31:T49a,**How many years have you been working with data tools?**
If one considers Microsoft [Word](https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-365/word?rtc=1) and [PowerPoint](https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-365/powerpoint) as data tools (and I believe them to be legitimate and very powerful), it was during high school that I started learning how to manage and express information in text, graphics, diagrams and rudimentary charts. I began using [Excel](https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-365/excel) and [Project](https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-365/project/project-management-software?rtc=1) when preparing bid documents and expense reports for work—this was really my starting point for representing information as data. I began learning [Linux](https://www.linux.org/) and [AWS](https://aws.amazon.com) for application hosting and data and knowledge management around 2011. I started learning [JavaScript](https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/docs/Web/JavaScript) with Observable in early 2018 and it revolutionized my approach to everything. I love how Observable allows me to combine so many different techniques and to flexibly manage data.32:T40c,**Why did you choose to use Observable?**
I tried Observable to challenge myself. I stayed because of the community. Observable helped me to to learn JavaScript by offering a beautiful and intuitive interface for tinkering with code. I was eager to leverage the [D3.js library](https://d3js.org/) to create and share reports on the Internet with minimal application overhead and without relying on proprietary software. One of the main tools I was using for sharing information at the time was [GitHub](https://github.com/), which is excellent for organizing and publishing information, but since their file editing and repository management user interface does not execute JavaScript, I never quite grasped how the language fit in the context web applications. Observable changed this by offering a safe and robust platform for learning JavaScript as well as by providing infrastructure for secure and collaborative web publication. Simply put: Observable allowed me to achieve everything I was using GitHub to do and more! 33:T986,**What are the top reasons you continue to use Observable?**
Observable has eliminated all the roadblocks to hosting and publishing content to the web. It also allows unlimited file uploads of a size large enough to accommodate archiving most of the papers and articles that inform my thematic research. I can flexibly draft text, fork private iterations of public and team notebooks, and follow changes conveniently. I can publish privately and securely to the web and easily search and find notebooks. I learn something new every day. This may be from a [recently-published notebook](https://observablehq.com/recent) shared to the community, or from reading questions raised on the [talk forum](https://talk.observablehq.com/), or by raising questions of my own. Each day that I read and interact with notebooks on the platform, I discover ways of exploring and visualizing data that make my own work better, faster, and stronger `;)` Observable's dynamic user interface continues to diminish barriers to entry and makes it easier for me to store and manage information. Most importantly, however, I chose to use Observable because the community welcomed me, helped me to learn and problem-solve, and encouraged me to improve my skills and knowledge. Observable users genuinely care to help support one another in learning and growing. People are welcomed to raise questions on any aspect of data science, and those who do ask are often met (by the Observable team and other members of the community) with immediate responses that generally go beyond solving a specific problem, but also explain in detail how a solution works. Before interacting with the Observable community, I was entirely alone in my journey to learn how to share information and to create, deploy, and maintain software applications on the Internet. I was unaware of many tools and techniques to efficiently manage information. The Observable community has introduced me to a rich and constantly evolving showcase of techniques for working with and visualizing information. I chose to continue using Observable for over the years because it continues to be one of the most inspiring places on the Internet! 34:T6a8,**How does Observable help you in your data work? Where does it sit in your tool chain? Do you use it with your team?**
