Hey! 👋
Welcome to Kawan—our vibrant community of data heads and storytellers. We’re all about improving data literacy and sharing nuanced stories about Asia. Come hang!
Rethinking design beyond the algorithm— issue #69
With AI and data analytics offering personalised experiences, it seems technology is now a few steps ahead of us. Machines are anticipating our needs and making people feel seen. Yet it cannot replace what makes us human. Can we design with this in mind?
Simulating what it feels to be a Kpop fan
Our latest story The Physical Phenomenon explores why physical albums remain so popular in the K-pop industry despite the rise of digital streaming. This behind-the-scenes looks at the motivations behind the writing, illustration style, and data visualisations created for the piece.
Meet the Community! Jack Zhao, data visualisation specialist
Jack Zhao is a data visualisation specialist, co-founder and one of the directors of Small Multiples, Australia’s leading data…
Tips on staying sharp as a developer
Programming is not a stagnant discipline. Being a developer—in my case, a full-stack developer—means you’re always learning to keep up with…
Humans of Kontinentalist: Zenn Wong
Given our mutual enthusiasm in maps, Konti has seen our share of geography interns. Zenn shares what else an internship with us can offer.
Humans of Kontinentalist: Jasen
Back in August, we caught up with Jasen, our former editorial and development intern who called us from the other side of the world in the…
Localising climate change — issue #26
It was 2017, and I had just landed in Singapore after five years living in the United States. The thick afternoon air embraced me, then tried to squeeze the very life out of me. Welcome home, indeed. It took me months to get used to the tropics, but a thought
Where to begin? My guide to pitching a data story
I’ll be honest — three years in the field of storytelling/journalism has not made me much more confident about pitching stories than when…
Applying print principles to data visualization design
How can data viz design benefit from design theories like the Gestalt principles?
Meet the Community! Jane Zhang, data viz designer and e-commerce strategist
Jane Zhang is an independent data visualization designer based in Toronto. She’s made a name for herself with her recognisable static…
The might of small things — issue #25
When I was reading history many years ago, microhistories were one of my favourite topics. I love understanding how small things, like folklore and fairytales, reveal a lot about our past. Eventually, I wrote my Honours thesis on Singapore's national day stamps. I got a lot of laughs
Kontinentalist: Insights from user research and translating it into our new website
One fine day in mid-2019, a little more than a year after Kontinentalist first launched, some of us sat down to discuss what was in store…
Kontinentalist: Navigating our new editorial vision
Last week, Pei Ying shared how we’ve rebranded from a map-driven studio to a data-driven storytelling studio… with a fresh new look to…
Introducing the new Kontinentalist!
Hey! You've been part of our story ever since you first laid eyes on our stories—and we wanted to share with you what's been going on with the recent changes on our end. Kontinentalist has now rebranded into a data storytelling studio...with a fresh