The proliferation of new sources of data opens up the possibility for designers to develop new approaches towards the creation of interactive artifacts. While design practice has been driven by a user-centered paradigm, which aims at providing people with solutions to their everyday issues, it now examines data as a new material that can be extracted, manipulated and visualized to better inform users about the world. In this presentation, Pierrick Thébault will draw upon his past research and projects to highlight the differences between data-centric, application-centric and artifact-centric approaches and to discuss the challenges and opportunities of designing with data.

1. RES #1
June 15th, Roubaix
Designing
with data
Pierrick Thébault
Designer, PhD
Photo / tbuser@flickr

2. 2
About
me
ABOUT ME |
Image / Dan Saffer + Envis precisly

3. Designing
at SENSEable
City Lab
3ABOUT ME |

4. From data analysis… … to innovation.
X, Y, t, € Activity and
behavioral patterns
Visualizations and
decision-making tools
Designing
at SENSEable
City Lab
4ABOUT ME |

5. 5
Introduction
Data as
a new material
DATA AS A NEW MATERIAL |2014

6. Constraints
Requirements
Benchmark
Ideas & solutions
6
User-centric
approach
DATA AS A NEW DESIGN MATERIAL |
Discover Define Design Evaluate
Information
architecture
Features &
capabilities
Prototypes
(high/low-fi)
User tests

7. 7
Design is
often placed as…
DATA AS A NEW DESIGN MATERIAL |
A creative
framework
that guides the
methodology and
the implementation
of ideas.
A functionalist
approach
that ensures simplification,
rationalization and
effectiveness thanks
to a given process.
A second
pole
that complements
other domains in order
to increase business
success through user
acceptance.

8. Users Technological
systems
8
Data brings
new opportunities
DATA AS A NEW DESIGN MATERIAL |
Data Management Value
Company
or institution

9. 9
The value
of data
DATA AS A NEW DESIGN MATERIAL |
The epistemic value can
provide or channel new
knowledge.
The heuristic value can help
making discoveries or finding
new ways forward.
The praxic/poïetic value leads to
the creation of new artifacts as
well as the production of wealth.
Values / David Bihanic
Value

10. Dataset
World
Analysis
tools
Visualizations KnowledgeCompany
or institution
10
Data-centric
approach
DATA AS A NEW DESIGN MATERIAL |
1 2 3
#1

11. Company
or institution
(expected)
Knowledge
Analysis tools
& visualizations
Artifact
or system
1 2 3
Dataset
World
11
Artifact-centric
approach
DATA AS A NEW DESIGN MATERIAL |#2

12. 12DATA AS A NEW DESIGN MATERIAL |
Company
or institution
(expected)
Knowledge
Dataset Analysis tools
& visualizations
Application
World
Application-centric
approach
1 2 3
#3

13. 13
Outline
DATA AS A NEW DESIGN MATERIAL |
3 approaches
4 case studies

14. Dataset
World
Analysis
tools
Visualizations KnowledgeCompany
or institution
14
Data-centric
approach
PROJECTS |
1 2 3
#1

15. Case Study #1
Hub
Cab
15DATA CENTRIC APPROACH |HubCab, 2014
Project / Szell, Baczuk, Groß, Lee, Thébault et Al.

16. 16DATA CENTRIC APPROACH |
Research
question
How can visualization platforms inform
citizens of the potential of trip-sharing?
Data / 170 million taxi trips
Scale / New York City, 2011
HubCab, 2014
Project / Szell, Baczuk, Groß, Lee, Thébault et Al.

17. 17DATA CENTRIC APPROACH |
Visualization
HubCab, 2014
Project / Szell, Baczuk, Groß, Lee, Thébault et Al.

18. 18DATA CENTRIC APPROACH |
Interactive
visualization
HubCab, 2014
Project / Szell, Baczuk, Groß, Lee, Thébault et Al.

