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Episode #139: Michael Brenner
142 Plays6 years ago
Michael Brenner is a designer and educator. He is currently Head of Design at DATA4CHAN.GE, which is a non-for-profit organization that helps civil society organizations create data driven advocacy campaigns. Before this he was Design Director at Beyond Words Studio....
The post Episode #139: Michael Brenner appeared first on PolicyViz.
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Transcript
Welcome and Episode Theme
00:00:11
Speaker
Welcome back to the PolicyViz podcast. I'm your host, John Schwabisch. On this week's episode, we are going to talk about doing good with data. Really is what we're going to talk about. We're going to talk about how we can improve the world using data and to help me do so.
Guest Introduction: Michael Brenner
00:00:26
Speaker
Very excited to have my good friend on Michael Brenner, who is the Head of Design at Data for Change in London. Michael, how are you? Good to talk to you. What's going on? Thanks, John. It's great to be here and talk to you as well.
00:00:41
Speaker
Yeah, things are well. And yeah, it's been, it's been some time since we've spoken in person. But thanks for having me on. And shall we jump into it?
Meeting and Collaboration History
00:00:50
Speaker
Yeah. Well, let's give people context because we met at the Malofie conference in 2017, or Malofiej.
00:00:59
Speaker
This is unclear. We were on the jury together doing the interactive pieces on a flag from Marshall Project and Javier Theracina from VOC. And Sarah Slobin was there, although she was on the other jury. And I'd say we had a pretty good time. Yeah, absolutely. 900 projects in, what was it, two days? Like two days. Quite a track.
Michael's Career Journey
00:01:29
Speaker
And at the time you were doing studio work in London and now you've moved over to Data for Change. So maybe you can give folks a quick Brenner bio and let us know where you've come from and where you are now.
00:01:42
Speaker
Yeah, so quick kind of background. I'm classically trained as a graphic designer, received a BA from the Savannah College of Art and Design back in 2005. And worked in New York for quite some time in studios doing mostly editorial and exhibition work and then started working with a small studio in Brooklyn called Management Design, where I kind of fell into the infographic
00:02:13
Speaker
the time this was still when things were mostly done by hand pre-raw pre-level programs and even I think I'll have to fact check this but even before the New York Times had their wizbang team you're doing a lot of op-eds for them on the Iraq and Afghanistan war doing these I suppose
00:02:40
Speaker
soldiers and civilian deaths in the conflict at the time. And then moved to the Netherlands, had a small studio there. Then moved to London where I was on the team at Beyond Words for two and a half, almost three years. And then just recently moved to Data for Change. Nice.
Data for Change: Mission and Workshops
00:03:02
Speaker
Yeah. So tell us a little bit about Data for Change. How many people do you have there and what's the mission?
00:03:09
Speaker
So right now we are currently three people. It's us in the back who is head of content and from Robert Tink, who is head of data and myself who's head of design. And the three of us right now are, you know, we're still trying to figure out what data for change is.
00:03:27
Speaker
and where it's going to go because it's just recently incorporated as a non-for-profit. But right now at its core, Data for Change is a five-day workshop that brings together creative talent and CSOs from around the world in elite location and works with their original bespoke data to create data-driven advocacy campaigns.
00:03:50
Speaker
in the hopes of impacting change for those affected people that the CSOs are working with. And CSOs are civil society organizations. So can you say that a lot? You got all the abbreviations. So let's start with where you've gone so far, because it's not like you're roaming around the UK doing this. These are countries in Africa and some other places. And then maybe you can paint a picture for us of how a five-day workshop works for this sort of work.
00:04:19
Speaker
Sure, so since its inception in 2014, to date we've done seven workshops and we've worked with a total of 27 civil society organizations and 65 human rights activists. We've received over 1,032 applications and in that time we've put together 141 database professionals.
00:04:44
Speaker
And it's taken place primarily right now in the Mediterranean, which is the Middle East and North Africa. We've done a couple of workshops in Beirut. We just recently finished one in the modern Jordan. And we've also held two workshops in Kampala. And so basically, what Data for Change is, is this five-day workshop and participants come together
00:05:07
Speaker
from a selected body of talent because we have an open call for it. And so we put together data journalists, we put together researchers, we put together developers, designers, and team leaders to basically come together and work with these original data sets to find key messages and ideas from specific civil society organizations to help promote their causes.
