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Three Questions with… Poon Lee

Poon Lee is an information designer based in Bangkok, with a design style best described as “vintage East Asian craft, retro-futurism, and nostalgic reminiscence.” He is passionate about visualizing data in a craft style and loves to explore new techniques in telling a visual story. In 2022 his work questioning and analyzing the motto for the Thai national Children’s Day, visualized in an answer sheet format, was long-listed for the IIB awards. Recently, he contributed to Market Cafe Magazine. In the future, he desires to work in the information graphic department of an international media outlet or an information design studio. He loves living abroad, exploring the world, and roaming around old town that bring him new inspiration. 

Explore his work on Instagram or Twitter.

  1. If you could be any type of chart, what would you be and why?

I think I would be a timeline. When I was in elementary school, I was fascinated whenever I opened National Geographic and saw the beautiful timelines folded in the magazine. What you were obsessed with when you were young will influence your work today. Plus, I love reading history books and collecting vintage stuff, so that’s why I think I am a timeline. 


2. You are stuck on a desert island, and the only thing to do is collect and visualize data. What would you create and what would you use to make it?

I would create a “route map,” collecting my geographical data from a start point to an end point. On a desert island, signs and Google Maps don’t exist; only a physical map and the North Star will help. 


3. What’s one topic you would love to visualize but have not yet had the chance to?

I have worked on so many topics in data journalism, so I want to try something new. I haven’t had a chance to explore much about myself. I turned 27 this year, which can be calculated as saying I have lived more than 10,000 days on Earth now. I would love to visualize my personal stories on various topics through graphs, charts, and diagrams.     

Besides that, designing a data physicalization for an exhibition and applying graphs and charts for product design are interesting to me. Perhaps, in the future.

Nightingale Editors

Our Nightingale editorial team currently consists of Alejandra Arevalo, William Careri, Jason Forrest, Elijah Meeks, and Teo Popescu. Reach us at Nightingale(at)Datavisualizationsociety.org