The 2019/2020 edition of DensityDesign final synthesis studio focused on learning to observe and represent controversial phenomena from different perspectives, and to visually communicate them to different publics.
The studio-course is structured in different phases, on a path that explores different dimensions of data analysis, information and communication design. Students will start by representing the theme using structured data and information produced and shared by "institutional" sources, designing a first visual synthesis. At this stage, to ensure a correct relationship with the data, statistical notions and tools are introduced. In the second phase we will focus on the debates that feed the controversies around the selected topics by using unstructured data and information produced and shared by non-institutional organizations, communities, collective entities or individuals and activists via the Internet. Finally students will design a (data) experience with the aim of engaging a broad public in understanding the complexity of the issues at hand.
The different phases of the course require to identify the most suitable communication languages and tools, both digital and physical, to exploit their specific potential and to synthetize all the competences acquired.
Within the Final Synthesis Design Studio converge competences and tools developed into the DensityDesign research lab. With data visualization as the main language, it evolves as a communication and narration device as well as a way to share knowledge, methods and results.