Data
Data is intertwined in many aspects of everyday life. It is connected to people, things and organisations, forming a data ecology. Think of this course as a sort of safari through ‘data-land’, observing the various sources and uses for data. In the end, discover how data plays an important role as a material in the design process.
This course is about understanding data, seeing it as a new design material and using it in responsible ways.
Develop a technical, social and ethical understanding of what data is. Learn how products and services can be shaped by data as a design material. Zoom out to see the systemic view of data as part of a complex ecology that involves different stakeholders. Explore the transdisciplinary nature of data.
Work on a design case based on a societal challenge. Consider different types of data and then map out a data ecology involving relevant stakeholders, needs and values. Reflect on the ethical implications of the data being used. Learn to formalise data and create visualisations that are insightful and useful in forming hypotheses. Bring it all together to produce a design proposal based on data.
Ultimately, it’s about preparing designers to use data to empower rather than exploit people, helping to shape the future in responsible ways.
This course is directly applicable to Design Project 3 and any project where data is part of the design process.
Course Coordinator's perspective
“I hope at the end of this course students feel like they understand and can work with data, that it is demystified. It’s about making data tangible for them and workable in a design project. I want them to see data as a design material in its different ways, different angles, different perspectives.”
Marco Rozendaal