Teamwork and Prototyping
00:05:33
Speaker
And basically to give the civil society organizations
00:05:40
Speaker
to be able to walk away with a very high level and rendered prototype at the end of the five days. And then basically what we do is, depending on where the projects are, depending on the involvement of the team and how enthusiastic they are about it, we'll find further funding to fully realize those projects and launch them into the world.
00:06:02
Speaker
So these are CSOs who they have a project that they want to start. They don't have the teams or the skill sets to do it. And so they apply to Data for Change. And you guys are convening all the experts, both in terms of the technology and the subject matters, to bring folks together to help build these websites or tools or what have you.
00:06:24
Speaker
Correct. And I think one of the key benefits of Data for Change is that we also we bring together international town and local town in reading so that we have perspectives from all various areas so that we can really craft and also craft very sensitive and impactful
00:06:51
Speaker
So it's not just people coming together and saying, oh, we should do this. It's definitely very considered in terms of what needs to be done. And one of the great things about the workshop is that all egos are really left at the airport and everybody comes willing to work towards a common vision in terms of getting
00:07:11
Speaker
whatever the needs are of the CSO out there. And everybody's very willing and very open in the environment. And I think that that's one of the key benefits to the space that we create with Data Threat Changes is that it's really a truly collaborative experience. And I know that sometimes when you're in a studio environment or you're in an in-house environment, to be able to express ideas sometimes are met with challenge, but here we really make it a point
00:07:40
Speaker
make it a very explicit point that this is a safe space, and this is a space for many ideas. And it doesn't matter how crazy it is out there. Of course, safety is an issue, especially when dealing with particular topics in particular regions. But generally, so far, we've had very few projects that have, let's say, well, actually, we haven't had any that has put anybody at risk.
00:08:09
Speaker
Well, that's good. Can you tell us the story of one of the meetings that you've done so far?
Innovative Solutions in Yemen
00:08:15
Speaker
Yeah, so I think one of the most interesting projects that we've had so far with one of the CSO teams from Yemen and basically they had a very robust data set of Yemenis perceptions and they
00:08:33
Speaker
had a very unique design challenge in the fact that electricity was sparse, internet relies on power, which is also sparse, and the country is fragmented by a civil conflict right now. And so they wanted to get this data out to other Yemenese people and also to local authorities so that they could better serve and help
00:08:56
Speaker
local people to try to make life continue as best as possible in this very difficult time period in Yemen. So they came to the workshop with a basically massive set
00:09:11
Speaker
of survey data from about, I believe, 4,000 respondents and it was roughly 150 questions. And it was an equal split between many women. So I would say that given the methodology that they've used, they have a very
00:09:26
Speaker
a robust step methodology, even down to the questionnaire design, even pre-testing that to make sure that things are clear, there's no misunderstanding of questions. Or if there is misunderstanding, what caused that and does that derive a new question? So they came with this data set and they needed a way to get it out into Yemen. And the design team came up with a very, very fabulous solution in terms of not only
00:09:54
Speaker
for the visualization of the data, which I have to... There's another kind of design challenge is that 35% of the population in Yemen is illiterate and now that schools are closing, that statistic is due to rise even more. So how do you also design data visualizations for people who can't read that part of everything else? So that was also a very, very big factor.
00:10:18
Speaker
So after the design team and the CSO representative sat down a couple hours, they had hashed out that there's still a large contingent of people who like to meet and discuss their daily lives every day. And basically that people share a lot of files and news via Bluetooth on their phone. So the group came up with an idea of taking USB hubs or Raspberry Pi cards and basically turning them into
00:10:47
Speaker
little localized networks that people could connect to and distribute information that way. It can be run off a small solar panel and basically there was a whole site that was designed with the data visualization and a curated set of questions from that were then also recorded and let's say described to someone who basically is illiterate so that they can still look at the visual and understand what's going on.
00:11:14
Speaker
Right. And with that website, basically, they were able to also figure out a way of compressing audio, all the data files and the code in HTML into a small package of, I believe it was something around five megabytes that could be then uploaded to these hubs that could then be distributed out into the field. And then people in fields, local populations, local council leaders, local governors, could
00:11:42
Speaker
go to these data hub spots and download that website virtually on their phone and pass it around but still be able to look and see what the needs of people are in their government, what's happening on a national level. Wow, that is impressive. So you mentioned that this group brought in their own data and I'm curious
00:12:04
Speaker
how you think about, you know, issues about data quality. You know, we always telling people, you know, make sure you understand your data, you read the dictionaries, you know, this and that you explore it. So with five days and a group coming in with, you know, the survey data that they've collected, how do you think about dealing with data quality issues?