19. Company
or institution
(expected)
Knowledge
Analysis tools
& visualizations
Artifact
or system
1 2 3
Dataset
World
19
Artifact-centric
approach
ARTIFACT-CENTRIC APPROACH |#2

20. Case study #2
Trash
Track
20ARTIFACT-CENTRIC APPROACH |Trash Track, 2009
Project / Offenhuber, Morello, Tinauli, Kloeckl, Girod et Al.

21. 21ARTIFACT-CENTRIC APPROACH |
Research
question
How can visualization platforms inform
citizens of the opportunities to improve
the “removal-chain”?
Data / 3000 trash objects
Scale / Seatle, 500 persons
Trash Track, 2009
Project / Offenhuber, Morello, Tinauli, Kloeckl, Girod et Al.

22. 22ARTIFACT-CENTRIC APPROACH |Trash Track, 2009
Sensors Project / Offenhuber, Morello, Tinauli, Kloeckl, Girod et Al.

23. 23
Visualization
ARTIFACT-CENTRIC APPROACH |Trash Track, 2009
Project / Offenhuber, Morello, Tinauli, Kloeckl, Girod et Al.

24. 24
Interactive
visualization
ARTIFACT-CENTRIC APPROACH |Trash Track, 2009
Project / Offenhuber, Morello, Tinauli, Kloeckl, Girod et Al.

25. 25APPLICATION-CENTRIC APPROACH |
Company
or institution
(expected)
Knowledge
Dataset Analysis tools
& visualizations
Application
World
Application-centric
approach
1 2 3
#3

26. 26
Case study #3
Many cities
APPLICATION-CENTRIC APPROACH |2014
Video / Signature of Humanity, MIT

27. Many Cities, 2014
Research
question
How can spatio-temporal patterns of mobile
traffic bring people to reflect on their collective
activities in cities?
Data / Calls, SMS, uploads/downloads, requests
Scale / 3 months at 15 min resolution on cell level
27APPLICATION-CENTRIC APPROACH |
Project / Thébault, Grauwin, Sobolevsky et Al.

28. Initial
work
Many Cities, 2014 28APPLICATION-CENTRIC APPROACH |
App / Sebastian Grauwin

29. comparisons
clusters cities
annotations
29
Project
scope
Many Cities, 2014 APPLICATION-CENTRIC APPROACH |
Adding
Enabling
Visualizing spatial patterns temporal patterns
sharing
Exploring impact of events

30. 30
Data
analysis
Many Cities, 2014 APPLICATION-CENTRIC APPROACH |
Raw data Processed
data

31. Mini-MongoDB
• Density maps data
• Combinations
• User accounts
• Comments
MySQL DB
• Timelines data
• Clusters dataAPACHE
• REST API serving
JSON objects
Web client
31
Software
architecture
Many Cities, 2014 APPLICATION-CENTRIC APPROACH |
Meteor bundle
NodeJS
• Client files
• Server files
LAMP bundle
PHP

32. 32
Design
phase
Many Cities, 2014 APPLICATION-CENTRIC APPROACH |

33. 33APPLICATION-CENTRIC APPROACH |Many Cities, 2014
UI

34. 34APPLICATION-CENTRIC APPROACH |Many Cities, 2014
UI

35. 35APPLICATION-CENTRIC APPROACH |Many Cities, 2014
UI

36. 36APPLICATION-CENTRIC APPROACH |Many Cities, 2014
UI

37. 37APPLICATION-CENTRIC APPROACH |
Demo
Many Cities, 2014

38. 38
User
study
Many Cities, 2014 APPLICATION-CENTRIC APPROACH |

39. 39
Methods
Many Cities, 2014 APPLICATION-CENTRIC APPROACH |
A/B testing questionnaire
Capturing users’ knowledge on city
through two phases:
a) users have to answer the questions based on their own
experience and knowledge of the city,
b) users are confronted with a preconfigured visualization
that will be used to answer the question.
Questionnaire
Evaluating the perceived
usefulness of the application
through the capture of the
degree of agreement of
different statements.
Panel: 32 participants (Ericsson researchers, MIT science researchers, Urban planning
researchers, naïve users)

40. 40
Case study #4
Urban
Radiology
APPLICATION-CENTRIC APPROACH |2014
Video / Spring Spree, MIT

41. 41APPLICATION-CENTRIC APPROACH |Urban Radiology, 2014
Research
question
How can visualization platforms transform
tourism planning into a more inclusive,
data-driven process?
Data / Card transactions of BBVA customers and BBVA terminals
Scale / 1 year of data for the whole country
Project / Thébault, Lee, Sobolevsky, Greco et Al.

