The Data Sonification Toolkit
My fellowship project to build a free data sonification resource for journalists and information designers. 2024-25
For my RJI fellowship project, I built a data sonification toolkit. It's a free resource designed to help journalists, information designers, and data enthusiasts use the method of sonification in their data storytelling projects. Data sonification, the practice of representing data in the form of sound and music, is a unique method that allows practitioners to connect with audiences without relying on typical approaches like charts and tables. Sonification leverages the power of audio to stir emotion in a listener, and creates an avenue of accessibility for low-vision or blind individuals.
Data sonification has great potential in the field of journalism, because many people consume the news through podcasts and digital formats, which are perfectly suited for data-driven audio. I applied to the Reynold Journalism Institute's fellowship program with this idea in mind, proposing a toolkit that would make sonification more feasible for all. By centralizing the vast array of scattered resources, providing simple explanations, and offering up many examples, I aimed to build a resource that would share and demystify the art of sonification.
Data sonification has great potential in the field of journalism, because many people consume the news through podcasts and digital formats, which are perfectly suited for data-driven audio. I applied to the Reynold Journalism Institute's fellowship program with this idea in mind, proposing a toolkit that would make sonification more feasible for all. By centralizing the vast array of scattered resources, providing simple explanations, and offering up many examples, I aimed to build a resource that would share and demystify the art of sonification.
Digital collage for RJI fellowship article "Customization is key to a compelling sonification"
Copyright © 2024 Aura Walmer
The Data Sonification Toolkit is organized in chapters, so that users can either jump directly to a topic or navigate the toolkit chronologically. It covers the basics of data sonification, such as its definition, what the process entails, benefits and applications, as well as how to train listeners. It covers common methods of sonification like parameter mapping and audification. It categorizes available sonification tools by level of difficulty, and references other tools such as audio editors and sound sample archives. It provides an organized layout of published data sonification resources, whether that be in the format of handbooks, onlines guides, articles, podcast interviews, or recorded presentations. It contains an archive of examples, with particular focus on sonification applications in journalism and podcasts. It includes a sonification roadmap to support users in planning and achieving their sonification project. It is also full of shoutouts to sonification practitioners, as well as active communities in the field.
In sharing this project, I hope to provide users with the encouragement and information needed to generate their own data-driven sound compositions.
In sharing this project, I hope to provide users with the encouragement and information needed to generate their own data-driven sound compositions.
Intro paragraph: Date / intro to application to RJI, the premise of RJI fellowships,
Second paragraph: the need of a toolkit, the potential in journalism
Third paragraph: the structure of the toolkit itself / GitBook platform
Links: to the toolkit and various pages
Need to create new version of example archive
Links to articles written for RJI (monthly)
Second paragraph: the need of a toolkit, the potential in journalism
Third paragraph: the structure of the toolkit itself / GitBook platform
Links: to the toolkit and various pages
Need to create new version of example archive
Links to articles written for RJI (monthly)