00:12:26
Speaker
So to get people up to speed, so I'm going to backtrack a little bit so and then we'll get back to the question. One of the things that we do do is pre-workshop is that we set up Slack channels and the team basically needs about two weeks prior to start looking at data and start gaining some insights.
00:12:47
Speaker
on the data so that it's not a complete cold start. So they do have a little bit of onboarding into the data sets and into the workshop experience prior. However, it's not until everybody's really sitting at the table that you can really start to fully understand and start defining key objectives and desired outcomes for projects and what the key messages are. Let me get back to your question about data quality.
00:13:11
Speaker
with this particular group and actually with most of the CSOs that we work with for the workshop, they generally have exceptionally high quality data because they have a lot of people in the field collecting data. And so one of the things actually that was another key component to this project in Yemen was that we also created a survey creator for the CSO there that they could, that this was part of the backend of the website that people can then go to the hubs and actually they can
00:13:38
Speaker
new surveys out in the field. The surveys can be answered at the hub via local Wi-Fi, a basic Wi-Fi connection or LAN connection. And all the results
Ensuring Data Quality and Training
00:13:51
Speaker
are stored on that hub and are locked away so that they can't be tampered with. So that's another way for them to collect data and field rather than having to send people into very precarious situations which are now unfolding there.
00:14:03
Speaker
If we have major data issues, which so far Nopon would have been almost none, of course, like any other database project, we try to find supplementary data that is part of the realm in which the CSO is operating in that they can then use.
00:14:22
Speaker
Because one of the other tracks, while the creative teams are working during the workshop, CSOs also receive training on data visualization skills, on editorial skills, on basic data visualization design, language, but also the basics, the one-on-one update of this tool such as broad infogram to be able to produce data is in their work once they return back to their headquarters.
00:14:50
Speaker
And we're also giving them some training on methodologies and how to collect better data. And that is one of the bigger objectives that Data for Change would like to set up is to be able to provide a standard kit
00:15:08
Speaker
of data collection or methodologies that can be followed, so that should any of the CSOs data wind up, let's just say, on the floor of the United Nations, the floor of the United Nations for a peer review, that it withstands that review. And I would say that a lot of the data sets that we've worked with so far would hold up pretty well.
00:15:31
Speaker
It's kind of amazing, really. It's a whole toolkit for these smaller groups. So once you've provided them with a prototype for a project, a website, a new data collection tool, you've provided them with some basic training in data visualization, data analytics, whatever it may be. Then the event ends and they go on
00:15:53
Speaker
What have you all found the groups need going forward? I mean, presumably they're coming to you because they don't have the skill sets that they need. So now after the event ends, what has the experience been from these groups that have come to you for help?
00:16:08
Speaker
Well, so far we've continued support for them and we try to basically tap into our local networks there because the network now is rounding 150 plus database professionals around the world that we can then tap into those local database professionals in country to continue to help these groups and to continue to help the CSOs with their further needs. We do still provide and we're still in contact with many of the CSOs
00:16:38
Speaker
and help them through your situations and provide further training for them. They do get a toolkit post-workshop where they have continued access to infogram, where they have continued access to shorthand, and through the gracious sponsorship of a lot of plays like infogram and shorthand, that they allow access to continue to those tools.
00:17:02
Speaker
One of the other things I noticed on the Data for Change website is a focus on storytelling and data storytelling and as you and I have talked about in the past and as people who have looked at my site know this is sort of a key interest for me of what do we mean by storytelling and I can imagine
Storytelling and Advocacy with Data
00:17:20
Speaker
I can easily imagine what the sort of work that you are all doing that engages with stories, but I'm curious how you all view what that phrase means and what it means when you're working with some of these groups in these developing countries.
00:17:34
Speaker
So this is of course a topic that's of a hot debate and I know that storytelling from my personal opinion is done very seldom and very thoroughly with data visualization and I think that that
00:17:53
Speaker
really only happens at a granular level. When you start really digging into the data and pick a couple of data points that seem like there's something there behind it and once you want to start packing what's behind that data point or what's behind that whatever that data point is, that's when you start getting into the storytelling aspect of it.
