Cultural Analytics of Non-Pictorial Data: A Layered Representation Model

Abstract

Cultural analytics visualizes units that are already visual media objects. For data lacking pictorial correspondence, the transition from statistical pattern to perceptible representation remains underexplored. Drawing on Drucker’s concept of ‘capta’, the study proposes a gradual model from abstract numerical value to concrete spatial context. Using a practice-based research design, the model was tested on Sentinel-2-derived NDVI, NDBI, and GLCM metrics across eight faculty areas at Dokuz Eylül University Main Campus. Non-parametric analyses revealed clear distributional divergence. Spatial dependence was assessed with Moran’s I, and the divergence across faculty areas persisted under a spatially constrained permutation test. Its visual counterpart is an open-access HTML5 Canvas and D3.js interface, structured around three representation layers and four viewing modes. The model positions the researcher’s design decisions as constitutive components of representation.

Keywords

• cultural analytics
• data visualization
• new media
• capta
• information design

Ethical Statement

I hereby declare that this study has been prepared in accordance with research and publication ethics, that it does not involve any process requiring ethics committee approval, and that all sources used have been cited in accordance with the principles of scholarly citation.

Piktoral Olmayan Verilerin Kültürel Analitiği: Katmanlı Bir Temsil Modeli

Abstract

Kültürel analitik görselleştirmeleri, analiz biriminin görsel bir medya nesnesi olması üzerine kuruludur. Piktoral karşılıktan yoksun verilerde istatistiksel örüntü ile algılanabilir temsil arasındaki yapısal geçiş, görselleştirme yazınında yeterince ele alınmamıştır. Drucker’ın ‘capta’ kavramından hareket eden çalışma, soyut sayısal değerden somut mekânsal bağlama uzanan kademeli bir temsil modeli önermektedir. Pratiğe dayalı araştırma tasarımıyla geliştirilen model, Dokuz Eylül Üniversitesi Merkez Kampüsü'ndeki sekiz fakülte alanında Sentinel-2 türevli NDVI, NDBI ve GLCM metrikleriyle sınanmıştır. Parametrik olmayan analizler fakülteler arasında belirgin dağılımsal ayrışma göstermiştir. Mekânsal bağımlılık Moran’s I ile değerlendirilmiş, mekânsal kısıtlı permütasyon testinde fakülteler arası ayrışma korunmuştur. Ampirik zeminin fotografik karşılığı, HTML5 Canvas ve D3.js tabanlı açık erişimli arayüzde üç temsil katmanı ve dört görüntüleme modu olarak kurulmuştur. Önerilen model, araştırmacının tasarım kararlarını temsilin kurucu bileşenleri olarak konumlandırmaktadır.

Keywords

• kültürel analitik
• veri görselleştirme
• yeni medya
• capta
• bilgi tasarımı

Ethical Statement

Bu çalışmanın araştırma ve yayın etiğine uygun olarak hazırlandığını, çalışma kapsamında etik kurul onayı gerektiren bir süreç bulunmadığını ve kullanılan tüm kaynaklara bilimsel atıf ilkeleri doğrultusunda yer verildiğini beyan ederim.

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