An expert in data viz field guide
A DVS Pathway Guide for Senior Professionals
This page is designed for established practitioners interested in industry leadership, mentorship, and community governance. We have outlined the DVS pathways to share your expertise and support the growth of the data visualization field.
Mentorship
Share what you have learned over the years with the next generation of practitioners. Mentorship at DVS takes two complementary forms: one-to-one coaching through the Mentorship Scheme, and community leadership through our Special Interest and Affiliated Groups.
Volunteer as a Mentor (DVS Mentorship Scheme) ▾
What does it mean to be a mentor? Being a DVS mentor means guiding the next generation of practitioners through 3-month cohorts. As a mentor, you support data visualization learning and help mentees navigate their career options.
Any experienced data visualization practitioner (5 or more years doing data visualization) can apply to be a mentor. You do not have to be a DVS Member.
Benefits
- Refine your leadership and coaching skills
- Gain fresh perspectives
- Build a lasting professional legacy
Criteria
- Have at least 5 years of professional experience in data visualization or a related field
- Commit to a minimum of 6 meetings with your mentee during the cohort cycle
Lead a DVS Special Interest Group or DVS Affiliated Group ▾
At DVS, one of the ways we nurture, celebrate and advance the data visualization community is through our DVS Affiliated Groups initiative. These groups plan, organize and host events for members to connect and collaborate through shared geographic locations or interests.
What does it mean to be a Group Leader? You act as the primary facilitator for local networking whether you are leading a Special Interest Group (SIG) focused on a specific domain (e.g., Geospatial, BI, or Healthcare) or an Affiliated Group based on a geographic location.
Benefits
- Establish yourself as a domain authority
- Direct the community roadmap
- Exclusive networking
Criteria
- Proven expertise or a strong professional interest in the group’s specific focus area
- Availability to organize or facilitate at least 2–3 community touchpoints (events, Slack discussions, or newsletters) per year
- Strong organizational and communication skills to manage member engagement
Speaking & Thought Leadership
This section outlines ways to share your knowledge with the wider data visualization community, including speaking at events, writing for publications, presenting at conferences, and using the DVS Job Board to hire.
DVS Call for Speakers ▾
To address a key need for Affliated group organizers, we want to help connect organizers with speakers to present at their events.
What does it mean to sign up as a speaker? When you sign up as a speaker, you are added to a list available to Group Organizers. Organizers may contact you with speaking opportunities using the information you provide.
Benefits
- Amplify your voice in the data viz community: By signing up as a speaker, you can share your story or work directly with a community of data viz practitioners.
- Grow your network: With a community of over 20K diverse and engaging members who share a common passion for data viz, the opportunities for networking are vast. Connect with members across various geographic locations, areas of interests and experience levels.
- Support learning and growth within the data visualization community: Group organizers are often serving as volunteers, bringing together members of the data visualization community in their locale. By sharing your data visualization wisdom, you can inspire and help grow our data visualization community.
Criteria
- Be a DVS member at any membership level, including the free tier.
- Be available in-person or virtually to present on topics related to data visualization.
- Have experience and/or knowledge in data viz.
Speak at Outlier 2027 ▾
What does it mean to speak at Outlier? Outlier is the DVS flagship global conference. Speaking at Outlier means presenting your work, research, or methodology to an international audience of thousands of practitioners. While applications for the 2026 conference have closed, we encourage professionals to think about their 2027 proposals.
Benefits
- Global visibility: Your session will be promoted to the entire DVS global network and archived as a professional resource.
- Peer-level feedback: Engage with other expert-level speakers and attendees who can provide high-level critiques of your work.
- Portfolio distinction: Inclusion in the Outlier speaker lineup is a significant credential for independent consultants and agency leads.
Criteria
- Proposals for 2027 typically open in early Q1 2027.
- We seek “beyond-the-basics” content: unique case studies, novel technical implementations, or deep dives into the ethics and future of the field.
Write for Nightingale (Print & Digital) ▾
What does it mean to write for Nightingale? Nightingale is the official journal of the Data Visualization Society. Writing for Nightingale involves publishing articles that contribute to the permanent body of knowledge in our field.
Benefits
- Build your professional authority
- Broad reach: Your work is shared with over 20k members and the wider design and tech communities.
- Contribute to the “Visual Record”: Help document the history, philosophy, and evolving craft of information design.
Criteria
- Original content that hasn’t been published elsewhere.
- Submission of a structured pitch or a full draft following the Nightingale style guide.
Contribute to the DVS Job Board ▾
Are you hiring?
What does it mean to use the Job Board? As a professional-level member, you are often in a position to build teams and shape roles. Using the DVS Job Board means reaching a vetted, highly skilled pool of dedicated visualization practitioners.
Benefits
- Targeted recruitment: Connect with applicants who are already invested in the DVS community and up-to-date on industry standards.
Criteria
- Ensure your job descriptions clearly outline the specific data visualization skills required.
- Open to any professional, lead, or director-level hiring manager.