The Olympics: Rise of the Underdogs

OVERVIEW

Drawing on Tableau's Iron Viz format, Deloitte Viz Games is a global data visualization competition, where participants have the opportunity to craft a data visualization based on that year's theme. The winner is selected by a judging panel with topic specialists and data gurus based on 3 criterion: design, storytelling, and analysis.

In 2024, the theme was the Olympics. Our team wanted to tell the narrative of the Olympic underdogs based on the gold medal rankings and a country's GDP and population. On this project, I worked on the overall design and copywriting, while working collaboratively with the data engineer and Tableau developer to ensure feasibility constrained to data availability and the functional limitations of Tableau. Among 38 countries, 419 teams and 603 participants, this dashboard landed us in the finals for Deloitte Viz Games 2024.

Role

Data Visualization, Dashboard Design, Research

Timeline

Feb 2024 - Mar 2024 (3 weeks)

Team

1 product designer (me)
1 data engineer
1 Tableau developer

Tools

Figma, Miro, Tableau

With this dashboard design, I wanted to capture the spirit of the Olympic Games while shining a light on the inspiring stories of underdog athletes who defied the odds. By incorporating dynamic data visualizations, users can easily connect with the stories behind the statistics. This design was not only meant to inform but inspire viewers, making it a powerful tool for analyzing the Olympics.

Approach

Brainstorming Topics

Mapping the data journey

Moodboard

At the time, I was really inspired by Wes Anderson's use of color in his films, particularly how he uses it to shape his stories. Even when dealing with darker themes, his vibrant palettes and visual style bring a sense of whimsy and lightness, creating a unique contrast that makes the narrative feel both deep and accessible. This inspired me to explore how visual elements can affect storytelling, using colour to evoke specific emotions while balancing complex topics with a more playful aesthetic.

This was my second year competing in Deloitte's Viz Games, and although the experience was time-consuming and at times stressful, it was incredibly mentally stimulating. Diving deeper into a topic allowed me to understand the nuances of the data and the stories it could tell.

While we didn’t win, the experience itself felt like a victory. I was able to experiment more with colors and be visually creative, integrating Tableau visualizations into the design—like turning a pie chart into a gold medal.

From this project, I learned that sometimes the best stories don’t require overly granular data. You can highlight different aspects of a topic, such as inclusion and diversity, and use different data points to craft a compelling narrative without focusing solely on the details.

The bigger picture matters too!