Connecting Sound to Data: Sonification Workshop Methods With Expert and Non-Expert Participants

Abstract

Sonification and sonic interaction design aim to create meaningful displays and digital interactions using data and information from the most disparate fields (astronomy, finance, health, and security, for example) as the basis of the design. To date, there are no standards and conventions on how to meaningfully link data to sound; therefore, designers develop these connections on a case-by-case basis. Participatory workshops that target end users and domain experts are a way for sound designers to find meaningful connections between data and sounds at the start of the design process so that final outcomes are more likely to be effective and accepted by users. In this paper, the authors present and discuss the participatory workshop methods they have developed within the Sound for Energy project. In particular, they will highlight the aspects that can be easily transferable to other target domains. With this, the authors contribute to the effort of making sonification and sonic interaction design a more viable and accepted alternative to traditional, usually visual, displays.