Humans of MassArt
A mobile application designed to share and archive location-based stories for the MassArt community.
My Role
Mobile Application Design
Data Collection
Data Visualisation
Type
Student work
Year
2020
Background
Humans of MassArt is a project that allowed me to explore the relationship between humans and the data they produce. My end goal was to collect data and create a piece in response to the themes of that data.
The first step was to find out ‘what human data meant to me.’ I found myself drawn towards how stories are such a massive part of humans' existence, and many stories can belong to each individual.
"I was drawn towards stories."
After selecting stories/experiences as my dataset, I started rationalizing 'how these stories form our society’ and ‘how these stories can create a sense of bonding and empathy in a society.’ I decided to focus on the MassArt community. Given MassArt's rich history, I was confident of amassing countless stories that have transpired on the campus.
Researchable questions:
How do stories form our society?
&
How can stories create a sense of bonding and empathy in society?
Data Collection
I requested numerous people belonging to the MassArt community to share a single string memory of a personal incident they experienced on the MassArt campus. My initial idea was to create an archive of these stories in some way. Community members were also asked to specify where the incident occurred. I intended to make people a part of the event. I wanted the listener to feel connected to the storyteller and experience it, as they might be present in the very location where that particular incident took place.
Recording stories of MassArt community members
Following are the things I asked the members to specify as it would help me categorise the data in future.
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Feeling associated
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Location
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Year
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Kind of story (was it academic, romantic, horror, adventure, or work)
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Occupation (student, professor, alumni or other staff members)
Collected stories with specific categories
Data Visualization
I created a web-based mobile application to share these stories. This marked the inception of the Humans of MassArt (HoM). HoM is an application that enables the MassArt community members to archive, listen, and share their stories. It’s a beautiful way of engaging in social practice to feel empathy and nostalgia.
In the speculative version, several posters are placed at different campus locations with a QR Code. Users can scan these codes and listen to the stories that took place there.
The application has three tabs, Home, Search, and Recording. The home screen includes top stories recently added to the app and a list of recommended stories.
Search works with location or with the name of an individual or a kind of story the user might be interested in, for example, a love story or some project-related incident.
Only MassArt community members can record their stories in this application. The application first asks the user to log in using MassArt credentials. The app is very intuitive in terms of visuals. The user must fill in details regarding the recording like ‘Name,’ ‘where the incident took place,’ and ‘which category it fits in.’ The user is also free to check their own stories and edit them from time to time.
Scanning the QR code
Users can scan the QR code from the posters put up at various locations, and
listen to the stories that took place in that particular location and around.
Location based stories
The link takes the user directly to the home screen with a list of all the stories in that particular location and nearby.
Search Stories
Users can search for stories specifically using names, locations, type of story and year.
Recording stories
Using the Record tab at the bottom, users can record their stories, fill in the mini questionnaire, and post the recording on the app.
