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How to create reusable Data Boards

Data Boards are tools that enables you to bring the conversation to the public is an easily accessible method to provide a space to facilitate conversations.

Input visualization tools like dot voting are simple and interactive methods used to gather and visualize public opinions on various topics. Participants use stickers or markers to vote on their preferred options displayed on a board or chart. This method is easy to set up and understand, making it accessible for a wide audience.

What you will need

This Data Board kit was designed to be easy to assemble and accessible. The best part? You can assemble it using common office supplies you likely already have on hand. No need for specialized equipment—you might have everything you need within reach!

Physical Supplies

These are the items you will assemble your data physicalisation out of.

Magnetic Whiteboard(s)

We recommend combining two or three 90x60cm whiteboards to create a trifold self-standing tabletop Data Board.

A picture of a wooden framed magnetic whiteboard with whiteboard marker

White board markers

White board markers, to write your questions with, and use to divide up the board as needed.

A picture of four coloured white board makers, red, green, blue and black.

Magnets

Magnets of different colours and sizes, these will be the tokens that represent your participants, so the number you will need will depend on how many you want to engage with before resetting the board and the colours will depend on how you segment your target participants.

A picture of 8 magnets, they are round and various colours.

Sticky notes

Use sticky notes to capture notes on the conversations that the Data Boards spark, or you can use them to create an open-ended question and allow participants to respond with their own words.

An image of a stack of sticky notes, assorted colours

Sharpie Markers

A couple of sharpie markers so that you can write on the sticky notes.

An image of two black sharpie branded markers

How to assemble your data board

All you need to assemble is to gather your supplies.

If using two or three boards, you can use wide Sellotape or packing tape to affix the boards together so that they open like a book and are self standing.

Step 1: What question(s) would you like to ask?

Keep them simple and clear

Top Tip: Provide the option to capture additional data through your sticky notes.

Step 2: Decide how many boards you want.

You can use one board or as in the photo above combine multiple boards together.

Top Tip – clear packing tape is strong and durable and allows you to create a trifold or bifold Data Board. It is also removable at the end of a session should you need to deconstruct your boards.

Step 3: Designing your board.

You need to account for a space to hold your tokens (magnets) and a space to ask the question.

You can divide your board into columns or quadrants depending on the question you are asking.

For example in this Data Board we segmented participants by three work related categories and asked them three questions, each participant could take three tokens to add their answers to the Data Board.

A trifold Data Board set on a table infront of an IDEATE banner. Board 1 has a question and is divide into two for a yes or no answer. Data board 2 and three have a question and a quandrant for up to 4 possible answers. In front of the data boards, the tokens are segmented by colour.
A women wearing a red jumper and jeans is discussing and gesturing towards a Data Board, while another woman wearing black is listening with her arms crossed

Step 4: Set up the board

We recommend that some stays with the board to capture the conversations and answer questions as you can gather rich insights and data on your sticky notes and append to the board.

You can mount a board to the wall, or set it on a tabletop.

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