Scientists develop workshop playbook for turning data into sound
Researchers have created a replicable method for converting complex data into audio displays—a technique that could make information more accessible to blind workers and reduce reliance on visual dashboards. The approach, tested with both experts and novices, offers a practical blueprint for industries from energy to healthcare seeking alternative ways to monitor real-time information.
Originaltitel: Connecting sound to data: sonification workshop methods with expert and non-expert participants
<p>Sonification and sonic interaction design aim to create meaningful displays and digital interactions using data and information from the most disparate fields (astronomy, finance, health, security, for example) as the basis of the design. To date there are no standards and conventions on how to meaningfully link data to sound, therefore designers develop these connections on a case-by-case basis. Participatory workshops which target end-users and domain experts are a way for sound designers to find meaningful connections between data and sounds at the start of the design process so that final outcomes are more likely to be effective and accepted by users.In this paper, we present and discuss the participatory workshop methods we have developed within the \textit{Sound for Energy} project. In particular, we will highlight the aspects that can be easily transferable to other target domains. With this, we contribute to the effort of making sonification and sonic interaction design a more viable and accepted alternative to traditional, usually visual, displays.</p>