The Cupcakes Index is a project created for Data Representation at NYU’s Interactive Telecommunications Program.Tumblr (3.0; @cupcakesindex)http://www.cupcakesindex.com/<a href="http://www.psfk.com/2012/06/un-index-happiness-cupcakes.html">Press! PSFK covers cupcakes</a>http://www.cupcakesindex.com/post/26075847740http://www.cupcakesindex.com/post/26075847740Thu, 28 Jun 2012 12:11:42 -0400psfkfanneliebernster<img src="http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m4g0lv0xo11rv7pt6o1_500.jpg"/><br/> each has a unique amt. of sugar<br/><br/> <img src="http://24.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m4g0lv0xo11rv7pt6o2_500.jpg"/><br/> the "saddest" were fluffiest actually<br/><br/> <img src="http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m4g0lv0xo11rv7pt6o3_500.jpg"/><br/> people pinned to show sweetness<br/><br/> <img src="http://24.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m4g0lv0xo11rv7pt6o4_500.jpg"/><br/> taste, consider sweetness, pin<br/><br/> <img src="http://24.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m4g0lv0xo11rv7pt6o5_500.jpg"/><br/> how close are you to the actual graph?<br/><br/> <img src="http://24.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m4g0lv0xo11rv7pt6o6_500.jpg"/><br/> the formal graph<br/><br/> <img src="http://24.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m4g0lv0xo11rv7pt6o7_500.jpg"/><br/> a mash up: layering days of wrappers<br/><br/> <p>The photos above give a full description of the Cupcakes Index experience— from baking process to tasting process.</p>http://www.cupcakesindex.com/post/23563859607http://www.cupcakesindex.com/post/23563859607Tue, 22 May 2012 17:20:00 -0400fanneliebernster<img src="http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m3gvknrTtA1rv7pt6o1_500.jpg"/><br/> 1<br/><br/> <img src="http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m3gvknrTtA1rv7pt6o2_500.jpg"/><br/> 2<br/><br/> http://www.cupcakesindex.com/post/22341888039http://www.cupcakesindex.com/post/22341888039Thu, 03 May 2012 17:55:33 -0400fanneliebernster<img src="http://24.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m3gt9vd7RX1rv7pt6o1_500.jpg"/><br/><br/><p>The standard graph (from least happy to happiest)— created in Processing with an output PDF— in order to make the laser cut version that was then mashed up with the cupcake liner contributed data.</p>http://www.cupcakesindex.com/post/22338558749http://www.cupcakesindex.com/post/22338558749Thu, 03 May 2012 17:05:00 -0400data representationhappiness indexcupcakestastificationfanneliebernster<iframe src="http://player.vimeo.com/video/41454248" width="400" height="711" frameborder="0"></iframe><br/><br/>http://www.cupcakesindex.com/post/22300146118http://www.cupcakesindex.com/post/22300146118Wed, 02 May 2012 22:51:00 -0400data representationtastificationcupcakeshappiness indexfanneliebernster<img src="http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m3egy216jt1rv7pt6o1_500.jpg"/><br/> <br/><img src="http://24.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m3egy216jt1rv7pt6o2_500.jpg"/><br/> <br/><img src="http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m3egy216jt1rv7pt6o5_r1_500.jpg"/><br/> <br/><img src="http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m3egy216jt1rv7pt6o6_r1_500.jpg"/><br/> <br/><p>Planning to color track the white dots that show in the projected image as the centerpoints for where people think the cupcake lies on the sweetness scale— making the translation between the two boards clearer— though currently one can use a finger to track where the liner falls on the formal scale.</p>http://www.cupcakesindex.com/post/22256201166http://www.cupcakesindex.com/post/22256201166Wed, 02 May 2012 10:44:00 -0400data representationhappiness indexworld happinesscupcakestastificationfanneliebernster<img src="http://24.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m3ef6lLQ261rv7pt6o1_r2_500.jpg"/><br/> Empty boards<br/><br/> <img src="http://24.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m3ef6lLQ261rv7pt6o2_500.jpg"/><br/> Beginning participation<br/><br/> <img src="http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m3ef6lLQ261rv7pt6o5_r1_500.jpg"/><br/> The boards fill up...<br/><br/> <img src="http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m3ef6lLQ261rv7pt6o6_r1_500.jpg"/><br/> All the way<br/><br/> <p>These photos show the process of the presentation:</p> <p>1. Eat cupcakes!</p> <p>2. Map their sweetness.</p> <p>3. Consider how your mapping matches the formal index— a live feed of the mapped board is projected onto the formal Happiness Index graph.</p>http://www.cupcakesindex.com/post/22255044185http://www.cupcakesindex.com/post/22255044185Wed, 02 May 2012 10:06:00 -0400happiness indexdata representationtastificationcupcakesfanneliebernster<iframe width="400" height="300" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/44A5PwT0YLI?wmode=transparent&autohide=1&egm=0&hd=1&iv_load_policy=3&modestbranding=1&rel=0&showinfo=0&showsearch=0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe><br/><br/><p>Testing Day</p>http://www.cupcakesindex.com/post/22214031382http://www.cupcakesindex.com/post/22214031382Tue, 01 May 2012 17:16:07 -0400fanneliebernster<img src="http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m3d19gquzz1rv7pt6o1_500.jpg"/><br/><br/><p>The sugariest cupcakes stick together…</p>http://www.cupcakesindex.com/post/22209269088http://www.cupcakesindex.com/post/22209269088Tue, 01 May 2012 16:08:00 -0400happiness indexcupcakestastificationdata representationfanneliebernster<img src="http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m3d173B6gr1rv7pt6o1_500.png"/><br/> <br/><img src="http://24.