Key Insights

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  Climate Central converts slow, peer-reviewed attribution science into real-time, forecast-applicable data visualizations to better communicate climate causes.

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  Journalists and meteorologists prefer compelling, simplified visuals over deep scientific details due to time constraints, requiring UX to balance accuracy and usability.

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  Scientists demand literal, detailed data representations and are suspicious of metaphors or abstractions in UX design, valuing precision over simplification.

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  Designing for scientists involves embracing their existing mental models like Excel grids and visually 'clunky' graphs rather than innovating novel visualizations.

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  Ambient sensing uses secondary environmental signals, like sound and temperature fluctuations, to remotely monitor HVAC system performance without direct equipment attachment.

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  Creating new meaningful measures (e.g., degrees Fahrenheit per hour for HVAC efficiency) helps users understand complex scientific data intuitively.

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  Scientists prioritize minimizing false positives over false negatives, which influences the cautious language and presentation of climate science data.

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  Culture, storytelling, and design have a unique role in interpreting and responding to scientific data, especially where science alone can't convey urgency or meaning.

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  Learning scientific domains for UX requires humility, asking many questions, and gradually internalizing key vocabulary and concepts without deep expertise.

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  Designers can serve as cultural translators providing ‘cover’ for scientists to communicate findings within constraints of scientific rigor and funding pressures.

Notable Quotes