Designing Palpable Data Representations

Abstract

This paper discusses a multisensory approach to data representation with a specific focus on haptic media. In this, I provide a philosophical and methodological overview of my design process informed by the following themes and topics: 1) the haptic subject; 2) touch as political; 3) co-formed knowledge; and 4) arts-based research methods. The overview is further contextualized by a thorough analysis of collaborative work Vibrant Lives, a 4-year project that includes a suite of unique, custom-designed, vibrotactile interfaces that give audiences a real-time experience of their own personal data output. I continue my analysis by sharing observations from a series of workshops I conducted with haptified archive data. In conclusion, I reflect on issues of user ethics, agency, and control when designing touch-based experiences of data in a multisensory installation setting.