Research themes

Accessible Data Analysis

We partner with blind collaborators and study participants to co-design novel interfaces for non-visual data exploration.

Projects

• Umwelt: accessible editor for representing data with visuals, text, and sound
• Olli: toolkit for converting visualizations into keyboard-navigable textual descriptions

Publications

• 2024. Umwelt: Accessible Structured Editing of Multi-Modal Data Representations. Jonathan Zong, Isabella Pedraza Pineros, Katie Chen, Daniel Hajas, Arvind Satyanarayan. ACM CHI.
• 2024. “Customization is Key”: Reconfigurable Content Tokens for Accessible Data Visualizations. Shuli Jones, Isabella Pedraza Pineros, Daniel Hajas, Jonathan Zong, Arvind Satyanarayan. ACM CHI.
• 2022. Olli: An Extensible Visualization Library for Screen Reader Accessibility. Matt Blanco, Jonathan Zong, Arvind Satyanarayan. IEEE VIS Posters.
• 2022. Rich Screen Reader Experiences for Accessible Data Visualization. Jonathan Zong*, Crystal Lee*, Alan Lundgard*, JiWoong Jang, Daniel Hajas, Arvind Satyanarayan. EuroVis. Best Paper Honorable Mention

Interactive Visualization Tools

We design abstractions and interfaces that help users rapidly conduct data exploration using a broad set of spatial and temporal visualization techniques.

Projects

• Animated Vega-Lite: authoring interactive and animated visualizations with unified abstractions

Publications

• 2024. Umwelt: Accessible Structured Editing of Multi-Modal Data Representations. Jonathan Zong, Isabella Pedraza Pineros, Katie Chen, Daniel Hajas, Arvind Satyanarayan. ACM CHI.
• 2023. Animated Vega-Lite: Unifying Animation with a Grammar of Interactive Graphics. Jonathan Zong*, Josh Pollock*, Dylan Wootton, Arvind Satyanarayan. IEEE VIS.
• 2021. Design Spaces of Domain-Specific Languages: Comparing and Contrasting Approaches in PL and HCI. Jonathan Zong*, Josh Pollock*, Dylan Wootton, Arvind Satyanarayan. PLATEAU.
• 2021. Lyra 2: Designing Interactive Visualizations by Demonstration. Jonathan Zong, Dhiraj Barnwal, Rupayan Neogy, Arvind Satyanarayan. IEEE VIS.
• 2020. Representing Real-Time Multi-User Collaboration in Visualizations. Rupayan Neogy, Jonathan Zong, Arvind Satyanarayan. IEEE VIS.

Data Refusal as Design

We develop software and frameworks to support designers and activists in refusing large-scale data collection by powerful actors.

Projects

• Bartleby: software for social media researchers to automate opt-out procedures

Publications

• 2024. Beyond Dark Patterns: A Concept-Based Framework for Ethical Software Design. Evan Caragay, Katherine Xiong, Jonathan Zong, Daniel Jackson. ACM CHI.
• 2024. Data Refusal from Below: A Framework for Understanding, Evaluating, and Envisioning Refusal as Design. Jonathan Zong, J. Nathan Matias. ACM Journal on Responsible Computing.
• 2022. Bartleby: Procedural and Substantive Ethics in the Design of Research Ethics Systems. Jonathan Zong, J. Nathan Matias. Social Media + Society.
• 2022. Consent: A Research and Design Lens for Human-Computer Interaction. Douglas Zytko, Jane Im, Jonathan Zong. ACM CSCW Workshops.
• 2020. From Individual Consent to Collective Refusal. Jonathan Zong. ACM XRDS.
• 2018. Automated Debriefing: Interface for Large-Scale Research Ethics. Jonathan Zong, J. Nathan Matias. ACM CSCW Demos. Best Demo Award

Embodiment and Visibility

We explore how the body works as a contested site of control, where people act on and are acted upon by data.

Projects

• Biometric Sans: typography system that stretches letterforms according to an individual's typing speed

Publications

• 2022. Pointing, Mutual Intelligibility, and the Seeing Subject in HCI. Jonathan Zong. Interface Critique.
• 2021. Form, Content, Data, Bodies: Jonathan Zong and Beth Semel on Biometric Sans. Jonathan Zong*, Beth Semel*. Somatosphere.
• 2021. Holly Herndon in conversation with Tabea Nixdorff and Jonathan Zong. Holly Herndon, Tabea Nixdorff, Jonathan Zong, Angie Keefer. Version Space.
• 2019. Unruly Cyborgs: The Relational Set Designs of Isamu Noguchi. Jonathan Zong. Liminalities.

Exhibitions

• 2023. Surveillance: From Vision to Data. Collection of Historical Scientific Instruments, Harvard University.
• 2020. WRECKED ALPHABET. Marcel Broodthaers Society of America.
• 2020. BODY TEXT. Wiesner Gallery, MIT.
• 2018. w-t-f. Lucas Gallery, Princeton University.