Data is too incomprehensible to care about. There is lots of Data ‘about’ individuals not ‘for’ individuals. The tools for taking this data and turning it into meaningful information is generally limited to experts, who use it to support studies and analyses – and is out of the reach of the everyday person.

Numbers That Matter aims to explore what would happen if this relationship were turned on its head, through a series of workshops and production activities. If we could invent a watch that told you that your neighbours were probably bored and looking for companionship, if we could invent a litmus badge that changed colour telling you how healthy the areas you frequent are, if we could invent a bandana that unfurled in sociable places, how would it affect us? Would they change our behaviour as individuals – but more interestingly, could they help us become more aware citizens?

Through a series of free workshops, Numbers That Matter will identify the needs of individuals and communities and identify ways of realising them. Working with engineers and software developers, we will prototype one device as functioning, wearable object.

Numbers that Matter is a Creative Exchange Project.