time I use a blueprint or ecosystem map when visuals help people get on the same page much faster. • Clarity over perfection → He reminded us to focus on structure and simplicity first, rather than getting lost in polish. That resonates with me as I often have to balance limited time and resources. The goal is to make things work and communicate value, then refine if it truly adds impact. An inspiring Clarify project: https://lnkd.in/euKj3Brr ⸻ Throughout my career I’ve met people who completely blew my mind with the way they mapped ideas. I still remember a presentation of research for NS in the Netherlands, where services and pain points were mapped so clearly it changed how I saw the project. Or Adil Mhira when he shared with me some of his own work on mapping systems and services, which inspired me even more. Now, in my own practice, I see the same effect: whether it’s a user flow, ecosystem map, or service blueprint, these kinds of visualizations can quickly bring clarity and shared understanding to complex problems. Whether through dataviz or service blueprints, our mission is the same: to turn complexity into clarity and craft stories that resonate, inspire, and drive action. Thanks Piero Zagami & Arjen Groeneveld for organizing this!