Observable has become my 'starting point' for everything. I often treat it like a 'scratch pad': it's a place to record notes and ideas as I read and reflect on documents, research issues, etc. I enjoy re-opening notebooks where I've dropped in web links, code snippets, information tables, PDFs etc. and to slowly elaborate and polish notebooks over time. I admit: most of my several (thousand) notebooks are messy and unfinished. I have been collaborating on Observable with small teams on various projects, with varied results with regard to how it is been received by peers, colleagues, and those reviewing and evaluating my work. I see a lot of potential for growth in this area. I like being able to work with others to organize and revisit information and data sources on any topic—in my case: sources of geospatial information, research on women's marginalization in the energy sector, research on avenues for mainstreaming social inclusion of sexual and gender minorities, lists of laws safeguarding Indigenous Peoples in various national contexts, better ways to care for my home and garden... the list goes on (and on). I use these notebooks in a range of works contexts, though most remain informal (proofs of concept; internal discussion notes, etc). Our teams also use notebooks to re-present information back to our borrowers and project teams as it was supplied to us, and again after we've taken it apart, interrogated it, and reworked it to tell more compelling stories or to better demonstrate compliance with our environmental and social policies. 35:T497,**Is there anything that you are able to do now that couldn’t do before, or couldn’t do as well as you needed to be able to do?**
Before Observable, I had been teaching myself about hosting information on the web for a few years. There are many facets of this challenge, and the process of learning how to publishing a simple, single webpage involves learning a lot including about hosting providers and plans, data routing, servers, and many other unseen and extremely sophisticated parts of creating, collecting, curating and publishing information on the web. While I love learning these things, doing so takes time away form my desired focus of mastering the domain-specific content and knowledge products with which I work. Observable eliminated all these barriers to web publication _and_ offered me a beautiful source of inspiration for data discovery and storytelling. I particularly benefit from all the notebooks and techniques that the Observable community shares in working with geographically data—and that I can do everything without having to install any custom software. 36:Te03,**What are some of your favorite notebooks that you've created, or that you're currently working on? Why?**
I most enjoy those notebook reflecting my learning journey. I have an early work that compiles and shares socioeconomic data for [Indonesia's Maluku Tenggara Barat](https://observablehq.com/@aaronkyle/maluku-tenggara-barat). Earlier in my career, I had generated the dataset and attempted a similar visualization and information management website using a constellation of techniques: manual data extraction, [an Open Source GIS server](https://docs.qgis.org/3.22/en/docs/server_manual/index.html#qgis-server-manual) for linking my derived dataset to other spatial data files, and the [Django](https://www.djangoproject.com/) content management system to allow team members and clients to add and interact with data and web content securely. My Observable experiment showed me that I could achieve the bespoke data application I wanted without needing to engage consultants or costly resources. Looking back at the notebook years later, I would approach the same problem very differently, but I love this notebook for demonstrating self-achievement. I have a few other favorite notebooks for what they represent to me. I am proud of the [Marine Data](https://observablehq.com/@aaronkyle/world-conservation-monitoring-centre-marine-data), which presents World Conservation Monitoring Centre data, because it reflects my success to continually work through documentation and examples in order to connect (and keep connected) a [Leaflet](https://leafletjs.com/) presentation layer and an [ArcGIS data server](https://enterprise.arcgis.com/en/server/latest/get-started/windows/what-is-arcgis-for-server-.htm) using a [plug-in](https://developers.arcgis.com/esri-leaflet/) from ESRI. I also had a great time accomplishing notebooks by learning from fellow ambassadors, including [NOAA Sea Level Rise](https://observablehq.com/@ambassadors/noaa-sea-level-rise) , [UN Sustainable Development Goals API](https://observablehq.com/@aaronkyle/un-sustainable-development-goals-api) , and [World Bank API](https://observablehq.com/@aaronkyle/world-bank-api-meet-vega-lite) . Also