A Design Perspective on Data
Melanie Feinberg · 2017
Empirical studies invariably show that data generation is situationally contingent and interpretively flexible, even when data is collected automatically. This essay situates data generation within a design perspective, demonstrating how data creation can be understood as a multilayered set of interlocking design activities. By showing how data is infused with design, this paper argues that any "use" of data represents a continuation of its design. We are always designers of data, never its mere appropriators.