Visualizing the silent force of the Bay
summary
Kiteboard currents in the San Francisco Bay behave like a violent river and conventional tidal charts often fail to warn users; a user-centered study of 110 users surveyed finds one-third rescued by Coast Guard, one-third rescued by peers and one-third never rescued, showing risk is about exposure not skill. Designs test gradients versus arrows, compare map styles, and iterate on a mobile prototype using Bay Currents data and shipping channels GPS tracks plus a computer-generated drift model to predict where a swimmer will end up. Prototypes surface clear preferences for organic arrows and a directions-style basemap and the Exploratorium display validates the approach.
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chapters (19)
- 0:00Introduction to kite surfing
- 1:21Alan’s dangerous Bay lesson
- 2:44Coast Guard rescues and risks
- 4:09Problem with current charts
- 5:11User study findings
- 6:58Experience vs danger correlation
- 8:01History of weather visualization
- 10:50Traditional current maps
- 11:56Early flood visualization attempt
- 13:21Inspiration from natural systems
- 14:23Bake Currents app research
- 15:49Stamen Design’s water maps
- 16:31Visualizing current strength
- 17:35Simplifying current arrows
- 18:18Shipping channels and safety
- 19:21Rubber duckies and currents
- 19:41Preferred map styles for users
- 20:24Future wearable device ideas
- 21:21Q&A and closing
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