Beyond Number

Social Awareness Web Platform for Data For Black Lives

Beyond Number is an interactive platform that transforms raw data into compelling personal narratives. Designed with clarity and engagement in mind, it enables users to explore social justice data through dynamic visualizations, interactive tooltips, and an intuitive minimalist layout. By integrating storytelling with data analytics, it allows visitors to create personalized memory posters that highlight key insights and historical contexts. The platform encourages reflection and awareness, making data-driven storytelling more accessible, impactful, and socially relevant.

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Beyond Number by Lei Ye

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Social Awareness Web Platform by Lei Ye

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Lei Ye Beyond Number

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Lei Ye Social Awareness Web Platform

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Data For Black LivesBrand Logo

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Unique Properties

Beyond Number is an interactive data visualization platform that transforms raw social data into compelling narratives, encouraging users to reflect on social justice issues. Unlike traditional static infographics, BeyondNO enables users to generate personalized digital posters, integrating statistics with visual storytelling. Designed for the 2024 D4BL Conference, it fosters engagement by making abstract data tangible, urging audiences to think beyond numbers and see the human impact behind data.

Tags

Social Design, Data Visualization, Interactive Storytelling, Digital Platform, Social Justice

Production Technology

Beyond Number was developed using a combination of front-end web technologies, including HTML5, CSS3, and JavaScript, with D3.js for dynamic data visualization. The platform integrates an interactive UX framework to enable user-generated content, allowing real-time customization of digital posters. The design follows a research-driven methodology, incorporating data ethics principles and social impact storytelling to ensure accessibility, engagement, and meaningful narrative construction.

Design Challenge

The biggest challenge in Beyond Number was balancing data accuracy with emotional impact. Social justice data is often complex, and translating it into an engaging, interactive experience required careful curation. Ensuring accessibility while maintaining depth was another hurdle, as was integrating real-time visualization without overwhelming users. Overcoming these challenges involved iterative user testing, refining interaction flows, and optimizing visual hierarchy for clarity and engagement.

Project Duration

The Beyond Number project started in September 2024 in Boston and was completed in November 2024. It was designed for the 2024 Data for Black Lives (D4BL) Conference and exhibited at the Pérez Art Museum Miami. The platform was developed as a digital experience to engage audiences in social justice narratives through data visualization and interactive storytelling.

Operation Flow

Beyond Number guides users through an interactive journey of social data storytelling. Visitors explore curated datasets, interact with dynamic visualizations, and personalize their insights by selecting key statistics. The platform then transforms their choices into a unique digital poster, which can be saved or shared. This immersive experience fosters reflection, making complex social issues more tangible and engaging, encouraging users to see beyond numbers and understand human impact.

Research

Beyond Number was developed through qualitative and quantitative research on data ethics, visualization, and social impact. The objective was to explore how interactive design can transform raw statistics into compelling narratives that drive awareness and engagement. The methodology included literature reviews, case studies on social justice movements, and user testing. Data was collected from open-source datasets, analyzed using D3.js, and tested with diverse participants. Insights revealed that interactive storytelling enhances audience understanding and emotional connection, making complex issues more tangible. This research contributes to social design by demonstrating how data-driven platforms can foster meaningful dialogue and collective reflection.

Inspiration

Beyond Number was inspired by the need to humanize data and challenge the perception that numbers alone tell the full story of social justice issues. Rooted in research on data ethics and visual storytelling, the project draws from historical social movements and interactive design principles. The goal was to create an engaging, thought-provoking experience that transforms statistics into personal reflections, enabling users to see the lived realities behind the data.

Image Credits

All Credits To Lei Ye

Project Overview

Beyond Number Social Awareness Web Platform has been a Iron winner in the Public Awareness, Volunteerism, and Society Design award category in the year 2024 organized by the prestigious A' Design Award & Competition. The Iron A' Design Award is awarded to good designs that meet the rigorous professional and industrial standards set by the A' Design Awards. This recognition is reserved for works that demonstrate a solid understanding of design principles and show creativity within their execution. Recipients of the Iron A' Design Award are acknowledged for their practical innovations and contributions to their respective fields, providing solutions that improve quality of life and foster positive change. These designs are a testament to the skill and dedication of their creators, showcasing their ability to address real-world challenges through thoughtful design.

Iron Recognition

Lei Ye was recognized with the coveted Iron A' Design Award in 2025, a testament to excellence of their work Beyond Number Social Awareness Web Platform.

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