Data holds power. But the most important thing is the story you tell with it.

Description

At a time when the smart cities, surveillance and the predictive policing of The Minority Report seem more fact than fiction, researcher Saba Golchehr is something of a social superhero. Championing the democratisation of data mining in the design of our public spaces, she explores how Big Data doesn’t have to become ‘Big Brother’ — but can in fact be the starting point for alternative narratives that give a voice to underrepresented sectors of society. Saba takes a break from her PhD research at London’s Royal College of Art to talk with us about Big Data, shifting powers in local participation, and how social media data can support participatory design.