Screengrab from visualcomplexity.com

There was an excellent essay at The Millions this week on the the infographic / data visualization boom, entitled This Chart Is a Lonely Hunter: The Narrative Eros of the Infographic. It’s a long read and full of links you’ll want to follow, so give yourself plenty of time to consume it.

Money quote:

[As] futurist George Dyson points out, while our access to raw information has grown exponentially, our time to process this information has declined rapidly, which has placed an unprecedented premium on the act of meaning-making.  Since we no longer have the time (or at least we don’t grant ourselves the time) to generate our own analysis, sift through the evidence, or weigh competing narratives, we find ourselves inevitably looking for shortcuts. And given a) our brain’s preference for the visual and b) the current complexity of our world, we’ve learned that the very best shortcuts usually come in graphical form, preferably with lots of arrows, preferably with some kind of interactive element that makes us feel like we too are actively crunching the data. Consequently, we’ve given today’s visual storytellers considerable power: for better or worse, they are the new meaning-makers, the priests of shorthand synthesis. We’re dependent on these priests to scrutinize, bundle, and produce beautiful information for us so that we can have our little infogasm and then retweet the information to our friends.

Another:

A large part of the infographic’s intrinsic appeal seems to lie in its visual reductionism of complex information. Reductionism itself is not inherently bad—in fact, it’s an essential part of any kind of synthesis, be it mapmaking, journalism, particle physics, or statistical analysis. The problem arises when the act of reduction—in this case rendering data into an aesthetically elegant graphic—actually begins to unintentionally oversimplify, obscure, or warp the author’s intended narrative, instead of bringing it into focus.

Meeker left Morgan Stanley to become a partner at Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers in 2010.

Her Internet Trends report shared at this weeks Web 2.o Conference demonstrate much of what we’d expect, but support emerging trends with hard data.  The report does reveal surprises that dispel myths around usage, and adoption of internet properties globally in the macro-online world and within mobile. Top trends to consider from our perspective  include:

1) THE GLOBAL WEB: Debunking the US/Western centric perception of web usage, Meekers data demonstrates that 81% of usage of top internet properties comes from users outside the US.  From 2007-2010 China, India, Nigeria, Russia and Iran added more internet users in 2012 that the U.S.  Users in developing world markets exceed time spent on social networks, with US placing 12th behind Israel, Argentina, Turkey, Chile, Russia, Phillipines, Venezuala, Columbia, Canada and Peru.

2) US, ASIA, EU (and Italy) 3G MOBILITY:  US leads in #G mobile adoption, followed by Japan, Korea, China.   Italy, UK, Germany, Spain…followed by Brazil and Indonesia rounding out the Top 10.    There remains huge upside and uptick in the smartphone market (835MM Smartphone Subs vs. 5.6B Mobile Phone Subs globally).

3) MOBILE ADVERTISING/MOBILE UTILITY IS RAMPING QUICKLY WORLDWIDE: Global ad impressions purchased in mobile by September 2011 reached 250 billion. Expected 2011 revenue from Mobile apps (12B) exceeded that from Mobile advertising (<5B) proving that use-fullness and engagement  trumps messaging alone.  Overall online ad revenues are increasing and will continue to do so.  Global internet revenue is expected to reach 73B worldwide in 2011.

4) EMERGING IMPORTANCE OF USER INTERFACE, SOUND AND “DIGITAL PRINT”: These could emerge as the most impactful content and development areas for brands and marketers?  Apple’s adoption of Siri, traditional print finding it’s sealegs within tablets support this trend.  Image, voice and video recognition technologies will support new advancements in these areas.

[Access the full presentation below]

KPCB Internet Trends (2011)

Rather than thinking of themselves as setting the agenda and managing the conversation, news organisations need to recognise that journalism is now just part of a conversation that is going on anyway, argues Jeff Jarvis, a media guru at the City University of New York. The role of journalists in this new world is to add value to the conversation by providing reporting, context, analysis, verification and debunking, and by making available tools and platforms that allow people to participate. All this requires journalists to admit that they do not have a monopoly on wisdom. “Ten years ago that was a terribly threatening idea, and it still is to some people,” says Mr Rusbridger. “But in the real world the aggregate of what people know is going to be, in most cases, more than we know inside the building.” (Emphasis added)

Substitute “researchers” for journalists (and “available data” for conversation) that sounds a lot like a possible MR future.

Does this mean we get to wear those cool hats?

Linking to the site via Facebook Connect grants Intel access not only to your photos, links, films, friendship and location details, but also your friends’ information and posts to your wall. It then mines this information to build a personalised film, starring you and your Facebook buddies. Presented as a journey through a gallery, the film showcases top friends, a gallery of photographs, video screens showcasing films and a wall hosting top words and phrases posted on your wall.

While many early comments have seen the piece as a warning against oversharing on the social network, the resulting film is actually beautiful. Backed by stirring music, it reinforces the point that information, images and footage posted to Facebook aren’t throwaway comments or temporary gestures, but can be retained for posterity – in a positive way as much as a negative way.

Originating from the Asia Pacific region, the work builds on Intel’s previous creative, artistic and social campaigns, such as The Creator’s Project and Visual Life, reinforcing the brand’s position as an enabler.

http://www.intel.com/museumofme/

Source: Contagious

Image credit: vitroid via Flickr

A recent blog post entitled The Molecules of Media, by John V Willshire (Chief Innovation Officer at PHD UK), applied the metaphor of the three states of matter — solid, liquid and gas — to the changing media landscape. This idea got me thinking about how the same metaphor applies to data, and the changing landscape of market research.

