Interaction Design Wiki ･ Data Literacy and Visualisation

Interactive Visualization 2019

Bildergebnis für crowtherlab

Plants for the climate

One way to do something about the rapid climate change is to plant a tree. Or more precisely: 1.2 trillion trees. By creating a network of ecologists across the world, and tying their information together with machine learning models, the Crowther Lab has mapped the entire global forest system, and in doing so has been able to quantify a climate change mitigation solution for the very first time. There are 3 trillion trees on the planet. But more importantly, there is room for 1.2 trillion more, and the results show exactly which parts of the world we need to focus reforestation efforts on. Using this information, reforestation could have a major impact on climate change. The Crowther Lab has a holistic approach in understanding the ecological processes. Simone Bucher van Ligten

Briefing

For the exhibition RETHINKING CREATIVITY, we develop a playful and creative interaction where visitors can learn more about the carbon cycle, and understand the effect of reforestation on the climate. Research data is visualised and facilitated through the engagement of the visitor. Using the interactive maps developed by the Crowther lab, visitors predict how the carbon cycle and climate will change under increasing human pressure, and how we might restore earth’s ecosystems in the fight against climate change. By using these visualised data, by interacting and playing, the visitor becomes part of the global ecosystem and the worldwide reforestation project. At the same time, they experience the haptic, emotional and aesthetic effect of plants, tapping into the natural fascination humans have for forests. This exhibit should both instil hope and inspire action.

Just as an example: One could build in a gaming challenge in one or the other form, where the visitor plants as many trees as possible by accomplishing a task. Or they have to use their imagination and creativity to find new spots for reforestation. Or they detect the best places for reforestation. Or one could build the game around the numbers: theoretically, there are 400 trees per person, now you have to increase this number in a certain amount of time, etc.

The interaction could and should be more than only a virtual simulation, but a mixture of a physical, haptic experience, combined with virtual elements. Simone Bucher van Ligten

5 key messages

  1. Forests play a huge role in regulating the climate
  2. The climate is changing - if we continue business as usual, the area of the world's forests will shrink.
  3. Increasing forest cover will be a critical tool in combating climate change. (We estimate 0.9 billion hectares can drawdown 2/3’s of anthropogenic carbon in the atmosphere.)
  4. There are many other benefits to forest - it’s not just about carbon drawdown but also air filtration, water cleanliness, wider biodiversity.
  5. There are many ways for citizens to get involved - restore, fund, invest responsibly.


Setting

Time Period

6th of November – 29th of November 2019

Cooperation Partner

ETH Zürich / Crowther Lab 

Lecturers

Jürgen Späth | juergen.spaeth@zhdk.ch
Martin Dušek | martin.dusek@zhdk.ch

Students

01 Sophie Anderhub 02 Damaris Büchner 03 Andreas Bütler 04 Roman Engler 05 Fabian Fry 06 Tim Fuchs 07 Andreas Fürer 08 Pascal Jeker 09 Andy Kirk 10 Yao Liu 11 Sonjoi Nielsen 12 Shafira Maharani Nabiila Nugroho 13 Anurag Rao 14 Paméla Schmidinger 15 Yangzom Sharlhey 16 Danuka Ana Tomas 17 Tamara Trabucca 18 Zoë Urand

Groups

We will work in groups of 2x5 and 2x4 students. 


Project phases

Week 1 (CW45) – Explore, Requirements Gathering, Data Literacy

The explore phase is our hard drive for all relevant information about our users and their needs as well as the general context in which our application is embedded. Trends & Technology, Competitor, Facts, User, Needs, Insights etc.

Week 2 (CW46) – Design Concept, Storytelling

In this phase, the visual concept and storytelling for the overall installation are developed. What do visitors see when they approach the installation and nobody interacts? How are they asked to interact? What can visitors influence by interacting with an input object? What influence does it have if several visitors interact at the same time? What kind of content should the visualization convey? What kind of information or message can the viewer draw from the visualization?

