In general, effective data visualization is a critical skill at any level, traditional methods such as bar charts and line graphs can sometimes fall short in helping us to understand complex relationships within data. This study explores the use of LEGO bricks, specifically through LEGO BrickLink Studio, as an innovative tool to address this challenge and enhance students data visualization skills.

In this work, we are focused on the improvement of students data visualization skills by using LEGO bricks with LEGO BrickLink Studio. The activity is centered on students visualizing sales performance in various product categories over three years: 2018, 2019, 2020. Students analyze the sales data by creating interactive 3D models on LEGO BrickLink digital platform. For example, students are accustomed to viewing sales data in fully visualized static formats such as bar and line graphs. Though these formats are effective, they tend to hide the more intricate interrelationships between data points. The use of a collaborative digital environment such as LEGO BrickLink helps students to interactively transform the data into a tangible form.

In our experiment, students portray different product categories, which include electronics, clothing, home appliances, and beauty, each for three years. Students create digital models using LEGO BrickLink Studio wherein the dimensions and color of the model represent the sales volume for each category during a particular year. With this, students are able to actively participate and interact with the data as they modify the quantitative proportions visually over time, which is significantly more engaging than working with the 2D graphs.

The LEGO BrickLink shared environment enables the students to work together, exchange models, and test different hypotheses while interpreting data. Collaboration is facilitated through the online platform where students can create complex visualizations, compare their own understanding of the data, and collaborate in creating dynamic visual models. Through collaboration, besides learning how to interpret trends, outliers, and patterns in the dataset, students also develop critical thinking and problem-solving skills through collaborative interaction.

Also, while designing with LEGO BrickLink, learners can experiment with means of portraying and communicating information in creative ways. Because the platform is very flexible, learners can experiment with different modes of representation, such as changing brick size and ordering to represent patterns of sales, predict sales, or graph anomalies by product type. This hands-on method fosters a closer relationship with information and its actual business application, and also with the technical, analytical, and teamwork skills of the students.

Lastly, using LEGO BrickLink Studio in the classroom allows students to improve their data visualization ability, their understanding of complex data sets, and their working ability in a team-based online platform. Using this tool, there is a playfully fun and easy manner through which students are able to interact with data that traditional 2D graphs and charts are not capable of competing with.

Keywords: 3D, modelling, data visualisation, data storytelling.