Episode 1 of the Covid Tracking Project
The podcast sheds light on an critical issue in the use of public health data: the CDC, at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, showed a preference for estimated models over actual data, meaning that they would rather test a small group of people to predict the infection rate instead of testing out everyone, which had led to many of asymptomatic cases left unattended. Predictive data can offer early warnings, helping to shape proactive responses, but without grounding these models in real, observed data, they risk straying from the actual conditions on the ground. This tension between prediction and reality highlights a crucial lesson—accurate, real-time data is irreplaceable, especially in a fast-moving crisis like a pandemic. Fortunately, the Covid Tracking Project worked a long way to fill in the gap by providing raw, reliable data collaborating with journalists and volunteers. It’s a reminder that while predictive models are valuable tools, they must always be balanced with actual data to keep public health responses aligned with real-world needs.
Data viz1 Inequalities Quipu
The data visualization is a comparison of well-being (assessed by the OECD Better Life Index) in Latin America and top leading countries in Scandinavia, using the medium of Quipu, a recording device used by the Incas for collecting and keeping track of data. The installation is read from left to right, beginning with the overall summarized score for the entire country, then split up by total, men (color blue), and women (color apricot). Each string carries the information of the score, encoded with the length, and the actual values encoded with the Incan way of encoding information via the knots.
Latin American countries are listed at the bottom of the OECD Better Life Index while the Scandinavian countries are leading in the index. The work shows the details of the differences in well being between the two cultural areas, indicating the gender inequalities within the cultures at the same time.
The work is considerate about its medium. The use of Quipu both echoes with the culture it represents, but also gives a sense of nostalgia, aligning with the theme of well-being that it investigates into. It invites the audience to read the encoded information behind the knots and make comparisons between the two cultural areas. Experiencing the work physically allows for the transformation from digital data to analogue means, bringing the resonated feelings of the audience to another level.
Data Viz2 Monarch Butterfly Migration
The project is a wall at IDEO Chicago that is an interactive system allowing the participant to view the size of the annual Monarch butterfly migration site in Mexico (the number maps to the amount of butterflies on the wall that have their wings open).
The artist/engineer developed a free and open tool called Figproxy, which allows the connection between Figma prototypes and Arduino, enabling the interaction between digital prototypes and hardware. I appreciate the interactivity built in the project. As the audience use the knot to control the user interface in Figma, the wings of the butterflies on the wall open and close to show how many butterflies have migrated to Mexico over a time span of 30 years. By not just looking at but interacting with the data, the audience experience a learning process that helps them better understand and get familiar with the data. This tangible interaction bridges the gap between digital design and physical experience, making abstract data more accessible and memorable. The movement of the butterflies not only visualizes the migration data but also evokes an emotional connection, as users see the impact of environmental changes unfold in real-time.