2n worked with NBC News and MSNBC to redesign and rebuild their election map in preparation for the 2018 midterm elections. NBC first engaged us to conduct research to create an inventory of required features and functionality. We spoke to stakeholders across the organization, from digital, broadcast, editorial and art design, including Meet The Press host Chuck Todd and the dynamic Steve Kornacki. We moved from user interviews to design and ultimately development to help build out the new map. Our developers worked alongside NBC’s in-house team to bring our designs and the zippy new election map to life.
Hermann Zschiegner came to New York in 1999 from his native Austria to finish his Master Degree in Architecture (Columbia University – MS AAD ‘00). In 2004, after working for Asymptote Architecture, he started his own data visualization practice – Two-n, a reference to the two n’s in the German spelling of his name. He designed a number of award-winning websites, including stockmapper.com – which was included in Time Magazine's list of the best websites of 2007. He joined the NYSE’s Strategic Architecture Group, working on a number of system monitors as well as the redesign of the NYSE BrokerBook application. In 2007 he was commissioned to redesign the Trading Floor Information Displays, still in use at the New York Stock Exchange.
In 2010 Hermann was joined by Amit Schechter, and together they grew the studio. They started their collaboration working with Bloomberg LP to design and develop a data viz editor for the Bloomberg Briefs team. They worked on a number of projects in the Financial Service Industry, including multiple applications for IHS Markit and WisdomTree. The work during this time earned them multiple Webby awards as well as 3 Award of Excellence from Communication Arts. A major focus of their work was in the visualization of human resource data, specifically around issues of the gender pay gap. In 2013, together with Jeff Brouws and Wendy Burton, Hermann published Various Small Books (MIT Press) – a book about the Artist Books of artist Ed Ruscha.
In 2017 Amit left Two-n, and Natalie Erdem joined as Managing Partner. For 2 years they worked with the election team at MSNBC to redesign and develop Steve Kornacki’s now famous Big Board. The studio engaged in a number of projects in the non-profit space, including The Trevor Project for which they designed the Annual National Survey on LGBTQ Youth Mental Health for 3 consecutive years. During the pandemic they published an interactive report on the MTA ridership changes caused by the lockdown, a project spearheaded by Aucher Serr. This project was recognized with the Golden Information is Beautiful award from the Data Visualization Society. For 3 years they worked with Franklin Templeton Investments on a suite of portfolio analysis tools.
In the spring of 2024 Hermann – together with Heike Bablick, Ricarda Denzer, Karl-Heinz Machat, and Bettina Schlorhaufer – won the international design competition for a memorial for the people killed at the Arbeitserziehungslager Reichenau in Hermann’s hometown of Innsbruck, Austria. Inspired by the work on this project, Hermann decided to pivot his attention to engage in mission-driven work. He is now focused on work around issues close to his heart, specifically the environment in crisis, political activism, education and health care. He seeks to work with for-profit and non-profit organizations that promote solutions in this space. He has recently joined M2X as their Director of Data Tools, helping to advance technology aiming to reduce and decarbonize methane emissions.