But first, a quick synopsis of the original idea as applied to media:

Media used to be solid — sold in fixed, rigid units that the media owners controlled. The internet turned up the heat and made media liquid. Media owners have less control; consumers can dip in and take what they want and avoid what they don’t. Media owners try to re-solidify media, but their world keeps heating up. Here’s where it gets interesting:

But why go against the temperature shift? What happens when you actively heat up your own world?

What happens when liquid turns into gas?

Molecules in a gaseous state travel much further. They become as light as the air itself and float effortlessly through the world.

They start combining with other elements and molecules they bump into, and form new and interesting substances.

This sounds to me a lot like the world of data and market research. In the past, consumer research was sold in fixed chunks with rigid (often black box) methodologies. Today the world has heated up and data is liquid. Companies and brands can employ social listening to dip into this liquid datastream. DIY research tools are on the rise, making it easy for anyone to collect data. And soon data will be a gas — surrounding everything, ubiquitous, universal. What then? The author asks an intriguing question:

How do you make money from gas, though? If it’s everywhere and free, what’s the incentive for people to pay for it?

His answer, while in the context of media, is exactly right for data as well, I think: Don’t sell the gas (data). Sell vessels that make the gas (data) useful. Things that:

• hold the gas (data) for people to look at
• make the gas (data) easy to use
• turn the gas (data) into fuel for something
• capture gas (data) effortlessly, making it easy for people to regularly tap into

This is where the world is heading. This is where the innovations lie.

A maturing Facebook.  Over half of users 25 – 55+

The “original” Facebook demographic, 25-34 year no represent significantly smaller segment if users.  They may be moving on to niche networks and abandoning the platform because it’s mainstreamed.

18-24 year old and 35-54 user population are similarly sized and represent the majority population.  Creates a possible retention dillemma for Facebook?  Evolve platform for GenXers ad BabyBoomers or retain younger users?

The Twitter universe of users is largely inactive, with only 10% of profiles active.  However, “Active” does not account for those who passively observe and read vs. participate.

How Google makes innovation part of the cultural fabric, not  a project or a siloed process.

• Democratizing Ideas. Engage “the people.” Have people magnify the mania and become your evangelists. The user is your marketer.
• Gaining Credibility through the right partners:  With finesse of smart salesmanship to make ideas happen.
• Challenging conventions. Question how things should be done (e.g., YouTube and the Guggenheim??)
• Don’t do marketing. Solve problems.
• Know the user. Know the magic. Connect the two. What’s the emotion behind the idea? * taken from Jeffrey Davis’s blog, post his visit to Google Creative Labs.

Rome: 3 Dream’s in Black is an impressive feat with famous musicians including DJ Dangermouse of Gnarls Barkley fame, Jack White and Nora Jones.  For most of us it might appear interesting, but not far from what we expect from video games and animated movies.   The true stunner, is that this was essentially built with web code, “Web GL-JavaScript” and HTML 5.  And.. through a Google Chrome Browser, you can steer and immerse yourself within it.

Amazing.  Say hello to the future, the 3D virtual web experience.

Great stuff under the direction Chris Milk, Google Creative Director, Aaron Koblin and @radical media. More about the project at Mashable.

“Extending the Touchscreen, aims to further this versatility by using conductive materials to construct a series of physical, mechanical, and electrical devices that touch, interact and communicate directly through the touchscreen interface. My goal in constructing these external devices is to make touchscreen interactions more tactile, physical and potentially more expressive and fun.”

Though a far stretch from application to our world of dashboards, data tables, queries, spreadsheets and written reports, it’s an interesting piece to view.  Assuming that when data and knowledge is more immersible and can be navigated  in a “hand’s-on” way  it becomes more understood – perhaps there’s glimpses of the future of reporting interfaces baked within this video piece?   Inspiration for what we might consider as touchscreens and tablets mainstream to make information more relevant, meaningful and useful?

Extending the Touchscreen – ITP Thesis Teaser from Michael Knuepfel on Vimeo.

[via PSFK.com]

Developed by digital production company Mudlark in partnership with Transport for London, Chromaroma takes the data created by the use of London’s travel cards known as Oyster Cards and Bike Hire Keys to create an ambient game billed as ‘Risk meets Foursquare’. In addition to simply registering where a commuter has been on the network, the game records other metrics such as journey time and frequency, and then encourages users to embark on missions (such as ‘Get Off One Stop Early’), collect items, gain points and capture stations. Participants can play on their own and form a team amongst friends.

It’s hoped that through interacting and experiencing their own data, and by taking part in the competitive elements of the game, the experience of the daily grind across the city will be lightened for users – and that a thirst for points based games will encourage them to explore new areas and occasionally opt for a brisk walk over taking the tube.

Whilst the next generation of smartphones are set to have RFID and NFC technology incorporated, London’s Oyster Card system has long featured them and as such provides the perfect tool though which to play the game, being as good as ubiquitous for Londoners and a part of everyday life in the city.

According to Toby Barnes, managing director of Mudlark: ‘We wanted to create a game that didn’t require you to have a smartphone and avoided the culture of mobile oriented check-ins.

‘We also wanted to build a game layer on an existing infrastructure – we asked, “what multipliers could you get out of real life”?’

‘We see Chromaroma as an entertaining and practical way of showing people how they move about a city and showing London how it is used.’

www.chromaroma.com

source – contagious magazine