User Flow liquid data visualisation

[ UUID ] c38462de-2044-467c-a70b-b319372170c6

[ Session Name ] User Flow liquid data visualisation [ Primary Space ] Web Literacy [ Secondary Space ] Privacy and Security

[ Submitter's Name ] Matt Stempeck [ Submitter's Affiliated Organisation ] Bad Idea Factory [ Submitter's GitHub ] @mstem

What will happen in your session?

This is a visual aid to help explain the work: http://bit.lyliquidmotiontoys

User Flow is series of art pieces that animate the web's dark patterns. Each piece visualizes the flow of users (represented as colorful oil bubbles) through a set of common conversion marketing funnels. By building on an existing accessible metaphor, liquid motion toys, each piece invites participants to pick it up, flip it over, and enjoy watching web analytics unfold in real-time in the physical world. Together, the set instills web literacy while offering a moment of reflection on how marketers channel our attention through their elaborate scaffolds.

Materials: Laser-cut acrylic Acrylic cement Mineral oil Food dye

What is the goal or outcome of your session?

It can be difficult to understand or visualize how web service providers treat users. This exhibit will vividly bring to life abstract ideas like conversion marketing and multivariate testing. Each laser-cut acrylic "wireframe" emulates a common approach to extracting value from streams of web traffic (in other words, us), including:

Drip campaigns
A/B and multivariate testing
The effect of interventions on conversion rates
Re-targeting

Participants will come away with an experience seeing how each tactic operates.

If your session requires additional materials or electronic equipment, please outline your needs.

Colourful markers and sheet paper would be wonderful

If you'd like me to demonstrate creating one's own liquid data visualisations, I could also use a couple bottles of mineral oil, food dye, and salt

Time needed

All weekend, as an installation, exhibit or drop-in session