Capstone — Week 4

A Physical Visualization Exploration

In “Week 3” I was back to blending and refining data. It is an ongoing task that I continue to compile. I expect to finish this stretch within the next few weeks, or at least I hope.

In speaking with my Capstone professor on the project, we discussed potential evolutions for the physical visualization.

A New Kind of Yoga Mat

I believe in “Week 2,” I mentioned the 2D relief prototype as well as a variation in the form of a yoga blanket which is a regularly used prop in yoga. The idea is to have the visualization woven into and make up the blanket. Conceptually, the blanket holds the history of the yogi’s practice with the data visualization, and both the blanket and practice history energetically support the yogi in the present practice. However, it was pointed out that the yogi may not regularly see the visualization, so an alternative was suggested, a yoga mat.

And in the spirit of audience interactivity, can the visualization on the yoga mat develop at the hand of the user? Can the yogi piece together the visualization over time? What might that look like?

I envisioned it like piecing together a jigsaw puzzle of interlocking pieces, maybe like a child’s foam play mat or gym interlocking mats with notched edges. Or the titles could have smooth edges. The yoga mat may begin in a single neutral color of interchangeable tiles that the yogi can replace, tile by tile, after each practice in a new color or pattern to represent different aspects of the practice.

It would need to be a double-layer system. The bottom layer supports and keeps together the top layer of tiles. Maybe it works like touch fasteners (like Velcro), maybe something similar to the ruggable.com rugs.

Potential Setbacks

The tile seams would need to be flawless and smooth to avoid intrusive ridges. The bottom layer would need to firmly hold the tiles while also being giving to allow removal and replacement of tiles. (Would this be durable and longlating?) The layers would need to be thin enough when combined as a bulky mat can throw off the balance of a yogi and make it more difficult to practice. And the materials may be too costly overall for an appealing buy-in. Standard quality yoga mats already are pricey.

However…

The Yoga Rug

An alternative to the modern mat is its predecessor, the yoga rug, a woven mat that would allow for the integration of the data visualization and for it to be visible throughout a yoga practice. However, this may limit the audiences’ interactivity. Or it may just change it. Maybe instead of making it practice by practice, it is a pattern provided to the yogi based on data s/he provides. This may limit the audience to more crafty users. Or maybe interactivity is simply the process of providing the data and selecting data point characteristics. Hmm.

This leads to…

The Design Kit

A kit was also discussed, the parts the audience uses to make some of the above possible or another 3D form. This is certainly something to ponder. But basically, the idea is to allow users to pick and choose what data points they want to follow and the characteristics for each category. I foresee providing a predetermined list of potential data points categories (a practice takes place, time of day, type, intention etc.) and a list of characteristics that can be assigned to each data point (color, pattern, shape, etc.). This empowers the user to further personalize and visualize their experience.

Aside—More Thoughts on Translating the Data

My timely work in compiling prototyping data was already leading me towards the idea of a design kit—at least for me as a designer to ideate.

I was thinking about the data logged to date and how that data might become more accessible to translate into the physical. Standardizing may be a key. Refining data from 27, 34, 167 minutes practice duration to categories of time—0–30 minutes, 31–60 minutes, 61–90 minutes and so on. And instead of practice times 11:37 a.m or 6:43 p.m., it would be morning, afternoon, evening and late evening categories. Further categories may benefit from this refining. This may allow for easier assigning of characteristics per data category. And it may allow the combining of more varied data points into a unified visualization form.

So more to think about, though I have already started standardizing the data this way. And it would be beneficial for the design kit concept.