3rd Swiss Viz Awards

Celebrating Excellence in Data Visualization in Switzerland

Visualization plays a pivotal role in the data journey.

It imparts knowledge and understanding, influences perception, guides decisions – and sparks inspiration.

Strengthening the discipline of data visualization is essential on two fronts:

1.
Fostering a diverse and vibrant community, including industry professionals, renowned experts, and students.

2.
Raising public awareness of the value of visualization across a wide range of fields.

In collaboration with the Data Innovation Alliance, the Swiss Viz Awards bring together data enthusiasts who are passionate about how data is represented and experienced visually.
These awards not only recognize exceptional works and authors each year – they also help promote the discipline to a broader audience.

Categories – What kind of work can be submitted?

We accept submissions created in or related to Switzerland and published in 2024 or Q1 2025. You can submit in one of the following categories:

Public Lens

Visualizations designed for broad public engagement. These works are accessible, compelling, and created to inform or inspire a general audience. They address societal, cultural, or global themes, and are often found in newsrooms, advocacy work, or open data storytelling.

Operational Insight

Visualizations created within institutions, organizations, or companies to support decision-making, operations, or internal storytelling. These can take the form of dashboards, strategic visuals, data tools, or web applications, and are typically tailored to a specific business, governmental or institutional context.

Experimental & Avant-Garde

Bold, unconventional, or artistic visualizations that push the boundaries of form, technique, or concept. These works may explore new mediums, blend disciplines, or challenge what data visualization can be – from aesthetics to interactivity.

Special Note for Students

We strongly encourage students to participate!
Student work published in 2024 or the first half of 2025 (until the end of the spring semester) is eligible.
Please check the “Student Work” box in the submission form.

How does it work?

Visualizations can take any form:

  • Printed/static

  • Animated (short films)

  • Interactive or web-based

  • On- or offline formats

Participants are responsible for providing access to their work (e.g. links, uploaded files) so that jury members can view and evaluate it in its intended form. All submissions are kept confidential and shared only with the jury.

If selected, the organizing team will collaborate with you to anonymize sensitive data or organizational references before any public sharing.

Both individuals and teams are welcome to submit!

Important Dates

August 18, 2025 – Call for Submissions opens

September 30, 2025 – Submission deadline

November 21, 2025 – Award Ceremony at The Circle, Zurich

Recognition & Visibility

Winners in each category (assuming a sufficient number of submissions) will receive an official Swiss Viz Award and be featured across Data Innovation Alliance communication channels:

Website, LinkedIn, and post-event publications.

Submission Requirements

Make sure your submission includes:

  • Selected category

  • Short goal/purpose of the visualization

  • Defined target audience

  • Publication date

  • List of author(s)

  • Contact person

  • Optional: Mark as “Student Work” or “Confidential”

  • Link or PDF/file of the work

Ready to Join?

Bring your visualization to the spotlight!
Submit between August 18 and September 30, 2025 – and be part of the Swiss data visualization community.

The Jury

The full jury lineup includes experts from academia, government, journalism,
and design:

Prof. Dr. Martin Eppler
University of St. Gallen, communications & knowledge visualization

Martin J. Eppler is a professor of communications management at the University of St. Gallen and director of the MCM Institute. His teaching and research focus on knowledge visualization, visual literacy, and data fluency. He has published more than 20 books and over 250 scientific articles, including “How to Talk About Data” (Financial Times Press). His work emphasizes the power of clear and insightful visual communication in professional contexts.

Nicolas Ruetschi
Swiss Federal Statistical Office, visual dissemination of public data

As Deputy Head of Publishing and Dissemination and Co-Head of the Data Visualisation Team at the Swiss Federal Statistical Office, Nicolas Ruetschi plays a key role in modernizing how public data is shared. His focus lies on automating and harmonizing the visual dissemination of statistics to ensure they are accessible, accurate, and useful for public understanding and decision-making.

Anne Wegmann
SBB, product owner for opentransportdata.swiss

Anne Wegmann manages opentransportdata.swiss, Switzerland’s open data platform for mobility, under mandate from the Federal Office of Transport. With a background in geographic information science and visual communication, she advocates for open access to transport data and the power of visualization to turn complex mobility information into actionable insights for all.

Joana Kelén
Neue Zürcher Zeitung, visual journalist and data storyteller

Joana Kelén works at NZZ’s Visuals team, where she focuses on infographics, illustration, data visualization, and UX design. Her projects aim to make complex topics understandable through clear and engaging visual storytelling. She brings strong narrative thinking and thoughtful design to each piece, helping audiences navigate data-rich content with ease and clarity.

Jan Wächter
Interactive Things, interaction and data visualization designer

Jan Wächter leads the design of data-driven applications and visualizations at Interactive Things. He combines data expertise with human-centered design to build tools and narratives that help users explore and understand complex information. His work spans various sectors and always puts usability and clarity at the forefront of innovation.

Nicole Lachenmeier
Superdot Studio: Co-Founder, Design Lead

As Lead Designer, Nicole shapes visual strategies and design systems that transform complex data into accessible knowledge. Her work bridges design, data, and communication – often beyond conventional chart forms. She is co-author of Visualizing Complexity and teaches information design at various universities. Through initiatives like On Data and Design, she promotes interdisciplinary exchange between design, research, and data practice.

Sebastian Baumhauer
Principal Consultant, D ONE

Sebastian Baumhauer helps organizations build modern data analytics and AI ecosystems. He focuses on empowering business functions to do more with data, promoting decentralization concepts such as self-service analytics, while integrating AI capabilities. Advising on and teaching efficient data visualization is not just a core component of this work, but also hie passion. He stands for no-frills, concise data visualization that communicates insights clearly and efficiently in business contexts.

Sebastian Broschinski
Interaction Designer, Tamedia

Sebastian Broschinski is an experienced information designer at Tamedia, specializing in cartographic and interactive visual storytelling. He previously led the infographic department and served as deputy art director. His award-winning work (Swiss Viz Award, Swiss Press Award) brings together design precision and journalistic depth. He studied at Hochschule Anhalt Dessau and ZHdK.

Marina Bräm
Founder/Director viz. bybraem

Marina has been running her own studio, viz. by braem, since 2020. Together with clients and experts, she develops data- and fact-based information and design concepts - both analog and digital. The aim is to con-vey complex content in an understandable and high-quality way. She previously worked as Digital Design Director and Head of Infographics at Tamedia AG. From 2013 to 2015, she built up the area of large infogra- phics at NZZ am Sonntag.

As a lecturer, she teaches at various universities, including ETH Zurich, HSLU and ZHDK.

Charlotte Cabane

Managing Consultant, D ONE
and Guest professor University of Lucerne

Charlotte graduated with a Ph.D. in economics from University Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne in 2011 and she also holds a master's degree in economics from Paris School of Economics. Afterwards she served as a postdoctoral researcher and then assistant professor at the University of St. Gallen, Switzerland. Her areas of expertise are data visualization and analytics. She is leading the Swiss Viz Award since 2023.

The jury is mentored by
Christian Erni
Head of Data Experience and Management Board Member at D ONE.

Christian is a pioneer of new media communication and has a vast experience at the intersection of information and design. Before joining D ONE, he was Creative Director at international agencies and lecturer for visual design at ZHdK. Christian presides 16 years the Best of Swiss Web (Creation Jury) and was juror at the New York Festivals and Eurobest. Christian is the D ONE communication director and is heading its data experience practice.


Impressions from last year