Forming Perspectives on
Data Privacy and Biases
Design Research and Strategy,
2020
One of the complex problems in our society today: the massive proliferation of data and, with it, the accelerated impact of AI human co-evolution. To comprehend the impact we need to understand how the data ecosystem works and what are the implications of mishandled data.
The Problem
Users detached from their data ecosystem and find it hard to relate to the importance of data privacy and algorithmic biases
The Solution
Data Design Lab- a lab connnects users with experts to co-create informative and reflective data-oriented projects
My Role
Independent capstonne
COVID and Technology-
The project started with questioning and reflecting on my relationship with the devices that I've been using, especially after COVID-19 happened - when we were forced to move our lives indoors and online, and depend on our technological devices to conduct human-to-human interactions.
Through this project, I wanted to uncover the potential of data, our dependency on technology, and how healthy is our relationship with it.
Process-
To understand this relationship, we first needed to comprehend the big data ecosystem and its consequential vertigo. We started by asking questions like what does trust and privacy mean to people? what is the first thing that comes to mind when I say technology? This ethnographic research challenges the existing statistics, which points towards a general lack of trust in technology.
Ethnographic Research; mixed-method; Organic conversations; Observations; Blurred for confidentiality purpose
Mental Model learnings-
Through organic conversations and observations, we understand the truth of the symptoms and the underlying issues that fuel them. Here are some key learnings:
A clear division of learning is the cause of anxiety in the end-users.
The uncertainty and complexity found in the data ecosystem, makes the user feel not in control.
Overtime developers tend to lose the sense that data represents real life.
Digital products, services, and representation form a considerable chunk of the user's identity.
"I found that it's sometimes easier to just ignore things when you cannot handle them because it gets overwhelming, and that's the case with data and privacy too."
"If you start thinking all the places your data could go, you'd go crazy!"
"We generally do not have any conversation with the consumers who're using our products."
"You'd have to dig deep into the policy and searches to find out about your own data."
Aditya, NYC
Diana, NYC
Anxious, Overwhelmed, sense of forced trust, the role of personal identity and devices
Out of touch with users and their reality
Symptoms
Symptoms
Lack of control which stems from lack of knowledge
No connection with the users
Core Issue
Core Issue
Designing against
Dark UX Patterns
Data commodification
Data/ Information Exhibition
Data Design Lab (DDL)-
To cultivate a human-centric learning environment, this project is molded into a lab- Data Design Lab, founded on the principles of humans and their identity at the center and designing ways to humanize technology using research and arts-led approach.
Why Data Design Lab-
Whenever asked about data privacy, users tended to mix it with secrecy. They say things like, 'I am kind of laid back with privacy, maybe because I'm like an open book, I've got nothing to hide, it is unlike my character.' It is important to separate the concept of privacy from secrecy and simplify the layers of complexity the data ecosystem brings in. It is also essential to communicate this issue in a language that is digestible for users in every spectrum.
Data received from Instagram; indigestible for most users; a mismatched interaction
Lab Structure-
Data Design Lab is the parent project, with multiple child projects under it. We started by Visualizing Voxels, which focuses on leveraging the power of data viz tools. We're exploring visualizing complex subjects like identity, privacy, and biases through this section.
Another vertical in the funnel is to explore co-creating workshops and data knowledge.
Visualizing Voxels-
Data Portraits (WIP)-
Visual design has the power to instantly reach out to places in our subconscious without the mediation of language and with its inherent ability to convey a large amount of structured or unstructured information across cultures. Visualization voxels represent learning and caring through visualization tools.
Inspired by Giorgia Lupi's take on Data Humanism, Data Portraits are phygital self-portraits that would make you reflect on your behaviors/ habits and your online self.
It tries to do that by leveraging the complexity of humans and recognizing the power to make choices that work best for them. It conveys a slowness- a goal to set in our era of ever-shortening attention spans and increased dependency on our tech.
