Tell Them Anything but the Truth: They Will Find Their Own. How We Visualized the Map of the Future with Respect to the Audience of Our Story

Tell them anything but the truth: They will find their own. How we visualized the map of the future with respect to the audience of our story

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Citation Graffieti, Michele et al. “Tell Them Anything but the Truth: They Will Find Their Own. How We Visualized the Map of the Future with Respect to the Audience of Our Story.” Leonardo 44 (2011): 250-251. © 2011 The MIT Press.

As Published http://dx.doi.org/10.1162/LEON_a_00174

Publisher MIT Press

Version Final published version

Citable link http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/66956

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TELL THEM ANYTHING language of children,” he asserts, “I said So what? BUT THE TRUTH: THEY anything I wanted, because I don’t believe Information visualization is a process that WILL FIND THEIR OWN. in children. I don’t believe in childhood. I transforms data, information, and HOW WE VISUALIZED THE don’t believe there’s this demarcation”. knowledge into a form that relies on the AHCN@NetSci2010 MAP OF THE FUTURE WITH In this paper, the target subjects are not human visual system to perceive its em- RESPECT TO THE AUDIENCE specifically children nor a particular cate- bedded information. Its goal is to enable OF OUR STORY gory of adults: ‘them’, in the title, refers the viewer to observe, understand, and Michele Graffieti to the general audience of any visualiza- make sense of the information [4]. Guar- DensityDesign Research Lab. Politecnico tion ‘we’, the designers, produce. And the anteeing this goal is the designer’s duty. di Milano, INDACO Dpt. Gaia Scagnetti purpose of this paper is to point out a By nature, in the visualization of com- method for telling visual stories taken plex systems, we tend to obtain a truthful Massachusetts Institute of Technology from complex systems of information, and synthesis out of data, to implement a pro- Donato Ricci not to dig into kids’ experiences. cess of transcription from concrete words Luca Masud However, revising Sendak’s statement, or numbers to visual signs; but what do Mario Porpora we can easily share his conclusions: the we do when we are facing abstract no- DensityDesign Research Lab. Politecnico designer must not underestimate the tions that remind us of qualities more than di Milano, INDACO Dpt. viewers of his/her work, especially when quantities? Narration, considered as a tool he acts as a narrator for them. As a matter with the paramount function of myths to See of fact, when any kind of narrator (a mov- for supplemental files associated with this issue. find a shape, a form, in the turmoil of ie or theater director, an illustrator of human experience [5], is a great assistant Submitted:6 June 6 2010 children’s books, an author of comics, a for this kind of job. song-writer) tells a story, he/she has to Modern research in cognitive psychol- Abstract rely on a public’s imaginary in some de- ogy states people have two different This paper is part of a research project about the gree. Stories convey information, cultural visualization of complex systems. More specifically, modes of thought: the paradigmatic and it focuses on the emerging need for a narrative ap- values, and experiences [3]: everything is the narrative. Unlike the paradigmatic proach in the understanding of complex networks. evoked by the narrator but, eventually, mode of thought, which is used to per-

interpretation is the observer’s duty. suade somebody of the truth of a sound A listener plays a key role in any narra- In fact, interpretation is an instinct for argument, narrative thought uses a good tion process. Likewise, in every visual the observer, more than a duty. If a story story to persuade of plausibility [6]. representation, the observer has the same is visually well-told, the viewer finds it Designing for narrative means adopting role: narrators evoke whereas observers compelling, deserving of wonder: the methods that come from disciplines built interpret through their imaginary. Why more qualitative the narrator evocation is, on narrative purposes. Take cinema: As should the designer use a narrative mode the more the observer is favorably dis- the movie director, the designer aims to of thought? Why should he give to the posed towards its meaning and the con- choose the visualization that best pre- audience a good story more than a sound nections of its elements. serves the complexity of the environment. argument? [1]. To answer these questions, Sometimes the observer feels so deeply He directs actors (the elements of a sys- we present the Map of the Future we de- related to the story that he/she becomes tem), judges light design (the choice of signed for Wired Italy. co-author of the story itself through the elements to visualize) and set designs (the Who are ‘them’? But first... who are personal or collective imagery that he/she imagery to evoke), and chooses different 'we'? And finally why should ‘we’ con- offers to the interpretation: those are the optical lenses (the power of focusing) sider truth something avoidable for times in which the amount of information and, most importantly, the critical point of ‘them’? held in the images might be grasped more view of the camera (intentionality). What is it all about? quickly by the audience. Let’s start from the origins of the title. Fig. 1. A detail of the Map of the Future, by DensityDesign (© 2009 Wired Italy/Density In 2003, filmmakers Spike Jonze and Design Lab.) Lance Bangs began to shoot Tell them anything you want [2], a short documentary feature about American writer and illustrator Maurice Sendak, author of the classic children's picture book Where the Wild Things Are. The title of this article makes reference to that short documentary in which Sendak himself pronounces the title sentence referring to what parents were supposed to tell children in order to bring them up in the best way. According to Sendak, people should consider children not as little specimens of organism who are not able to understand what adults usually are: to him, children are simply humans and, as with all humans, one should behave honestly. “In the dis- cussion of children and the lives of children and the fantasies of children and the

