In her inaugural lecture, Sabine Niederer presents visual methodologies that take into account the contemporary state of digital images and demonstrates how visualizations may be put to use for collaborative research.
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In this paper we present visual methodologies attuned to the networked nature of digital images. First, we describe approaches to image research in which images are not separated from their network, but rather studied 'en groupe'. Here, we contrast approaches that treat images as data, and those that regard images as content. Second, we focus on the production of images for digital research, presenting three of their functions: a) the creation of diagrams that facilitate collaboration in interdisciplinary research teams; b) the use of visualizations for cross-platform image analysis; and c) designing images for public participation. Most importantly, such visualizations are not used to form the esthetic culmination of analytical work, but are rather functional tools for digital research that serve parts of the entire research process, from its formulation and operationalization to the engagement of a broader public.
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Mapping Microplastics was a first exploratory workshop (part of the Entrepreneurship Program at HvA) with researchers and entrepreneurs to map how the public discourse on microplastics develops on Twitter.The preparation of this workshop followed a hybrid approach in three steps: preliminary mapping, joint interpretation and annotation, map redesign and feedback. The preliminary mapping was performed by designing a query to collect tweets around the topic of Microplastics. To perform the data collection and preliminary analysis we used TCAT (Twitter Capturing and Analysis Toolset), a tool developed by the Digital Methods Initiative at the University of Amsterdam. A set of four maps was designed to address different sub questions through different visual models: networks of hashtags and users, image grids organized by time and frequency, alluvial diagrams and lists of most interacted with tweets. These maps were used in a joint interpretative hybrid session: the visual material was printed and sent to each partner. With the facilitation of designers and researchers, entrepreneurs annotated the printed maps in parallel online sessions.
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To decrease the environmental impact caused by the construction sector, biobased materials need to be further developed to allow better integration and acceptance in the market. Mycelium composites are innovative products, with intrinsic properties which rise the attention of architects, designers and industrial companies. Until now, research has focused on the mechanical properties of mycelium products. The aim has been improving their mechanical strength, to achieve wider application in the construction sector. Alongside this, to introduce mycelium composites to a wider market, the aesthetic experience of the public also needs to be considered. In the context of this proposal, it is argued that users of biobased products can shift their attitudes towards their surroundings by adjusting to the visual aesthetics within their environment or products they surround themselves with (Hekkert, 1997). This can be further attributed to colours which can be experienced as warm or cold, aggressive or inviting, leading to experiences that may include pleasure or displeasure indicating the future success of the bio based product. Mycelium composites can be used as building materials, but also as interior design materials, therefore visible to its user. It is to determine the appropriate methodologies to confer colour to mycelium composites that the companies Impershield and Dorable came together to form the consortium for the present project. The investigated ways are: 1. Through the preliminary colouring of fibres and their use as substrate for mycelium growth 2. The surface treatment of the final product. The Centre of Expertise BioBased Economy (CoEBBE) and the Centre of Applied Research for Art and Design (CARADT) will be guiding the research through their experience with mycelium composites. This project will lay the basis to enhance visual appearance of mycelium composites, with the utilization of natural pigments, natural paints and coatings.