important are [PDF.js MultiPage Previous/Next](https://observablehq.com/@aaronkyle/pdf-js-multipage-previous-next-example) , which was one of the first of my notebooks that others voluntarily picked up to improve and re-share (I use this one a lot); and [Visualizing Vulnerability Data in Maharashtra with Vega Lite](https://observablehq.com/@ambassadors/vulnerability-in-maharashtra-with-vega-lite) as I learned about APIs and data transformation. Last but certainly not least, I am proud of a collection of notebooks called [Survey Slate](https://observablehq.com/collection/@categorise/survey-slate) ; these notebooks collectively comprise an Observable-deployed web application for flexibly creating data-driven surveys for JavaScript and AWS. 37:Tf21,**What are some of your favorite notebooks by other users? Who inspires you in data visualization?**
Wow! I have [so many favorite notebooks](https://observablehq.com/@ambassadors/awesome-notebooks)! The Observable community inspires me in so many ways. Rather than on endlessly naming notebooks, please allow me shout out to a few other [Ambassadors](https://observablehq.com/collection/@observablehq/ambassadors) with whom I've shared a conversation or correspondence over the years. In no particular order: [Fabian Iwand](https://observablehq.com/@mootari) is extraordinarily generous, kind and patient on [`talk.Observable`](https://talk.observablehq.com) and has unparalleled focus on design and capacity for problem-solving. Thank you, Fabian, for mentoring me throughout my learning journey, and for continuing to offer your help to so [many others](https://talk.observablehq.com/u/mootari/summary). I met [Tom Larkworthy](https://observablehq.com/@tomlarkworthy) first through the talk forum and [Saneef Ansari](https://observablehq.com/@saneef) through the Observable Ambassador's program. We've been collaborating on an [open-source](https://www.redhat.com/en/topics/open-source/what-is-open-source-software) customizable [survey generator](https://observablehq.com/collection/@categorise/survey-slate). Thank you, Tom, for contributing expertise in networking and development infrastructure, and thanks, Saneef, for facilitating our team design thinking and next-step planning! Thank you to [Maya Gans](https://observablehq.com/@mayagans), [Karim Douieb](https://observablehq.com/@karimdouieb) and [Christoph Pahmeyer](https://observablehq.com/@chrispahm) for kindly volunteered to join me in orchestrating a fun and well-attended [Earth Day event](https://observablehq.com/@ambassadors/resources_from_earth_day_2021_discussion) in collaboration with [scientists from NOAA](https://observablehq.com/@ambassadors/data-science-for-environmental-research-and-advocacy); and thanks also to our hosts [Wayne Sutton](https://observablehq.com/@waynesutton) and [Anjana Vakil](https://observablehq.com/@anjana) from the Observable team. I really enjoyed this experience and it was an entirely organic and team-realized event. Among many [marvelous](https://observablehq.com/@oliviafvane/macromap) works, [Olivia Vane](https://observablehq.com/@oliviafvane) gifted the community an [epic series](https://observablehq.com/collection/@oliviafvane/watermarks) on water lines. [Tereza Iofciu](https://observablehq.com/@terezaif) creates [infographics](https://observablehq.com/@terezaif?tab=collections&type=public) that stand alone in their [descriptive capacity](https://observablehq.com/@terezaif/the-fish-we-eat?collection=@terezaif/30daychartchallenge2022). [Irene de la Torre](https://observablehq.com/@irenedelatorre) shares [creativity and and artistry](https://observablehq.com/@irenedelatorre/eurovision-data-analysis-with-plot?collection=@irenedelatorre/plot) and created one of the most [influential notebooks](https://observablehq.com/@irenedelatorre/bbc-coronavirus-tribute-all-countries-weekly?collection=@irenedelatorre/coronavirus-tribute) of those I show to colleagues when introducing Observable. Thank you also to Ambassador educators [Mark McClure](https://observablehq.com/@mcmcclur) and [John Alexis Guerra Gómez](https://observablehq.com/@john-guerra) for bringing Observable and data analysis into the lives of others (myself included!). Thank you [Volodymyr Agafonkin](https://observablehq.com/@mourner) for creating and sharing [Leaflet.js](https://leafletjs.com/), which I use to visualize so much spatial data. Thanks also [Harry Stevens](https://observablehq.com/@harrystevens) for [all your notebooks](https://observablehq.com/@harrystevens?tab=notebooks)—your work has taught me so many techniques for mapping with