Mapping Human Earth Systems is my Master of Design thesis project exploring how data visualisation can be used as a relational tool for communities. It investigates the structures that shape how knowledge is presented, and develops an alternative design system to visualise complex social, economic, and environmental systems in ways that centre local perspectives.
Rooted in indigenous and decolonial approaches to mapping, the project creates prototypes that allow for collaborative interaction with data, aiming to support community agency and decision-making. It asks: what does it mean to visualise truthfully, and how can design become a mediator for collective understanding?
The final outcomes are a set of interactive and static visualisations, alongside physical and digital artefacts that demonstrate the potential of alternative mapping systems. These outputs reframe typography, grid systems, and data structures not as neutral, but as culturally embedded tools. The work functions both as a design toolkit and as a critical reflection on how information can be communicated with care and contextual awareness.
The final work taking place as a written Thesis of the same name.
