about.html

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title: About
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            <h2>The infopoetry</h2>
            <p>Infopoetry is a portmanteau word that combines the words “information” and “poetry”. The main goal of an
                infopoetry is not only to display a dataset, but also to make people feel the data. In order to
                accomplish this, an infopoetry matches data visualization with poetry, so it’s a poetic way to display a
                dataset.</p>
            <p>The first infopoetries were designed during the final synthesis studio held by DensityDesign Research Lab
                at Politecnico di Milano. During the course, students have to work with complex and controversial issues
                in order to design a visual interpretation of a phenomenon. The students are asked to use structured
                data, provide by the institutions as well as unstructured data that they will collect using digital
                methods. Finally, they are asked to produce a final artifact that explains in a meaningful way the
                highlights of their research.</p>
            <p>It’s in this respect that that the infopoetry was first proposed as an individual assignment by the
                Research Lab during the Academic year 2013-2014. Over the years, the assignment has become a crucial
                aspect of the course. As Salvatore Zingale – one of the course's professors – explains, infopoetry is
                becoming a sort of bridge between art and data visualization design, allowing the students to express a
                topic of their choice in an artistic and emotional way.</p>
            <h2>The process behind an infopoetry</h2>
            <p>Due to the experimental nature of the assignment, there is no fixed methodology. However, it is possible
                to trace a creation process common to most of the infopoetries.</p>
            <p>First, it is essential to choose a dataset. Over the years, students have experimented with all kinds of
                topics and dataset, with an inclination to more tragic content.</p>
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        <p>Then, the identification of a strong metaphor is crucial for building an effective infopoetry. The metaphor puts aside the quantitative aspects of the data to engage the user with a more emotional and empathic way. Every medium can be used to convey the metaphor.</p>
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