About the Information is Beautiful Awards

Where the Awards Started

The Information is Beautiful (IIB) Awards originated in 2012, led by David McCandless, journalist and data visualizer of Information is Beautiful, in collaboration with Aziz Cami, then Creative Director at Kantar.

For eight years, the IIB Awards celebrated beautiful visualizations from across sectors, developed in various platforms and physical spaces, including data art installations. The Awards also recognize exceptional studios and individual talent, including rising stars and students creating data visualizations. Reading through past winners, data visualization enthusiasts are likely to see many names and organizations whose work they admire.

The IIB Awards program includes three phases for the review and selection of winners:

• Submissions of work for consideration were reviewed and down-selected to a ‘long list’ 

• The long list was judged by a panel of data visualization experts to compile the ‘short list’

• Winners in each category were selected from that short list by a second panel of expert judges, announced and celebrated at a ceremony hosted across the years in either London or New York City. In 2022, the Awards Ceremony will be hosted in Washington D.C. for the first time.

The Awards are judged by a panel of experts and a public vote for the special Community Vote award. Each Awards season is open to creators from across the spectrum of professional domains: rising stars, students, individual practitioners, established studios, media brands, NGOs and more.

All longlisted entrants are featured on the showcase section of the IIB Awards website. All creators shortlisted get a free pair of tickets to the fun and extravagant awards ceremony at the end of the year.

How the Awards Shaped an Industry

When the IIB Awards launched in 2012, there were limited platforms and opportunities to celebrate excellence in data visualization. Every industry has moments that bring together old friends and new practitioners: film has the Oscars, music has the Grammys, and as the field of data visualization grew, expanded, and became increasingly established, the IIB Awards became that moment for data visualization creators.

In addition to the annual Awards Ceremony, one of the greatest contributions the IIB Awards has made in advancing our field is creating a central, searchable showcase of excellence in data visualization design. Data visualization enthusiasts, students, and newcomers are often pointed to the IIB Awards website as a source of inspiration and ideas. Unlike other design competitions, the IIB Awards focus on data visualization excellence created across topics and tech stacks, resulting in a diverse showcase.

At the core of the judging criteria for the long list, short list, and category winners have been six key questions, which founder David McCandless has written about in his many books:

• Is it interesting? Is the idea thought-provoking? Topical? Funny? Good story well told?

• Is it accurate? Consistent data? Reliable research? Clever methodology?

• Is it useful? Does it work well? Good information flow? Does it deepen understanding?

• Is it beautiful? Does design serve subject matter? Is it elegant? Clear? Distinctive?

Plus:

• "Je ne sais quoi": Originality, unexpected twists, creative flair, new angle on old subject

• Red flags: Anything too technical, or succeeds on only one or two dimensions

As a result, the aesthetics and designs of the winning entries represent the incredible range of data visualization practitioners You can browse the rich history of submissions on the IIB Awards Showcase (2012-2022). In addition to cash prizes, trophies and extensive media coverage, previous winners have gone on to gain book deals, art exhibitions, investment for their projects and fancy jobs at hot startups.

The return of the Awards in 2022

The COVID-19 pandemic has affected the events and awards industry in many ways. A number of annual conferences and events were postponed or canceled outright; some will not return in the coming years as organizers shift focus to new priorities. The IIB Awards went on pause for two years (2020-2021), and Malofej announced that they were sunsetting their annual awards for data journalism.

During the DVS State of the Industry panel at Outlier 2022, we welcomed a video address from special guest David McCandless, one of the IIB Awards founders. He shared big news with our community: the Information is Beautiful Awards will return, hosted by the Data Visualization Society.

The IIB Awards have been a beacon of data visualization excellence since their launch, showcasing exceptional work across our field over eight awards seasons. As an organization, DVS seeks to nurture our community, celebrate excellence in data visualization, and advance our industry. The IIB Awards connect back to all three of those core values that underpin our mission as an organization, which is why we’re delighted to be their new home.

DVS is wholly committed to continuing the spirit of celebration of the wide and diverse ways that data is shaped into insights, interactives, and art. As a professional society, we’re following in the footsteps of many other organizations that run awards programs, with the challenges that come with judging creative work, and know that you’ll hold us accountable as the process unfolds.

If you’re interested in getting involved, learn more about how you can become a sponsor or how you can submit your work. You’re always welcome to share your feedback and thoughts with us by contacting us.