TELL THEM ANYTHING language of children,” he asserts, “I said So what? That’s it! But... example please BUT THE TRUTH: THEY anything I wanted, because I don’t believe Information visualization is a process that A case study we’re glad to present con- WILL FIND THEIR OWN. in children. I don’t believe in childhood. I transforms data, information, and sists in the Map of the Future that we HOW WE VISUALIZED THE don’t believe there’s this demarcation”. knowledge into a form that relies on the designed for the Italian edition of Wired MAP OF THE FUTURE WITH In this paper, the target subjects are not human visual system to perceive its em- magazine [7]. AHCN@NetSci2010 RESPECT TO THE AUDIENCE specifically children nor a particular cate- bedded information. Its goal is to enable In 2009 during a long session of brain- OF OUR STORY gory of adults: ‘them’, in the title, refers the viewer to observe, understand, and storming and simulation games, 7000 Michele Graffieti to the general audience of any visualiza- make sense of the information [4]. Guar- visionary players all around the world DensityDesign Research Lab. Politecnico tion ‘we’, the designers, produce. And the anteeing this goal is the designer’s duty. elaborated different scenarios for the fu- di Milano, INDACO Dpt. Gaia Scagnetti purpose of this paper is to point out a By nature, in the visualization of com- ture. This research was carried out by The method for telling visual stories taken plex systems, we tend to obtain a truthful Institute for the Future that transformed Massachusetts Institute of Technology from complex systems of information, and synthesis out of data, to implement a pro- the data in a very complex network of Donato Ricci not to dig into kids’ experiences. cess of transcription from concrete words tendencies and previsions in the form of a Luca Masud However, revising Sendak’s statement, or numbers to visual signs; but what do table full of words. Mario Porpora we can easily share his conclusions: the we do when we are facing abstract no- As designers, our work consisted in DensityDesign Research Lab. Politecnico designer must not underestimate the tions that remind us of qualities more than representing visually all the scenarios and di Milano, INDACO Dpt. viewers of his/her work, especially when quantities? Narration, considered as a tool giving the viewers a look at what they he acts as a narrator for them. As a matter might expect over the next 10 years. To with the paramount function of myths to See of fact, when any kind of narrator (a mov- for supplemental files associated with this issue. find a shape, a form, in the turmoil of do that, we followed an initial two-step ie or theater director, an illustrator of human experience [5], is a great assistant analysis that, persisting in our cinematic Submitted:6 June 6 2010 children’s books, an author of comics, a for this kind of job. metaphor, we can call ‘pre-production’: Fig. 2. The structure of the Map of the Future (© 2009 Wired Italy/Density Design Lab.) song-writer) tells a story, he/she has to Modern research in cognitive psychol- 1. Create a logic structure, find pat- Abstract rely on a public’s imaginary in some de- ogy states people have two different terns and correlations between the differ- narration and capture the cognitive thread tion, because there is none. Encouraging This paper is part of a research project about the gree. Stories convey information, cultural ent scenarios and semantic areas of the visualization of complex systems. More specifically, modes of thought: the paradigmatic and of the audience [8] – here the optical lens the audience to think and see connections it focuses on the emerging need for a narrative ap- values, and experiences [3]: everything is the narrative. Unlike the paradigmatic single predictions (the predictions were zooms in from abstract to tangible and between multiple visual tales is a form of proach in the understanding of complex networks. evoked by the narrator but, eventually, mode of thought, which is used to per- classified in 5 areas – politics, infrastruc- figurative level of scale). respect: you have to tell them anything interpretation is the observer’s duty. suade somebody of the truth of a sound ture, environment, economy, society – Then there’s the set-up of ‘direction’. but the truth, indeed. A listener plays a key role in any narra- In fact, interpretation is an instinct for argument, narrative thought uses a good and then clusters of the classified predic- The designer, as a director, takes political Expected results are not scientific of tion process. Likewise, in every visual the observer, more than a duty. If a story story to persuade of plausibility [6]. tions were made inside any of the 5 cho- stances which cannot go unheeded: course (we do not foresee how exactly representation, the observer has the same is visually well-told, the viewer finds it Designing for narrative means adopting sen fields – for example, in the Economy 4. Be aware of the intentionality; you someone can interpret visual stories) but role: narrators evoke whereas observers compelling, deserving of wonder: the methods that come from disciplines built area, predictions of ‘micro-philanthropy are the designer, you’re interpreting with empirical: Observers of the Map of the interpret through their imaginary. Why more qualitative the narrator evocation is, on narrative purposes. Take cinema: As networks’ and ‘seed networking’ were your own point of view, but use it to tell a Future were driven to discuss it together; should the designer use