Effective antimicrobial resistance communication: the role of information design

Getting the message across about the dangers of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) and how to prevent it is a global priority. This article discusses the role of information design in the effective communication of information about AMR, and suggests that the design process – user input, iteration and consideration of circumstances of use – is key to successful communication. To illustrate this, using material from the Otto and Marie Neurath Isotype Collection at the University of Reading, this article considers the work of Otto and Marie Neurath who developed the Isotype system for visual education in the 1920s. They collaborated with scientists, writers and illustrators to ensure that messages were both accurate and relevant for their intended audiences, so that people could make their own decisions based on factual explanation. Their use of pictograms and schematic illustrations, consistent use of colours to represent meaning, and carefully considered relationships between text and image provided a distinctive visual ‘look and feel’. The charts designed by the Neuraths to educate people about health included a series made in the 1930s for the US National Tuberculosis Association to explain the dangers of, and how to prevent TB. This article reviews how these charts were designed, including the designated role of the ‘transformer’ who worked to ensure that scientific facts were presented in an understandable form. The way of working and the verbal and graphic characteristics of the charts deserve serious consideration for effective communication of information about AMR today. Particularly relevant are the use of schematic images using scale and simplification to attract attention, the use of story-telling to engage people, not overwhelming readers with too much information, and using straightforward language. The article asserts that cross-disciplinary working is key to successful explanation about the dangers of AMR. It illustrates this with reference to a research project, influenced by the Isotype approach to public health communication, that brings together academics and practitioners in information design, architecture, ergonomics and human factors, and pharmacy in communicating information about AMR to people using community pharmacies

From Isotype to Many Eyes. Social responsibility of design in data visualization

Isotype (1925–1971) and Many Eyes (2007–2015) are two projects that share the intention of using data visualization methods and techniques as a tool for democratizing knowledge, although they differ in a considerable set of features and a large distance of time. The main goal of the creators of Isotype Otto Neurath and Marie Neurath was to overcome cultural divisions and educational stratification with an effective visual method of communicating important social facts, promoting specific values, or showing the rapid social, cultural and economic changes at the beginning of the 20th century. On the other hand, Many Eyes is an open social participation environment (web application) that gives users the ability to share data resources, generate their own visualizations and discuss the procedures for their creation and cognitive effects of their use. The authors of the system are Fernanda B. Viégas, Martin Wattenberg – two researchers and designers who have been consistently exploring the “social life of visualization” for several years. Isotype and Many Eyes – as examples of socially engaged design – are analyzed in this text on two important dimensions: firstly – how the complex conditions of design practice have been integrated (design skills and teams, design procedures and methods, technological and institutional resources); scenarios for the transfer of identified challenges, threats and barriers to a specific solution that responds to the real needs of users; secondly – scenarios for the transfer of identified challenges, threats and barriers to a specific solution that responds to the user needs

Otto Neurath's Scientific Utopianism Revisited - A Refined Model for Utopias in Thought Experiments

Otto Neurath’s empiricist methodology of economics and his contributions to politi- cal economy have gained increasing attention in recent years. We connect this research with contemporary debates regarding the epistemological status of thought experiments by reconstructing Neurath’s utopias as linchpins of thought experiments. In our three reconstructed examples of different uses of utopias/dystopias in thought experiments we employ a reformulation of Häggqvist’s model for thought experiments and we argue that: (1) Our reformulation of Häggqvist’s model more adequately complies with many uses of thought experiments, especially with the open-ended discussions of utopias and dys- topias in thought experiments. (2) As a strict logical empiricist, Neurath is committed to a strictly empiricist account of thought experiments. John Norton’s empiricist argument view can indeed account for the justifications of empirical beliefs and genuine discoveries targeted by scientific utopianism in three distinct (yet connected) ways, all of which Neur- ath already contemplated: (2.I) Dealing with utopias and thought experiments on a regular basis increases creativity and inventiveness. (2.II) Particular ways of presenting knowl- edge facilitate scientific discovery and social progress. (2.III) The use of utopias in thought experiments can prompt conceptual change and allow access to new phenomena. We con- clude by highlighting that, even though thought experiments support a positive attitude for exploring new social possibilities, Neurath points out that active decisions are unavoidable. The exploration of alternatives and the awareness of a need for decisions in policy discus- sion avert a technocratic outlook in social science