data.38:[{"id":"9b40df53701c03444e233d1739250c0c58a43dabfb4b74942f8cb6d9ab5cc7a7698e0fc25a7e2959785f10f32568440b84a8279b540750d634380499d48ab6d8","href":"https://static.observableusercontent.com/files/9b40df53701c03444e233d1739250c0c58a43dabfb4b74942f8cb6d9ab5cc7a7698e0fc25a7e2959785f10f32568440b84a8279b540750d634380499d48ab6d8","name":"Aaron_1.mp4","type":"video/mp4","lastModified":1661437112152.409,"size":4558354},{"id":"704733401cdcc4818804bc820ea7b15dc7d279e8b2989cb13e320bd717591dd9d38115055e12ae95ecfb78124553e219b604cb933997cd95d536bfd7e1772962","href":"https://static.observableusercontent.com/files/704733401cdcc4818804bc820ea7b15dc7d279e8b2989cb13e320bd717591dd9d38115055e12ae95ecfb78124553e219b604cb933997cd95d536bfd7e1772962","name":"Aaron_3.mp4","type":"video/mp4","lastModified":1661437112152.409,"size":212009},{"id":"2583ab17fe04097791b7056bae635993f8755d41e6b35c8e6c48862a14a8746bc1ac4f5331b54c3a122cf699a5dfd42e0452aeb5b785367411cbe2dda11559f7","href":"https://static.observableusercontent.com/files/2583ab17fe04097791b7056bae635993f8755d41e6b35c8e6c48862a14a8746bc1ac4f5331b54c3a122cf699a5dfd42e0452aeb5b785367411cbe2dda11559f7","name":"Aaron - Twitter + in notebook@1.png","type":"image/png","lastModified":1661437112152.409,"size":139428}] 2f:{"title":"Ambassador Spotlight: Aaron Kyle Dennis, Social Development Specialist at Asian Development Bank","cells":[{"id":0,"value":"# Ambassador Spotlight:
Aaron Kyle Dennis,
Social Development Specialist
at Asian Development Bank","pinned":false,"hidden":false,"mode":"md"},{"id":143,"value":"

","pinned":false,"hidden":false,"mode":"html"},{"id":525,"value":"---\nAt the heart of Observable is the community. The people who make up our community create, collaborate, connect, and influence with data. The purpose of the Observable Ambassador program is to partner with community members who are actively using Observable. \n\nLearn more about the [Observable Ambassador program here](https://observablehq.com/@observablehq/ambassador-overview). \n\n**Previous Ambassador Stories:** \n[David Kirkby](https://observablehq.com/@observablehq/ambassador-davidkirkby),\n[Maxene Graze](https://observablehq.com/@observablehq/ambassador-maxene-graze?collection=@observablehq/observable-blog), \n[Andrea Mignone](https://observablehq.com/@observablehq/ambassador-spotlight-andrea-mignone)\n\n---","pinned":false,"hidden":false,"mode":"md"},{"id":373,"value":"In June 2022, the Observable team caught up with Aaron to learn a bit more about our Ambassadors' diverse background and interests, as well as how Ambassadors are using Observable at work.\n\nFirst, some quick facts.\n\n**Ambassador since:** January, 2021
\n\n**Languages and Tools:** Excel, QGIS, Linux Bash, JavaScript.
\n\n**Uses Observable for:** Work (where possible), research, fun.
\n\n**Why Observable?**: I tried Observable to challenge myself. I stayed because of the community.
","pinned":false,"hidden":false,"mode":"md"},{"id":678,"value":"---","pinned":false,"hidden":false,"mode":"md"},{"id":315,"value":"**Aaron, thanks for taking the time to share your story! Where are you located at the moment?**\n
\nThank you for this opportunity! I've been tucked away in Massachusetts for most of the pandemic. So far in 2022, I've spent two months in Nepal and am departing early September for another 3 months. I am [officially based](https://www.linkedin.com/in/akdennis/) in Manila, Philippines. ","pinned":false,"hidden":false,"mode":"md"},{"id":313,"value":"**Can you please share a bit about your educational background?**\n
\nI enjoyed a wealth of experiences during my formative years at school. I studied at a Scandinavian-founded [college](https://www.plu.edu/) in the Pacific Northwest, USA, and spent my sophomore year abroad at a [university](https://uni-freiburg.de/) in Baden-Wurttemberg, Germany. After graduating, I spent a year volunteering to teach English in a [famous vinegar town](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zhenjiang_vinegar) in eastern China. Through luck and _[guanxi](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guanxi)_, I landed an internship with [UNESCO](https://www.unesco.org/) in Beijing, which kicked off my professional career in social development. While also working nearly full time for a [small](https://web.archive.org/web/20141217085400/https://crossculturalconsult.com/) social development consultancy, I earned a graduate degree in [Area Studies](https://www.lunduniversity.lu.se/lucat/group/v1000926) in Lund, Sweden. This all feels so long ago! \n","pinned":false,"hidden":false,"mode":"md"},{"id":413,"value":"**And what are your areas of interest?**\n