a narrative mode the more the observer is favorably dis- the movie director, the designer aims to clustered under ‘solidarity networks’); story made up of multiple tales and not to they were engaged to the visualized sys- of thought? Why should he give to the posed towards its meaning and the con- choose the visualization that best pre- 2. Arrange the discovered structure to convey one privileged solution to the au- tem, emotionally and intellectually, like audience a good story more than a sound nections of its elements. serves the complexity of the environment. achieve one macro reading orientation dience, in any way (the faraway view- an incredulous Scarecrow towards the end argument? [1]. To answer these questions, Sometimes the observer feels so deeply He directs actors (the elements of a sys- (the 5 areas had different degrees of ab- point of the Map of the Future communi- of The Wizard of Oz [9] who exclaims: “Oh we present the Map of the Future we de- related to the story that he/she becomes tem), judges light design (the choice of straction, i.e. the predictions in one area cates our distance from the future and joy, rapture, I've got a brain!” signed for Wired Italy. co-author of the story itself through the elements to visualize) and set designs (the were more abstract than the predictions in gives the observers a panorama). Who are ‘them’? But first... who are personal or collective imagery that he/she imagery to evoke), and chooses different another, so we have ordered them from Now, we were ready for the final step: 'we'? And finally why should ‘we’ con- References and Notes offers to the interpretation: those are the optical lenses (the power of focusing) the more abstract – politics – to the less – 5. Shoot. sider truth something avoidable for * This paper was presented as a contributed talk at times in which the amount of information and, most importantly, the critical point of society – see Fig. 2). ‘them’? Arts | Humanities | Complex Networks – a Leonardo held in the images might be grasped more view of the camera (intentionality). These first two interventions set the “Oh joy, rapture, I've got satellite symposium at NetSci2010. See What is it all about? quickly by the audience. stage. The actors (the elements of the a brain!” said the Scarecrow Let’s start from the origins of the title. system – the predictions) were cast; the 1. Jerome Bruner, Actual minds, possible worlds Fig. 1. A detail of the Map of the Future, by DensityDesign (© 2009 Wired Italy/Density In designing a map of the future, based on light design was ready (lights pinpoint the (1986), Harvard University Press. In 2003, filmmakers Spike Jonze and Design Lab.) some semi-scientific cooperative predic- Lance Bangs began to shoot Tell them network’s most important clusters). At the 2. Lance Bangs and Spike Jonze, Tell Them Anything tions, there’s no such thing as truth, or You Want: A Portrait of Maurice Sendak (2009), anything you want [2], a short documen- same time, as the casting and pre- better, there are lots of very likely truths, film. The documentary aired on American television tary feature about American writer and production were going on, everything led all different from one another, depending (HBO) on 10/14/2009 for the first time. illustrator Maurice Sendak, author of the to the narrative idea, the third step: on which combination of ‘evolution- 3. Nahum Gershon and Ward Page, classic children's picture book Where the 3. Think about the story; write down factors’ is taken into consideration. There- “What storytelling can do for Information Visualiza- the ‘script’ evoking a precise imagery (the tion”, Communications of the ACM 44, No. 8 (Au- Wild Things Are. The title of this article fore, the designer can choose either to gust 2001) p. 31. makes reference to that short documen- idea came from the retro-futurism of the visualize every possible future (truth) or 4. Gershon and Page [3] pp. 32-33. tary in which Sendak himself pronounces 1950s when everything seemed possible to tell the story of a possible world in the title sentence referring to what parents and the consequences of the smallest 5. Umberto Eco, Six walks in the fictional woods which many futures could coexist (plausi- (1994), Harvard University Press, p. 87. were supposed to tell children in order to transformation were exaggerated on pur- bility), leaving the audience the chance 6. Bruner [1] p. 15 bring them up in the best way. According pose to open people’s minds in wonder). and the charge of deciding which future is to Sendak, people should consider chil- This is the step in which set design is more likely to them. 7. Wired Magazine Italian Edition, No. 7 (September dren not as little specimens of organism conceived in detail (deciding how to rep- 2009) pp. 25-31, The lack of unchallengeable quantita- , who are not able to understand what resent and to style characters and envi- tive data leads the designer to adopt a . simply humans and, as with all humans, turing the attention and emotions of the itself the narrative mode of thought in the 8. Colin Ware, Visual Thinking: for Design (2008), one should behave honestly. “In the dis- audience) and the lenses for shooting are minds of the observers: no truth or cer- Morgan Kaufmann, p. 138. cussion of children and the lives of chil- chosen (the power of focusing on some tainty can be imposed by the visualiza- 9. Victor Fleming, The Wizard of Oz (1939), film. dren and the fantasies of children and the elements is very important to enhance

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