DataMIX Project
Exploring the communication of data
Workshops
The participants each presented a short talk in Pecha Kucha style (20 slides with 20 seconds per slide) on what constitutes 'data' in each of their own disciplines, and examples of good and bad communication of data.
An 'unknown' dataset had been assigned to the participants prior to the workshop, and each had to present a poster outlining the approach they had taken to analysing and presenting this unknown data in their own way.
In addition, two invited speakers gave presentations on data communication in their own fields; Karen Mullinger spoke about Brain Scans and MRI, while Vince Gaffney discussed Visualisation in Archaeology.
The second DataMIX workshop was held at the Brunel University on the 2nd and 3rd of February, 2010.
The participants each presented a short talk on case studies of good and bad communication of data. Three guest speakers were invited to give talks on data communication relating to their specialised fields.
The participants commented on the pros and cons of the processes and methods used in analysing and presenting the communal database (a task following-up the first workshop). The creative exhibition of live examples of data visualisation by the DataMIX team members were well received by all the participants.
The participants discussed the data visualisation methodology, criteria, and strategies for making data communication more inclusive for different user groups. A data visualisation forecast exercise was also conducted in the 2nd workshop.
The third DataMIX workshop was held at the Open University in Milton Keynes on the 29th and 30th of November, 2010.
Data users of different capabilities were invited to attend the workshop, including a visually-impaired user and representatives from the Papworth Trust (a wheelchair user with speech impairment, a carer and a researcher from the organisation). In addition, five guest speakers were invited to attend the workshop.
At the workshop, a range of activities took place, including:
Short presentations of data visualisation research projects: ErgoCES (contextualising numerical anthropometric data for use in design) and CODA (from monologue to dialogue).
Further exploration of the application of data visualisation tools was carried out: visualising statistical data using Many Eyes, statistical data represented as speech and sound, visual and tactile 3D, sonificaion exercises and a case study of visualising water footprint.
The methodology developed in the second workshop was evaluated at the workshop and refined. The team members were asked to represent the framework in different formats to achieve the most inclusive communication effect. More details on the framework conclusions will be made available here shortly.
