Living Datawalk

On this page

• Is it for us?
• In the footsteps of
• Step-by-step guide
• More in-depth
  
  

Is it for us?

These questions will help you determine whether this tool is suitable for your organisation, objectives and situation.

What?
During a Living Datawalk, participants collect site-specific data based on a personal or shared research question. Observations are noted and photographed, potentially with the Datawalk Bot. The method can be used independently or be part of a workshop or plan ecological interventions.

What for?

• Collecting unknown data
• Learning to understand complex situations or problems
• Exploring local context in ecological or spatial interventions
• Develop awareness about the environment
• Excite groups from ta echnological, cognitive starting point

Where?
The Living Datawalk is intended as a method to bring people outside and explore the living world. Depending on context and objective, this can be either the immediate environment of the Zoöp or an external location, e.g. in connection with a workshop.

When and how often?
Depending on the set-up: once or repeatedly (e.g. weekly) to monitor changes or record Microseasons.

How much time, money, and materials will it require?

• Duration: from 30 minutes (e.g. short workshop) to half a day (including reflection)
• Materials: preferably smartphone with Telegram (for the Datawalk Bot); alternatively pen, paper and camera
  
• Facilitation: possibly preparation required to determine question, route and structure

Step-by-step guide

Preparation

1. Datawalk Bot (optional): Set up the Datawalk Bot. If this is done once, it can be used for all Living Datawalks.
2. Context: Define the objective or let participants formulate their own question. Choose a suitable route or location.

Implementation

1. Welcome: Welcome participants, introduce yourself and the context for this Datawalk.
2. Introduction: Introduce the method and, if necessary, give instructions on how to use the chosen tools (e.g. Datawalk Bot, ObsIdentify).
3. Guidance: Have participants go out independently or in small groups to collect their observations. In doing so, you can follow along, ask in-depth questions and encourage observation and reflection.

Follow-up

• Sharing findings: If the Living Datawalk was done with a group, have them share their observations with each other.
• Guide reflection: "What/who did you observe? What surprised you? What could this mean?"
• Process collected data: Depending on the goal, this could be through visualisation, writing a report or story or formulating concrete proposals.

More in-depth

How does it affect the user?

• Conscious perception of the environment and life in it
• Development of new perspectives through focused attention
• Stimulating deeper conversations and reflections
• Increased engagement by combining movement and documentation

Combinations and applications

• Datawalk Bot: open-source Telegram bot for automatic recording of route and observations.
• ObsIdentify: species identification and quantitative observation.
• Analogue: map, pen, paper and camera to make your own recordings.

The Living Datawalk can be applied in many ways. The following selection can serve as inspiration. We encourage everyone to be creative and develop new ideas:

• Data collection & comparison: Regular walks can reveal trends, local patterns, or microseasons. Data can be further processed for stories, visualisations, quantitative report or external communication.
• Seasonal update: The Living Datawalk is suitable for creating visual and narrative seasonal reports of changes and interventions in and around the Zoöp.
• Research & issues: Used to investigate questions or plan interventions. Also suitable for developing new research questions.
  
  • To explore different perspectives or approaches, groups can be divided to observe from different roles or with focus on different senses. 
  • Tools such as the BirdNET-Pi or ObsIdenitfy possible to provide informative context.
• Awareness & play: Suitable for workshops, education or scavenger hunts. Can be used low-threshold as a playful introduction to a place.

Challenges and limitations

• Processing data into usable output requires time and guidance
• Not all participants may be equally familiar with digital tools used
• Weather-dependent

Roles involved:

• Facilitator
  
  • Active process guidance on observations and reflections
  • Understanding of ecological processes
  • Potentially basic knowledge on use of technical tools
• Participants
  
  • Observers with their own questions or concerns, working individually or in groups

Inspiration
The Living Datawalk was developed with Creative Coding Utrecht in collaboration with the University of Twente. They drew inspiration from the Datawalk as a methodology of communication scientist Alison Powells.

Contact
For Zoöps: For questions about the development and implementation of the Living Datawalk, please contact Niels Janssen of Creative Coding Utrecht.

For other interested parties: contact the Zoönomic Institute via hello@zoop.earth and we will put you in touch with the right person.

Sources and links
This documentation is based on an interview with Niels Janssen (CCU) and an internal CCU documentation developed by Martina Denegri.

Interview with the developer of the Datawalking method, Alison Powells.