Ethical Life

A sketch of my ethical views, or secular moral philosophy. Emphasis is on stating how it all hangs together

La science et l'espace public de la conception scientifique du monde au "Vivre ensemble" chez Otto Neurath

Le mémoire vise à dégager le lien entre la connaissance scientifique et les interactions politiques décrit par Otto Neurath à travers son oeuvre. Pour ce faire, il est nécessaire de présenter l'empirisme logique de Neurath dans certaines de ses spécificités, puis d'évaluer comment cette approche épistémique est indissociable de questions politiques et sociales. Après avoir explorés [i.e. exploré] certaines caractéristiques du modèle épistémique formulé par Neurath, on s'intéressera plus spécifiquement à la question de l'unité de la science, à travers laquelle on peut saisir plusieurs des préoccupations fondamentales de Neurath comme l'articulation de la connaissance à l'action, les limites de la connaissance relatives aux limites du langage et les limites de la connaissance relatives aux limites pratiques de l'action. Dans un deuxième temps, on pourra comprendre comment cette conception de la science et de la connaissance est élaborée dans la perspective d'une utilisation démocratique de la connaissance. L'intérêt de Neurath est de considérer l'utilité de la science dans l'espace public non seulement quant à l'apport d'informations qu'elle permet, mais aussi des outils discursifs utiles à un processus décisionnel rationnel, démocratique et transparent. Il faudra cependant considérer les limites de tels outils en rappelant les questions relatives aux limites de la science, les liens entre ces limites, la forme de pluralisme politique impliquée, et le caractère lui-même politique de l'activité scientifique. On pourra finalement évaluer le potentiel politique du langage empirique proposé par Neurath comme part constituante de la délibération démocratique. Si le verdict est positif, on pourra alors admettre la valeur éthique de la normativité épistémique pragmatiste proposée par Neurath

The Epigenetic Research Program (EPR): a transdisciplinary approach for the dynamics of knowledge, society - and beyond

'Mit dem 'epigenetischen Zugang' wurde ein einheitliches Forschungsprogramm aufgebaut, das zur Analyse von 'wissensbasierten Prozessen' in einer Unzahl von Bereichen dient. Konkret wurde mit dem epigenetischen Programm bislang auf der einen Seite ein anspruchsvolles 'transdisziplinäres Forschungsprogramm' konstruiert und auf der anderen Seite eine Reihe von Anwendungen im Bereich von Organisationsanalysen oder auch 'Nationalen Innovationssystemen' durchgeführt. Darüberhinaus erlaubt das epigenetische Programm, sich jenseits der gegenwärtig diskutierten Merkmale von 'Wissensgesellschaften' wie der Diffusion von Informations- und Kommunikationstechnologien oder der Ausweitung in den traditionellen Stätten der Wissensproduktion - Universitäten und Forschungsinstitute - zu bewegen. Zu guter Letzt sei der Hinweis angebracht, daß gerade die neue Architektur von Wissens- und Informationsgesellschaften innovative Schlaglichter auf Fragen der gesellschaftlichen Ungleichheit wirft und gegenwärtige Problemfelder in diesem Bereich scharf zu akzentuieren vermag.' (Autorenreferat)'With the 'epigenetic approach', an entire research program has been set up which is devoted to the study of 'knowledge-based processes' in human societies - and beyond. More concretely, an epigenetic approach has been built up in which two different areas are addressed and dealt with simultaneously, namely theoretical foundations for the analysis of 'knowledge based processes' and a comparatively large number of empirical applications, ranging from the study of organizations to the level of 'National Innovation Systems'. Moreover, the emphasis on 'knowledge and information societies' is not motivated by current reconfigurations via communication and information technologies or the expansion of 'knowledge generating capacities' beyond the confines of traditional universities or research institutes. Likewise, 'knowledge and information societies' are not conceptualized as a stage beyond socio-economic inequality, contrasting it, for example, to traditional 'class societies', but, once again, as a theoretical approach which offers new insights into the basic structure of current societal disparities.' (Autorenreferat)