Paolo Ciuccarelli is Associate Professor at Politecnico di Milano and Chair of the BSc and MSc in Communication Design. Member of the board at the Design PhD, he participated to several research projects, funded by EU, the national Ministry for Research and Education and other private and public organizations.
Founder of DensityDesign Research Lab, where he holds the position of Scientific Director; he is Project Affiliate in the “Mapping the Republic of Letters” initiative, started by Stanford Humanities Centre and Partner in the EMAPS European project (Electronic Maps to Assist Public Science – www.emapsproject.com). The activity of the Lab focuses on the visual representation of complex social phenomena, and includes the development of large frameworks for data and information visualization.
densitydesign.org
Abstract
Visualize Controversies to Foster Understanding and Support Shared Actions
A complex, dynamic, network of relationships and interactions drives the evolution of the most critical and controversial issues we’re facing today, from global warming and energy production, to demography and reproductive health. Communication Design makes these networks – and the controversial nature of the related issues – visible, accessible and usable; thus, it’s becoming a key competence for their (social) sustainability.
The visualization of the structure, the dynamics and the debates that feed the controversies fosters understanding and facilitates decision-making processes, enabling the construction of collective and shared actions.
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Interesting questions / statements
“There is no collective decision without a shared ground of data, information and knowledge”
“Where are the visualization tools that allow the contradictory and controversial nature of matters of concern to be represented?”
“Any action needs a map.”