In a human centered design experiment, I had an opportunity to learn about a fellow classmate through data she collected about her studio experience.
The one thing Kait Ayres wants most is to have as much balance in her life as possible. The Data displayed here is a record of how her time is spent (Resting or on the computer) and how she treats her body (with Sweets and workouts).
Displayed here is her data and my own way of interpreting the information I was given. Sure, there are hundreds upon thousands of programs that would synthesize this information in a second, but in taking the time to write out the data, I was able to understand it for myself on a whole new level. This hand made spreadsheet also served as a checklist. Through every iteration I could be as detailed as necessary to make the display accurately reflect Kait's time.
I knew right away the relationship of computer and rest time was important. One took away from the other. I began using the sweets as an indicator for stress after Kait tipped me off that sweets were her stress snacks.
Those two sized circles became the foundation for this basic shape. (I lovingly began calling them blobbies). The size and color both indicated the time spent on either side of the spectrum. After many style iterations I landed on this basic color pallet to reflect Kait's own natural and relaxed demeanor.
After that shape came a handful of data interactions. It was at this point that the work out time Kait recorded was intended to balance out what she had been eating. That is when I learned Kait's intention with all of these variables was to reach some sort of balance in her life.
I found a hidden variable in the time left over in a hypothetical 12 hour day after all her computer and rest time was over. this is the half circle and pendulum shape. But what seemed to reflect Kait's success the most was the four pointed "blob". This way all data points where represented proportionally to one another and did not discount information that Kait felt was important to reaching her goal of balance.
Here are her 26 days of balance. To the right is the weekly average (taken from number of days data was recorded: I.E. 2 days on week one and five and 7 days weeks two, three, and four).
In this visualization is was simple for me to see what days Kait was especially balanced or unbalanced. If that were true I would also be clear to someone with the same goal as Kait. I began to develop a system where a user could record whatever variables they wanted to monitor, choose the scales, and the colors. The program can use apps, and other data sources to develop a blob in real time, or the user could input the data manually as a mindfulness exercise. If a given day, week or year was important to the user they could have the blob 3D printed to served as a reminder to continue the practice and seek out equilibrium.
