How can experiencing information be poetic? What tools are at the forefront of data visualization? Should (ro)bots be designed more like C3PO or Iron Man?

Three Design Science employees spent one week at the 2016 Eyeo Festival, exploring these questions and more with thought-leaders in the information design industry.

The Eyeo Festival examines the rapidly evolving intersection of art, interaction, and information, focusing on innovative techniques while unpacking the ethics of working with deeply personal data. Our Design Director Lindsay attended the conference with Christina, a Design Researcher, and Mahajabin, a Data & Systems Analyst.

The presenters represented a diverse range of figures in the design industry. Paola Antonelli, a senior curator and Director of R&D at the MoMA, explored how design could be analogous to scientific theories. Marek Tuszynski, Creative Director and co-founder of Tactical Technology Collective, examined how our quantified society and processes of self-quantification can affect our ability to own our personal data. Ben Fry, principal of Fathom, discussed how integral a strong sense of curiosity is to an individual’s contribution within a team. Paolo Ciuccarelli, founder and scientific director of DensityDesign Research Lab, addressed the importance of storytelling and designing data experiences as a progressive step beyond the visual representation of data.

At Design Science, we are in the business of making data accessible. By exploring methods for automating data collection, we can focus on crafting innovative deliverables that communicate effectively with our clients.

This post was edited by Matthew Cavanagh.