00:18:14
Speaker
Of course, there are stories to tell and there are voices that come along with these data sets. But for example, if you're looking at a broad contextual view of a data set and you're presenting that, I don't necessarily think, I guess it all depends on the presentation and how it's delivered. But I think it's really that the storytelling aspect comes at that granular level when you start
00:18:39
Speaker
figuring out the stories behind it and providing a platform for that. So it's a little bit of general context or overview with specificity that's when you can start to kind of craft storytelling in data. I think maybe one of the better ways to look at, at least for me, are data-driven stories, which aren't necessarily data stories, but you know, you're looking at a data set
00:19:05
Speaker
and there's something behind it and there's a general context or theme that goes with it. We have a tendency to call them data-driven advocacy campaigns because sometimes we look at the data, but the data doesn't necessarily take the front stage for that campaign, but it inspires another type of action. With the Yemen example, where the real innovation is, is how we get the data out there. The data is of course important and the visualization of it is important.
00:19:32
Speaker
Of course, with that 35% literacy rate, that's also important how you deal with that. But in terms of a data visualization story, I wouldn't necessarily call that. I would call it more of a platform that people can go to to get insights. And so if we're really looking at
00:19:51
Speaker
data visualization at storytelling, I think probably one of the best examples would probably be the late Hans Rosling and what he was doing because he was able to unpack a lot of information but in such a way that it provided new perspectives that it gave us new insights into things while digging into the data and whether it be
00:20:13
Speaker
a country level or whether it be on a more specific level like Dollar Street. I think that those are more the types of things that I might consider to be data stories. And specifically within the data for change projects that come out in the prototypes, there are instances where there's elements of
00:20:39
Speaker
storytelling with data, and there are data-driven stories, but I wouldn't say that all of the projects aren't.
00:20:46
Speaker
Right. I mean, I think we totally agree. We've talked about this. And you mentioned Rosling, which I wanted to highlight not just because of the way I think he did a great job of really doing a good job of telling stories, but he has this or this book he published after he passed away, Factfulness, about how we sort of our perceptions about
Cultural Insights from Workshops
00:21:13
Speaker
progress in the world are generally distorted or incorrect. And I'm curious when you are bringing people together, so you're bringing these experts from all over the world into developing countries like Yemen, I'm curious about, do you find that the people you are working with who are from outside Yemen or maybe even from outside the international development area, do you find that they have misconceptions about
00:21:42
Speaker
the culture or the politics or the economy or the work that you're doing in these countries.
00:21:48
Speaker
This is kind of one of the most interesting aspects of data for change is bringing together an international community, bringing together local community to work on these projects. Because I think that you find that a lot of what's toted in mass media isn't necessarily the facts on the ground. And there's these kind of aha moments, but not bad.
00:22:13
Speaker
And it's not judgmental in any way, but there's this, hey, you know what? We're actually, we're all people and we're all after the same thing. We're all looking for similar ways of living. We're all looking for similar ideas and going after very similar things. So let's just jump into it and do it together. But there's never been a moment where there's been
00:22:37
Speaker
let's say any type of disrespect, but it's been more illuminating, I would say, or... But someone just doesn't know about... Yeah, there's lots of cultural aspects that I'm also still learning. I mean, I'm also very new to this as well. And so that there's, you know, that's why it's very important to have local talent and also to work with the CSOs because simple things like color can have a huge impact.
00:23:04
Speaker
simple things such as basic words that we would take for granted may have a completely different meaning in another context or like I said before colors even
00:23:18
Speaker
at the same table to make sure that we are sensitive, but we're also producing these impactful campaigns. Right, right. Well, on that hopeful note, which is great, I'm excited about what you're all doing. So on that hopeful note,
Conclusion and Future Workshops
00:23:37
Speaker
Let me thank you for coming on the show. I'm really excited to see what you're going to do over there and the type of work and projects that you work on. So Michael, thanks a lot for coming on the show. I appreciate it.
00:23:50
Speaker
Thank you so much. In one last little plug, there is a possibility, we're still in the works of it, but keep your eyes out on our social media because we are looking and it's still tentative to put together a data for change in South Africa, hopefully in the spring of 2019.
00:24:08
Speaker
Great. Well, I'll link to the Data for Change site and the Twitter feed and the social media stuff for those who are interested. Sign up, take a look, and hopefully more of us can get involved and travel out to exotic locales and help out. Exotic for me, maybe not for other people, but exotic for me. All right, very good. Well, thanks for coming on. Yeah, thanks so much. Thanks for having me.
00:24:30
Speaker
And thanks to everyone for tuning in this week. We talked about a lot of things, so there'll be a lot of links on this week's episode. Be sure you check out what's going on at Data for Change and see if you can get involved, especially if they're doing workshops relatively close to you. It might be a great opportunity to get involved. So until next time, this has been the policy of this podcast. Thanks so much for listening.