No way round it

When people enter data:room by occursus for the first time, the question is almost always the same: ‘Urs, great space — but what does it have to do with data?’ Often followed by: ‘I thought there would be more data here.’ That is where things become interesting. The question shows how far we remain from widespread data literacy. Many people imagine data as something visual that can be projected on to walls.

Admittedly, that was my original idea too: a space where data about particular questions could be visualised and explored interactively. Something like Minority Report, playful, with AI glasses and other gadgets. Until the first data visualisation specialist wrote, rather dryly: ‘Great idea for a data room! Please send all the available data for the case.’ Our response was: ‘Erm … we haven’t got any.’ At least, not the sort needed to start working immediately. We did, however, have a very large collection of studies and reports as PDFs.

The decisive change in perspective came from the architects at Studio SAAL — a good example of working across disciplines. They suggested that the point was not to put attractive data displays on walls. It was to create somewhere people could discuss data: a place they wanted to visit and consider how past data might be interpreted to develop pictures of the future. That needs a good atmosphere and good hosting, rather than data on the walls that is already out of date by the time it is viewed.

That is how the data:room came into being, together with an approach focused primarily on dialogue between people about data, rather than on displaying it.

Why does this matter — and why is it so difficult to explain?

That question keeps occupying me. I catch myself reaching too quickly for a simple, neatly marketable answer: a sales pitch, Dragons’ Den-style.

Perhaps that is the mistake. Questions like these do not have a sales pitch, certainly not one for would-be television investors. Complex questions take time and genuine engagement. There is no single answer, but many.

There is no way round it: keep going and be patient. Nittluggloh — do not give up.