Benefits and applications

Why sonification levels up data storytelling, and where it can be applied.

Benefits of Data Sonification

1. It stirs emotion and sparks curiosity in a listener. Audio is powerful in that it can carry tone and feeling in a way that a data visualization might not. And because data sonification is a relatively new, unique method of data-driven storytelling, it may surprise listeners, drawing them into the experience.

2. It is accessible for blind, visually-impaired, and low-vision individuals. Sonification helps shift exclusivity in data storytelling by offering an experience which does not require sight. This is greatly needed in spaces with over-reliance on visual modalities.

3. It is inherently temporal, lending to intentional chronology. Because audio is time-based, sonification offers a great opportunity to tell a story from start to finish. A sonification can convey a story arc the way a musical composition might, or it can even include narrative elements to guide the listener.

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Applications

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