Visualizing machine learning

ECMWF has pioneered using machine learning to model the world’s weather and climate. Our brief was to create a set of static visualizations explaining their latest technological feat: the AI Integrated Forecasting System (AIFS).

Working closely with ECMWF’s experts, we ran a series of sketch sessions. These allowed us to capture the key details about how this sophisticated AI-driven weather forecasting system works – then distil them into clear, easy-to-understand visuals.

The visual language stayed true to the complexity of AIFS and ECMWF's machine learning advancements, while being simple enough to spark conversations about these innovations with Member States, policymakers, and journalists.

One machine learning scientist told us that we’d ”done the impossible” by explaining the super-complicated process of training an entire weather forecasting system in a single image.

This reinforced our belief that if you invest the time in understanding information, you can design it in ways that others can understand too.