Tangible data: a systematic review of physicalization and its implications for interaction design

In recent years significant contributions have been made to expand the research area of data physicalization. The present study presents the results of a systematic literature review and an annotated portfolio analysis that frame the current state of the field, with particular attention to its implications for interaction design discipline. It outlines key outputs, methods, and domains that support tangible engagement with data, while also identifying critical challenges such as data mapping, interaction temporality, and contextual application. The study concludes by drafting promising research trajectories and by challenging dominant paradigms of data encoding, highlighting opportunities for designing more situated, embodied, and meaningful artefacts encompassing data physicalization.