\nMy professional career aims to better involve people and communities in the design and implementation of large-scale development projects; predominantly in the context of the rights of Indigenous Peoples.\n\nI am interested in helping social development practice to better incorporate data analysis in planning, performance assessment, and for providing an evidentiary basis for evaluating compliance with legal, regulatory and policy requirements.","pinned":false,"hidden":false,"mode":"md"},{"id":323,"value":"$31","pinned":false,"hidden":false,"mode":"md"},{"id":330,"value":"**What programming languages do you use?**\n
\nJavaScript and Linux [bash shell commands.](https://docs.cs.cf.ac.uk/notes/linux-shell-commands/) I had a difficult time to learn programming languages _before_ Observable. \n","pinned":false,"hidden":false,"mode":"md"},{"id":321,"value":"**How did you get started in DataViz?**\n
\nI would sometimes visualize information with Excel as charts and tables for school and work, but data visualization for me was mostly about creating interconnected data tables and making maps in [QGIS](https://www.qgis.org/en/site/).","pinned":false,"hidden":false,"mode":"md"},{"id":332,"value":"**How much data do you typically work with?**\n
\nAlthough I constantly deal in information, rarely does it come to me as _data_. I continuously explore new sources of information and invest a lot of time into transforming this information into structured data. A core challenge in my profession is how to routinely explore for new information, record information as data, track and evaluate information and data sources, how to convey how it was compiled, examine how representative it is, and asking who and what may be excluded from data and analysis. ","pinned":false,"hidden":false,"mode":"md"},{"id":334,"value":"**How do you discover your data?**\n
\nWe live in a wonderful time where information is freely available from reputable sources. What are the main factors contributing to women's inequality in the energy sector? Ask the Internet! \n\nThe data I work are generally microdata: demographic information, survey results, socio-economic indicators. I often start with government datasets^{[e.g., [1](https://observablehq.com/@aaronkyle/nepal-sources-of-geospatial-data), [2](https://observablehq.com/@aaronkyle/nepal-sources-of-geospatial-data)]} as a means of establishing 'official' baselines. Shared on Observable are so many great resources and notebooks that have introduced me to new sources of information and helped me appreciate the differences between information and data.","pinned":false,"hidden":false,"mode":"md"},{"id":349,"value":"**What skills do you have now that you wish you had when you first started coding?**\n
\nLooking back, my main wish is that I had more time to invest in a structured approach to learning and more patience to walk through tutorials. At the end of the day, JavaScript is just a language and humans are naturally gifted with language—so the main ingredients are time and exposure. ","pinned":false,"hidden":false,"mode":"md"},{"id":804,"value":"

\n \n

\n\n

Visualizations from Aaron's Mapping the Berkshires | Environmental Conservation Areas Notebook.

","pinned":false,"hidden":false,"mode":"html"},{"id":406,"value":"---","pinned":false,"hidden":false,"mode":"md"},{"id":147,"value":"**Now, I'd like to learn a bit about how you use Observable. How did you first come across Observable?**\n
\nObservable found me :) I was looking to produce web-based data-driven reports and clicked into Observable through an early banner on [bl.ocks](https://bl.ocks.org/). I decided to give it a whirl!","pinned":false,"hidden":false,"mode":"md"},{"id":378,"value":"$32","pinned":false,"hidden":false,"mode":"md"},{"id":382,"value":"$33","pinned":false,"hidden":false,"mode":"md"},{"id":248,"value":"$34","pinned":false,"hidden":false,"mode":"md"},{"id":612,"value":"$35","pinned":false,"hidden":false,"mode":"md"},{"id":402,"value":"

\n \n

Visualizations from Andrew's p5 Game of Life Notebook.

\n","pinned":false,"hidden":false,"mode":"html"},{"id":242,"value":"$36","pinned":false,"hidden":false,"mode":"md"},{"id":239,"value":"$37","pinned":false,"hidden":false,"mode":"md"},{"id":635,"value":"---","pinned":false,"hidden":false,"mode":"md"},{"id":643,"value":"banner(\n \"Interested in learning more about collaborating with data?\",\n \"Sign up for free\",\n \"https://observablehq.com/product?utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=nba_data_jam&utm_source=observablehq.com\"\n)","pinned":false,"hidden":false,"mode":"ojs"},{"id":637,"value":"import { banner } from \"@observablehq/brand-assets\"","pinned":false,"hidden":false,"mode":"ojs"},{"id":640,"value":"import { buttonCTA } from \"@observablehq/buttons\"","pinned":false,"hidden":false,"mode":"ojs"}],"files":"$W38","stdlib":"1","titling":"auto"}