Interactive data narrative : designing for public engagement

Interactive data narrative, or the crafting of interactive online stories based upon new or existing data, has grown dramatically over the last several years. Data is increasingly available through such mechanisms as embedded sensor networks, remote sensing, and mobile data collection platforms. The affordances of mobile computing and increasing internet access enable widespread-and often citizen-powered-data collection initiatives. This proliferation of data raises the challenge of translating data into compelling and actionable stories. New data collection and online storytelling strategies foster a mode of communication that can reveal complexities, time-based shifts, and arcane patterns with regard to newly available geolocated data. This thesis investigates interactive storytelling as a mode of communicating data and analyzes trends and opportunities for future innovation. Surveying the field and analyzing specific projects lays the foundation for a design intervention for adding a narrative layer to geolocated, citizen-collected data.

Department dc:contributor.department

Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Program in Comparative Media Studies/Writing

Grantor dc:publisher

Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Year dc:date.issued

2015

Author dc:creator

• Craig, Heather (Heather Hult)

Advisor dc:contributor.advisor

• Ethan Zuckerman.

• Comparative Media Studies.

Statement dc:rights

• M.I.T. theses are protected by copyright. They may be viewed from this source for any purpose, but reproduction or distribution in any format is prohibited without written permission. See provided URL for inquiries about permission.

Licence dc:rights.uri

• http://dspace.mit.edu/handle/1721.1/7582

Language dc:language.iso

eng

Handle dc:identifier.uri

http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/97993

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:dspace.mit.edu:1721.1/97993