Dear Data is an interesting analog visualization project which might be considered straddles between art and design, and embodies digital humanities within a so-called "data humanism" manifesto.

1. From Data Visualization to Data Humanism:
Dear Data as a Case Study in Digital
Humanities
Raquel Herrera UPF/UOC, Tecnologías de acumulación, UB, 23/11/2017

2. RESEARCH
on
Narrative +
Digital Art
TRANSLATOR
of Artnodes,
How to do
things with art
STUDIED
ART + COM
(PhD)
Who am I?

3. What is my presentation about?
DEAR
DATA
analog visualization project straddling
between art and design
connection to recent data-based
exhibitions
example of the (digital) Data Humanism
movement

4. Why Dear Data?
The coordinators looked for a Communication
expert to help students optimize their
infographics through digital platforms.
I decided to look for a good case study on
Communication + Infographics
Dear Data appeared to be the best example
for that. We’ll see WHY.

5. Why Dear Data?

6. Data on
Dear Data
52 weeks of
postcards with
personal data

7. Data on
Dear Data
A 300-hundred
page book

8. PLATFORM DATA
GOOGLE 4,300,000 “DEAR DATA” RESULTS
TUMBLR All 52 weeks postcards in detail, to be
easily shared online
FACEBOOK More than 1,600 likes
TWITTER More tan 7,600 followers +
#deardata mentions
INSTAGRAM Almost 4,4000 followers +
Almost 1,300 #deardata mentions
DIGITAL EXTENSIONS (as of 18/11/17)
The designers accounts also participate in this dissemination process.
DEARDATAPOSTBOX
ACCOUNT

9. Data on
Dear Data
An ever-growing
community of
followers and
adopters (both on its
website and on
Facebook).

10. Data on
Dear Data
Dear Data
based
projects

11. Data on Dear Data
Public presentations
in relevant
conferences and
events

12. Why does Dear Data straddle between
art and design?
ART
 It is not a commercial assignment
(but what if it had a been a
commission?)
It is based on mundane (not
newsworthy) information.
It generates community.
In 2017, it was added to MOMA’s
permanent collection.
DESIGN
Utilizes representation
structures which adhere to
information design principles.
 As such, it fosters replicability.
 It has been prominently
featured at information
technology events.

13. How does Dear Data connect to other
recent data-based exhibitions?

14. DEAR DATA was actually part of Bing Bang
Data in its Somerset House iteration.
However, it had a life before and after this
collective exhibition

16. How does Dear Data connect to other
recent data-based exhibitions?
 GLOBALIZATION: PEOPLE TRAVEL, DATA TRAVEL
 EMERGENT PATTERNS: THERE IS MORE THAN DATA THAN MEETS
THE EYE
 STORYTELLING: DATA TELL STORIES
 DUALITY: INFOGRAPHICS AND VISUALIZATIONS ARE IMAGES AND
TEXTS
DEMOCRATIZATION: ANYONE CAN CREATE, MANAGE AND UPLOAD
THEIR OWN DATA, BUT… TO WHAT END?

17. Is Dear Data opposing or comparing
itself to another data-based trend?
Y/N

18. What might be the end goal of
these projects?
QUANTIFIED SELF
Is based on self-tracking devices.
 Is curiosity turned into
obsession.
 Self-control allows for self-
discipline, self-management and
improvement (“Human bodies
are to be forever perfected”.)
DIGITAL HUMANISM
Data is a (byproduct of) people.
 If we understand our data we will
have a better understanding of
ourselves.
 Digital humanities are not afraid of
combining technology with a cultural
approach (“Humanity is to be
embodied elsewhere” other than the
body.)

19.  “To actually understand data… we need to…
see through them (….).”
 “[Data] are never the real thing.”
 [Regarding the US 2016 presidential election]
“We believed in data, but what happened… is that
the obsesssion to reduce everything to two simple
percentage numbers to make a powerful headline
made us focus on these two digits and them
alone.”
 “We somehow forgot that there were stories,
stories of human beings behind these numbers.”
What might be the end goal of
Dear Data as a
digital humanities project?

21.  DATA HUMANISM advocates
for the people behind the data.
 TELL + STORIES are the key
action and term to summarize a
more emotional approach to
our data.
However, this approach
demands more considerations
from an artistic perspective…
EMOTIONS AS MARKETING
THE DEPTHS OF SELF-EXPOSURE
TECHNOLOGY AS PRIVILEGE
What might be the end goal of Dear Data as a digital humanities project?

22. Are there other ongoing digital
projects to follow its lead?
CULTURAL ANALYTICS PROJECTS THINKING MACHINES EXHIBITION

23. THANK YOU! CONTACT: raquel.herrera@gmail.com