Illustration by Anna Boyle

Imagine you were to start collecting data about yourself over the next ten years (2020–2030) to store in a time capsule. What data would you collect and why?”

Mimi Onuoha asks — “How does our attitude towards data change if we see it as the result of a relationship rather than an end in itself?”

Anna Boyle
Nov 3 · 2 min read

Thinking of myself 10 years from now I would want to start collecting data about myself in reference to my possible career outcomes and professional pursuits. However, when looking into these personal future outcomes it can be difficult to quantify the value of this data and what it would communicate.

Initially, when thinking about the categories of data I would want to be collected I considered the quantifiable outcomes below.

  • Salary Increases → Amount, Frequency Time
  • Position Titles →Amount, Catagory
  • Place → Location

However, these data points typically have very distilled negative and positive assumptions associated with them and tell a very linear story.

After reflecting on this I determined that I would prefer to collect the following alternative data points instead. This approach would reposition my data to tell a more informed story about growth and development and how the steps you take can lead you on different paths to success.

In my restructuring of these categories, I came up with the following points.

  • Salary → How often I spend time seeking opportunities that bring me joy — Time
  • Position Title → Who have I worked with and who have added value to my Career Path — Catagory
  • Place → Where have a had the opportunity to adapt and grow — Location

When asking how our attitude towards data can change if we see the result of the relationship first rather than an end in itself, I think your perspective changes drastically.

As Giorgia Lupi (2017) explains in her Ted Talk we need to make“…data faithfully representative of our human nature”…in an effort to avoid misrepresentations of information. Looking at data in this way provides us the opportunity to see a holistic truth.

How I have determined my current Career Path Data based on Salary, People, Place. Illustration by Anna Boyle.

References | Giorgia Lupi and Mimi Onuoha.

Anna Boyle

Written by

Carnegie Mellon University | School of Design | Masters Student

Welcome to a place where words matter. On Medium, smart voices and original ideas take center stage - with no ads in sight. Watch
Follow all the topics you care about, and we’ll deliver the best stories for you to your homepage and inbox. Explore
Get unlimited access to the best stories on Medium — and support writers while you’re at it. Just $5/month. Upgrade