Today was the first workshop in the new Unit 1 workshop block.
The aim of the session was that the students
understand
- the difference between data and information
- some of the ways to organise data to create information
- the challenges and benefits of group work
- how to manage different perspectives
apply
- L.A.T.C.H as a theory and a method
Creative Attributes: Agility, Communication, Connectivity and Curiosity
Workshop Process
Context
I began by introducing data / information / knowledge as three definitions and as a sequence of events. I used the London Underground as an example, looking at the tube as a data set, telling them about the 74,000+ individual descriptions it describes.
Students were really engaged here. Some commented that they had never considered how much information the map conveyed or the idea of the map as data.
Discussion
I then showed early versions of the tube map and then with the modern day tube map. I asked students to name the visual devices being used to improve the display both maps as aI introduced them.
It was interesting here to observe a negotiation on terminology. Students were reticent to say the wrong thing or use the wrong term. I realised that there a constant value to affirming students own ways of knowing and helping bridge them to more generally used terms.
Practice
I then showed them various practice-based examples of data and visualisation, asking them to decipher the story being told and the visual devices being used.
This was an experiment. I wanted to see what would come out of this process if I introduced it before LATCH. It draws out what the students already tacitly understand before introducing the theory to back it up. It’s a good confidence builder and it gets them sharing.
Definitions
We discussed the differences between qualitative and quantitive data and how both can be ordered and visualised.
This felt a bit abstract here, it would probably benefit from being introduced later with the postcards, or perhaps not at all. Is it even required for a session which uses no quantitative data at all? Need to reconsider
Theory
I then introduced LATCH theory by Richard Saul Wurman.
Saul, R., 1989. Information Anxiety. Bantam Doubleday Dell Publishing Group.
Just as a side note, love the moment where I tell them there’s only 5 ways to organise information. It’s like a revelation. You feel a collective sigh!
Activity #1
I asked them to divide into five groups and gave them a pile of 40 old postcards each and a single letter from the LATCH anagram on a Postit. I asked them to organize the postcards in relation to their category, editing down to six postcards each time. I then asked them to photograph the readings.
Here, I noticed that my verbal instructions were not clear enough, multiple groups required clarification. The task would have benefitted from a visual instruction alongside the verbal. Readings was also a terrible choice of term as I hadn’t introduced the idea at all. It made the task sound so complex. “Take a photo” would have done.
Critique
I then gave them some time to consider each groups work. I asked them to stand next to the ones they felt were most effective. I invited them to share with the group why they felt these were good.
They were really reticent to share at first. Again there was a nervousness around language and communication. The more confident students filled the gaps but then I invited a few students to share.
Reflection
We discussed the most effective first and then moved to the others. I made a few simple adjustments in layout to improve the communication and invited them to reflect on why I might have made those choices.
This was useful and many students realised that it was not their choice of data but their display that was not working. There were lots of ‘Ah ha!” moments. It also built their confidence as they all correctly guessed why I had made certain choices.
Activity #2
I then asked gave the group a new letter and asked them to do the task again but using two variables. So the group that had Hierarchy the first time now had Category + Hierarchy.
Instructions this time seemed to be clearer. Perhaps because students were now familiar with the idea and it was essentially the same process with one add dimension.
Critique
I again gave them some time to consider each groups work and once again asked them to stand next to the ones they felt were most effective. The groups clustered around two in particular. We repeated the same process as before.
Reflection
We finished by recapping what we had set out to achieve. I asked the students if they felt they had achieved that, they answered din the positive. I asked them to share anything else they felt they had learned in the session. Group work, reflection and working under pressure came up as themes. The atmosphere was really positive.
I asked them to record the workshop activities for their afternoon workshop and their reflective journal. I left them enthusiastically having a mini-photoshoot.
Personal reflection on the session
The method here felt clear and the students seem to gain a lot from the session.. I felt the real value was in the fact of it being a group activity. Being the first week, this was a great chance for students to get to know each other and see the range of perspectives on the course. There’s varying levels of confidence in the group but the activities felt new enough to them all that there was clear collaboration and negotiation. I felt like their understanding developed much better through the group activities than by me explaining things. I challenged myself to give ‘just enough’ information and instruction and let them negotiate the rest and I think it paid off.
The room set up was OK but I worry about the size of the room in relation to the group for future workshops. it gets crowded very quickly. Anything process any type of waste or mess is going to require a lot of support.
Student reflection on the session
Agility
“By making us work in groups the workshop exposed us to different perspectives. It was very interesting to see how my teammates approached organising the same data so differently. It helped me understand the importance of making choices under pressure.”
Communication
“I felt most distant when I can not understand some vocabularies of questions.”
“I really like how the workshop combine academic information and practical application. At first, I also felt overwhelmed with the random postcards provided. However, working within the group, I was able to differentiate each terms with my own words.”
Connectivity
“The classifications of other students are very interesting. Some of the students used the information on the back of the card, which inspired me to fully research and use the material. My classmates’ work has given me a lot of motivation and inspiration.”
“The entire session was very engaging and collaborative.”
Curiosity
“It was really interesting to see not only how my brain organizes information, but also how everyone elses does too. Not only that, it gave me some insight on whether or not my organisation process is clear to someone not involved in it.”
“It was really impressed me and gave me some new understanding of data and information. The process of group works made me feel the meaning of reorganized information deeply and gradually.”
“I think the workshop is aimed to let us know the importance of organization, and how results may differ through different organizing methods. This is very useful since it’s designer’s job to find out the most effective way to communicate with the audience. “
“I’ve done my fair share of design projects, but not once did I try and figure out a clear structure. I’ve just always followed my instinct, or what felt right to me. This workshop made me go back to every project I’ve done to think if there was a better and clearer way to do”
“Something I learned through the workshop is, that blind spots can still occur when applying a method and that it is therefore important to question one’s perspective. Finding a balance between method and subjectivity is something that clearly makes the task of structuring data challenging but at the same time all the more interesting.”