Data Gestures

Each day is made up by a stream of small actions and decisions that we make – from getting out of the bed in the morning to choosing what to buy for dinner. Separately they might seem irrelevant, but when gathered together and placed into the right context, can give a whole new insight into our lives.

This mobile application is a result of an exploration in to mobile gestural interfaces for personal data mining. By providing a means for collecting and visualising data on the go, this software provides people with a deeper understanding of patterns emerging in their everyday lives.

The proposed application focuses mainly on how people spend their money. Bought items can be added and assigned to relevant categories. If carefully tracked, that data can provide us with information about things like eating habits, or when put together with data from other sources, it can give an impression of overall quality of life.

The application interface allows us to filter the data or search for specific information. Taking small screen size and gestural interfaces as a challenge, the Data Gestures project is moving away from the data visualization paradigms known from desktop computing.

Using a multitouch interface to input and mine personal data is playful and useful at the same time. By being able to perform all of these operations on the go and having a dedicated interface, tracking becomes easier. Easy and constant access to data visualisations on a mobile phone, is another incentive for gathering even more data – hopefully influencing future decisions for a better balanced life.