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m3d173B6gr1rv7pt6o2_500.png"/><br/> <br/><img src="http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m3d173B6gr1rv7pt6o3_400.png"/><br/> <br/><img src="http://24.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m3d173B6gr1rv7pt6o6_r1_500.jpg"/><br/> User experience scenarios and sketches<br/><br/> <img src="http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m3d173B6gr1rv7pt6o7_r1_500.jpg"/><br/> User experience scenarios and sketches<br/><br/> <p>First photo: a general test of how people taste varieties of sugar in cupcakes.</p> <p>Second: the process of recording values from a non-excel data set— I traced the outlines of the bar chart and converted these heights to values. </p> <p>Third: interest in comparing the data set of “How happy were you yesterday?” vs. the overall “Overall, how happy are you these days?”</p> <p>I decided to go with the simple set of “Overall, how happy are you these days?” because the report found that dataset to be more valuable, informative and true to the purpose of conducting studies on happiness. </p> <p>The “yesterday” data set, however, is reference in its own way in that when people taste cupcakes, many people’s (although not all) happiness immediately spikes— but it is a transient pleasure rather than a lasting pleasure.</p>http://www.cupcakesindex.com/post/22209169517http://www.cupcakesindex.com/post/22209169517Tue, 01 May 2012 16:06:00 -0400fanneliebernster<p><blockquote> <div><span><a href="http://www.earth.columbia.edu/articles/view/2960" title="Tidbits from the Report" target="_blank">From the World Happiness Report:</a></span></div> <ul><li>Happier countries tend to be richer countries. But more important for happiness than income are social factors like the strength of social support, the absence of corruption and the degree of personal freedom.</li> <li>Over time as living standards have risen, happiness has increased in some countries, but not in others (like for example, the United States). On average, the world has become a little happier in the last 30 years (by 0.14 times the standard deviation of happiness around the world).</li> <li>Unemployment causes as much unhappiness as bereavement or separation. At work, job security and good relationships do more for job satisfaction than high pay and convenient hours.</li> <li>Behaving well makes people happier.</li> <li>Mental health is the biggest single factor affecting happiness in any country. Yet only a quarter of mentally ill people get treatment for their condition in advanced countries and fewer in poorer countries.</li> <li>Stable family life and enduring marriages are important for the happiness of parents and children.</li> <li>In advanced countries, women are happier than men, while the position in poorer countries is mixed.</li> <li>Happiness is lowest in middle age.</li> </ul></blockquote></p>http://www.cupcakesindex.com/post/22197345653http://www.cupcakesindex.com/post/22197345653Tue, 01 May 2012 12:19:00 -0400happiness indexfanneliebernster<img src="http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m3cq6fPLo01rv7pt6o1_500.jpg"/><br/> <br/><img src="http://24.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m3cq6fPLo01rv7pt6o2_500.jpg"/><br/> <br/><img src="http://24.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m3cq6fPLo01rv7pt6o3_500.jpg"/><br/> <br/><img src="http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m3cq6fPLo01rv7pt6o4_500.jpg"/><br/> <br/><p>My participants mapped the cupcake liners of the cupcakes they tasted according to sweetness, trying out the feedback loop in the process. Thus the sweeter country-cupcakes were at one end, the less sweet at the other.</p>http://www.cupcakesindex.com/post/22196871782http://www.cupcakesindex.com/post/22196871782Tue, 01 May 2012 12:08:00 -0400fanneliebernster<img src="http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m3cpq2Auab1rv7pt6o1_500.jpg"/><br/> <br/><img src="http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m3cpq2Auab1rv7pt6o2_500.jpg"/><br/> <br/><img src="http://24.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m3cpq2Auab1rv7pt6o4_500.jpg"/><br/> <br/><img src="http://24.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m3cpq2Auab1rv7pt6o5_500.jpg"/><br/> <br/><p>From initial preparation to baking. Each cupcake is a different country and gets a different quantity of sugar according to its increase in happiness.</p>http://www.cupcakesindex.com/post/22196431190http://www.cupcakesindex.com/post/22196431190Tue, 01 May 2012 11:58:00 -0400data representationhappiness indexcupcakestastificationfanneliebernster