Inspiration

Week 3 (CW47) – Visualization, Microinteraction

In the third week you create and define the visualization and microinteractions.

Week 4 (CW48) – Prototyping

Working prototype which shows the most relevant screens and the microinteractions.


Resources

Videos

Optional

  • Environmental activists Greta Thunberg and George Monbiot have helped produce a short film​ highlighting the need to protect, restore and use nature to tackle the climate crisis.

Reading

Recommended

(The videos above summarise these two technical papers so please do not feel intimidated by them!)

Optional

Maps

Materials for visualization

Books

Websites

Podcasts

Materials Crowther Lab 

Publications after sending out their paper

Videos

Corporate Identity

Deliverables

See the IAD documentation guidelines for the standard material.

All deliverables have to be uploaded to the filer until Monday 02.12.2019 at 9 am.

Grading

Grades will be based on final presentation, final work, deliverables.

Time table

Below is a list of the dates in this module. In the bold appointments, we will all meet together, while the underlined appointments are individual meetings. The brightly marked fields represent the focus of these days.

W1

Monday 4.11.

Tuesday 5.11.

Wednesday 6.11.

Thursday 7.11.

Friday 8.11.


Theorie
Explore, Requirements GatheringExplore, Requirements GatheringTheory


Data Literacy (4.K11)
08.30–10.30
TG


Kick-Off (4.T33)
09.00–12.00
JS, MD, SB

Data Literacy (5.G02)
09.00–11.00
TG

Data Literacy (5.D01)
09.00–16.00
TG




self-studyCrowther Lab (Universitätsstrasse 16)
15.00–17.00
JS, MD		self-study

W2


Tuesday 12.11.

Wednesday 13.11.

Thursday 14.11.

Friday 15.11.



Design Concept, StorytellingDesign Concept, StorytellingDesign Concept, StorytellingTheory



Kick-Off Design Concept, Storytelling (6.F01)
09.00–10.00
JS

Mentoring (4.K22-1)
10.00–12.00
JS, MD

Input table (5.G02)
09.00–10.30
FB, LF

Mentoring (4.K22-1)
09.00–12.00
JS, MD, TG

Data Literacy (5.D01)
09.00–16.00
TG



Input storytelling (room tba)
13.00–13.45
SB

self-study

Atelier visit
13.00–17.00
JS, MD		self-studyself-study

W3


Tuesday 19.11.

Wednesday 20.11.

Thursday 21.11.

Friday 22.11.



VisualizationVisualizationVisualizationVisualization



Kick-Off Visualization (4.T07)
09.00–10.00
JS

Mentoring (4.K22-1)
10.00–12.00
JS, MD

self-study

Mentoring (4.K22-1)
09.00–12.00
JS, MD, TG

self-study



self-studySchulterblick (4.K22-1)
14.00–17.00
JS, MD, SB, TL, TW etc.		self-studySchulterblick (4.K22)
14.00–18.00

W4


Tuesday 26.11.

Wednesday 27.11.

Thursday 28.11.

Friday 29.11.



PrototypingPrototypingPrototypingDocumentation


Mentoring (4.K22-1)
09.00–12.00
JS, MD, TG

self-studyself-study

self-study



self-studyAtelier visit (4.K22-1)
13.00–17.00
JS, MD		Final Presentation (4.K22-1)
14.00–17.00
JS, MD, SB, TL, TW etc.		Alumni Seminar
14.00–18.00

JS: Jürgen Späth, MD: Martin Dušek, TG: Timo Grossenbacher, LF: Luke Franzke, FB: Florian Bruggisser, SB: Simone Bucher van Ligten (ETH Global), TL: Tara Lasrado (Crowtherlab), TW: Elliott Thomas William (Crowtherlab)



Notes regarding meeting with Crowther Lab, 7.11.19

Questions to ask:







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