42. 42APPLICATION-CENTRIC APPROACH |Urban Radiology, 2014
Initial
work
App / Kael Greco

43. comparisons
visualizations filters
sharing
43
Project
scope
Urban Radiology, 2014 APPLICATION-CENTRIC APPROACH |
Adding
Enabling
Visualizing spatial
patterns
profiles
Exploring competitiveness
of cities
permeability
of cities
impact of
events
temporal
patterns

44. 44
Data
processing
Urban Radiology, 2014 APPLICATION-CENTRIC APPROACH |
Aggregation

45. 45
Software
architecture
Urban Radiology, 2014 APPLICATION-CENTRIC APPROACH |
Meteor bundle
NodeJS
• Client files
• Server files
Mini-MongoDB
• User accounts
• Workspaces
• Collections
• Widgets cache
LAMP bundle
MySQL DB
• Transactions data
• Districts data
PHP
APACHE
• REST API serving
JSON objects
Web client

46. 46
Design
phase
Urban Radiology, 2014 APPLICATION-CENTRIC APPROACH |

47. 47APPLICATION-CENTRIC APPROACH |Urban Radiology, 2014
UI

48. 48APPLICATION-CENTRIC APPROACH |Urban Radiology, 2014
UI

49. 49APPLICATION-CENTRIC APPROACH |Urban Radiology, 2014
UI

50. 50APPLICATION-CENTRIC APPROACH |Urban Radiology, 2014
UI

51. 51APPLICATION-CENTRIC APPROACH |Urban Radiology, 2014
Demo

52. 52
User
study
Urban Radiology, 2014 APPLICATION-CENTRIC APPROACH |

53. Urban Radiology, 2014 53
Method
APPLICATION-CENTRIC APPROACH |
Task-based questionnaire
Measuring the effectiveness
(i.e. the ability of users to
complete the tasks) and the
efficiency (i.e. the level of
resources consumed in
performing tasks) of the
application.
Survey scale
Using the System Usability
Scale (SUS), to obtain
more general results to get
a single score (out of 100)
that can be used for
relative judgment
Semi-directed interview
Gathering qualitative
feedback on the usability
of the application
(strengths, weaknesses,
improvements) and
evaluating its perceived
usefulness.
Panel: 12 users (spanish / non-spanish)

54. Discussion
Data-driven
decisions in
the industry
54DISCUSSION |
Video / AXA Drive

55. 55
Mixed
approach
DISCUSSION |
EvaluateCollect Transform Evaluate Define Discover
Build
Data-driven User-driven

56. 56DISCUSSION |
How can such applications
Influence users’ decisions?
Applications
Users Knowledge Decisions
Mixed
approach

57. 57DISCUSSION |
Opportunity
#1
Understanding customers’
needs and expectations.
Visualizing / the interactions of people with the brand
and creating exploration tools for all collaborators.
Image/ Mohio Map

58. 58DISCUSSION |
Opportunity
#2
Creating new pricing models
based on behavioral data.
Image/ Etna Broker
Visualizing / behavioral and environmental data
at different scales.

59. 59DISCUSSION |
Opportunity
#3
Studying environmental
factors to better
understand risk.
Visualizing / claims and disputes through space, time
and other datasets.
Image/ Watch dogs

60. Pierrick Thébault
Designer, PhD
Thank you!
Any questions?
pierrick@regarde.org
@regarde