Both of these readings have made me realize how important it is to properly design data visualization to display data accurately and aesthetically to both draw attention to and educate people. At the same time, data visualizations can be manipulated in a way that the designer want other people to interpret it. This shows that not only the design of the visualization is important but also it’s crucial to pay close attention and actually read the data. As mentioned “The Five Qualities of Great Visualizations,” the truth of a visualization can be skewed and thus is the most important aspect to consider when designing a data visualization. As a designer it’s essential to be as objective as possible and convey the most accurate information to the audience. Apart from a visualization being truthful, the function is also influential. For a graph to be functional, it should help the audience interpret the information correctly. The reader should not have to spend extensive time reading the small details and studying the graph carefully. Additionally, it’s more helpful if the graph is showing information that is relevant to the majority of people. Although “The Five Qualities of Great Visualizations” only uses 2D visualizations as examples, there are also other type of visualizations that aren’t just graphs and charts and could convey information better. I think data physicalizations are more impactful in a different way because they can rely on different human senses such as touch, smell, sight, and hearing to convey information. Physicalizations are also more tangible thus making the data easier to grasp for some people. The example of the raincoat that lights up wherever the rain drops in Beyond the Tyranny of the Pixel is easier to grasp and see rather than reading a graph.
CDP Week 1: Readings- Theresa Lin (Chen)
After reading the 2012 Tegner report, It’s interesting to think how society’s food preference can be influenced and cause the decline population of certain species. Surely if something like that can be influenced then we can use that towards our advantage to decrease consumption of certain species. A lot of these food preferences, are based on trend. I find it particularly interesting that oysters were considered food for the poor and lower class because of how common they were which is strange to think about since they’re more expensive now. The impact of human consumption on these sea species is really apparent as shown through the information on how World War I and II gave some populations to recover. Yet after the World Wars ended, demand for fishing was back again and the populations started to decline.
The WCS information sheet mentioned how bringing awareness to human pollution and the effects it has on the ecosystem are not something new or recent. I remember when I was younger,the harm of polluting the oceans with plastic was taught in school. People definitely all have some knowledge of what happens to sea animals and plastics that are thrown out into the ocean. However, I feel like there was never a huge initiative to actually do something about the amount being discarded into the oceans and frankly, some people just don’t care enough. However, recent news of big companies such as Starbucks getting rid of plastic straws is definitely a sign that people are starting to understand how badly our environmental situations are, and I think it’s important to keep up this momentum of positive change.
“Ainu Success: the Political and Cultural Achievements of Japan’s Indigenous Minority”
Reading about some of these Ainu artists’ struggle with balancing their performance of Ainu music between a more traditional and contemporary take, highlights their challenge in what is the ‘correct’ way to express and spread their culture. As Chisato Dubreuil comments, “The rejection of contemporary Ainu art is even more mysterious… it’s my belief that if Ainu art is not allowed to naturally evolve, it supports the Japanese discriminatory position that the Ainu are a backward people incapable of fine art.” I think as important as it is to preserve the traditional aspect of the Ainu culture, it is just as important to support naturally evolving the culture. Chisato Dubreuil has a point and especially since the main emphasis is to keep the culture alive. A culture that is ‘alive’ is constantly changing, rather than forcing it to be preserved and looking at it as only a part of history. I think a more interactive website that showcases the history of the Ainu would be more engaging to audiences rather than reading a research paper/article. Additionally, I think it’s important to showcase a combination of art and music styles of the Ainu people, such as traditional and contemporary.