In order to stay competitive and respond to the increasing demand for steady and predictable aircraft turnaround times, process optimization has been identified by Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul (MRO) SMEs in the aviation industry as their key element for innovation. Indeed, MRO SMEs have always been looking for options to organize their work as efficient as possible, which often resulted in applying lean business organization solutions. However, their aircraft maintenance processes stay characterized by unpredictable process times and material requirements. Lean business methodologies are unable to change this fact. This problem is often compensated by large buffers in terms of time, personnel and parts, leading to a relatively expensive and inefficient process. To tackle this problem of unpredictability, MRO SMEs want to explore the possibilities of data mining: the exploration and analysis of large quantities of their own historical maintenance data, with the meaning of discovering useful knowledge from seemingly unrelated data. Ideally, it will help predict failures in the maintenance process and thus better anticipate repair times and material requirements. With this, MRO SMEs face two challenges. First, the data they have available is often fragmented and non-transparent, while standardized data availability is a basic requirement for successful data analysis. Second, it is difficult to find meaningful patterns within these data sets because no operative system for data mining exists in the industry. This RAAK MKB project is initiated by the Aviation Academy of the Amsterdam University of Applied Sciences (Hogeschool van Amsterdan, hereinafter: HvA), in direct cooperation with the industry, to help MRO SMEs improve their maintenance process. Its main aim is to develop new knowledge of - and a method for - data mining. To do so, the current state of data presence within MRO SMEs is explored, mapped, categorized, cleaned and prepared. This will result in readable data sets that have predictive value for key elements of the maintenance process. Secondly, analysis principles are developed to interpret this data. These principles are translated into an easy-to-use data mining (IT)tool, helping MRO SMEs to predict their maintenance requirements in terms of costs and time, allowing them to adapt their maintenance process accordingly. In several case studies these products are tested and further improved. This is a resubmission of an earlier proposal dated October 2015 (3rd round) entitled ‘Data mining for MRO process optimization’ (number 2015-03-23M). We believe the merits of the proposal are substantial, and sufficient to be awarded a grant. The text of this submission is essentially unchanged from the previous proposal. Where text has been added – for clarification – this has been marked in yellow. Almost all of these new text parts are taken from our rebuttal (hoor en wederhoor), submitted in January 2016.
Dit project richt zich op het in kaart brengen van de rol van servicedesignbureaus in het versnellen van de transformaties die nodig zijn om de problemen in Nederlandse stedelijke kernen aan te pakken. De creatieve industrie is bij uitstek in staat oplossingen voor stedelijke kernen te ontwikkelen en in dit project onderzoeken hoe zij met Key Enabling Methodologies bezoekersbelevingen in steden kunnen orkestreren en ontwerpen. Zij ondersteunen hierbij niet alleen individuele retail- en cultuurorganisaties in hun functie, maar dragen daarbij ook bij aan het oplossen van meer algemene problematiek van stedelijke kernen, zoals leegstand en verminderde leefbaarheid. We richten ons in het bijzonder op: 1) De rol van servicedesign in de orkestratie en vormgeven van een gezamenlijke bezoekersbeleving van cultuur- en retailorganisaties om de kwaliteit en leefbaarheid van stedelijke gebieden en de noodzakelijke innovatie te realiseren. 2) Verkennen en uitwerken van passende sleutelmethodologieën (KEM’s) om deze orkestratie en vormgeving en samen met stakeholders (in het bijzonder retail en cultuur) uit te voeren. 3) Opbouwen van het consortium voor een SIA-RAAK-aanvraag. Dit project levert een set van ontwerpeisen om servicedesignbureaus optimaal in staat te stellen de gezamenlijke orkestratie van de bezoekersbeleving van cultuur- en retailinstellingen vorm te geven. Tegelijkertijd brengt het project in kaart hoe een innovatie-ecosysteem waarin cultuur en retail samenwerken met servicedesignbureaus gestructureerd kan zijn. Dit project vormt de opmaat naar een SIA-RAAK-aanvraag met dezelfde of vergelijkbare stakeholders. De deliverables van het project zijn: 1. Visualisatie en rapport met overzicht van KEM’s en de toegevoegde waarde. 2. Visueel overzicht verschillende soorten stakeholders, belangen en posities in het winkelgebied voor een drietal binnenstedelijke gebieden. 3. Visualisatie van het orkestratie proces en de benodigde KEM’S 4. Toolkit cultuur/retail: methodieken en tools voor samenwerking cultuur en retail in winkelgebied 5. Verslag van kick-off en vraagarticulatieproces 6. Concept RAAK-aanvraag 7. Blog op platformdenieuwewinkelstraat.nl
