Explorable explanation: Difference between revisions

Revision as of 04:37, 4 October 2021

Revision as of 08:18, 5 October 2021

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[[File:PLATO chem exp.jpg|thumb|The PLATO computer system, which predates the personal computer, was the first platform for what would now be called explorable explanations]]

Many explorable explanations predate the popular use of the phrase.<ref>{{Cite journal|last=Singley|first=Mark K.|date=1991|title=MOLEHILL: An Instructional System for Smalltalk Programming |journal=Proceedings of the SIGCHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems|series=CHI '91 |___location=New York, NY |publisher=ACM |pages=439–440 |doi=10.1145/108844.108992 |isbn=9780897913836|s2cid=21614588}}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal|last=Redmiles|first=David F.|date=1993|title=Reducing the Variability of Programmers' Performance Through Explained Examples|journal=Proceedings of the INTERACT '93 and CHI '93 Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems|series=CHI '93|___location=New York, NY|publisher=ACM|pages=[https://archive.org/details/interchi93confer0000unse/page/67 67–73]|doi=10.1145/169059.169082|isbn=9780897915755|s2cid=13014326|url=https://archive.org/details/interchi93confer0000unse/page/67}}</ref> For example, the [[PLATO (computer system)|Plato system]], a computer-assisted instructional system created in 1960 depicted to the right, used interactive examples to teach concepts to students.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://hackeducation.com/2018/01/25/plato|title=PLATO and the History of Education Technology (That Wasn't)|date=January 2, 2018|website=Hack Education|language=en-US|access-date=March 27, 2019}}</ref> In 1996, [[Mitchel Resnick]] created an explorable explanation of [[emergence]] using [[Conway's Game of Life]] as an example.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.playfulinvention.com/emergence/|title=Exploring Emergence |website=www.playfulinvention.com |access-date=March 3, 2019}}</ref>

The target audience for explorable explanations has historically been limited by available [[Software Platform|software distribution platforms]] (although some have been made for specific museums, without any intention of wider distribution, including some created by [[Karl Sims]]<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.karlsims.com/rd-exhibit.html|title=Reaction-Diffusion Media Wall |website=www.karlsims.com |access-date=March 3, 2019}}</ref>). Due to the fact that explorable explanations have not previously been successfully [[Monetization|monetized]], physical media such as [[CD-ROM]]s could not be considered. Since the 2000s, explorable explanations have become more common, because of widespread internet access and increased [[computer graphics]] possibilities within [[web browser]]s, for example via [[Scalable Vector Graphics|SVG]], [[WebGL]], and [[Canvas element|HTML5 canvas]] [[API]]. This allows complex simulations to be accessed instantly and shared on social media.

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The most prevalent examples of explorable explanations concern topics within mathematics<ref>{{cite web|url=http://explorabl.es/math/|title=Math {{!}} Explorable Explanations|website=explorabl.es|access-date=April 5, 2019}}</ref><ref>{{Citation|last=Benziane|first=Chakib|title=A curated list of awesome explorable explanations.: sp4ke/awesome-explorables|date=April 3, 2019|url=https://github.com/sp4ke/awesome-explorables#math|access-date=April 5, 2019}}</ref> or [[computer science]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://explorabl.es/programming/|title=Programming {{!}} Explorable Explanations|website=explorabl.es|access-date=April 5, 2019}}</ref><ref>{{Citation|last=Benziane|first=Chakib|title=A curated list of awesome explorable explanations.: sp4ke/awesome-explorables|date=April 3, 2019|url=https://github.com/sp4ke/awesome-explorables#algorithms |access-date=April 5, 2019}}</ref> There are numerous explanations of concepts within statistics and [[machine learning]] as well as of specific [[algorithm]]s.

Explorable explanations have a bias towards focusing on these topics, and when the subject matter comes from disciplines of [[empirical science]], there is a tendency to focus on [[quantitative research|quantitative models]] from within the discipline. This is true even in the case of explorable explanations about disciplines where quantitative models are less common, such as [[social science]].<ref>{{cite webjournal|url=https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2017/07/30/the-evolution-of-trust-is-a-cute-explain-o-game-about-cooperation/ |title=The Evolution of Trust is a cute explain-o-game about cooperation |last=Horti |first=Samuel |date=July 3, 2017|websitejournal=Rock, Paper, Shotgun |language=en-US|access-date=January 21, 2019}}</ref><ref>{{cite webnews |url=http://www.citylab.com/design/2014/12/an-immersive-game-shows-how-easily-segregation-arisesand-how-we-might-fix-it/383586/|title=An Immersive Game Shows How Easily Segregation Arises—and How We Might Fix It |last=Bliss |first=Laura |websitenewspaper=CityLabBloomberg.com |date=December 10, 2014 |language=en|access-date=January 21, 2019}}</ref> The bias is due to the fact that explorable explanations involve a [[Programming language|programmed]] simulation which is required to follow a [[Consistency|consistent]] [[mathematical model]] or [[formal system]]. [[Jonathan Blow]] has argued<ref>{{Citation|last=Glen Chiacchieri|title=Storytime with Jonathan Blow at PAX East 2016|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UwBl7Rnkt78&t=1923|access-date=January 21, 2019}}</ref> that this requirement forces subject matter to be dealt with more [[Rigour|rigorously]] than other mediums such as [[speculative fiction]].

Additionally, since the simulation requires a [[Visualization (graphics)|visualization]], there is a certain bias towards subject matter close to [[geometry]]. For example, there are at least three explorable explanations about [[special relativity]]<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.lucify.com/inside-einsteins-head/|website=www.lucify.com|access-date=January 21, 2019|title=Inside Einstein's head - an explorable explanation of relativistic spacetime}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://testtubegames.com/velocityraptor.html|title=Velocity Raptor|website=testtubegames.com|access-date=January 21, 2019}}</ref> including [[A Slower Speed of Light]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://gamelab.mit.edu/games/a-slower-speed-of-light/|title=A Slower Speed of Light|last=Admin|first=Game Lab|website=MIT Game Lab|language=en-US|access-date=March 3, 2019}}</ref>

== Use in media ==

Explorable explanations are increasingly being created by journalists,<ref>{{cite web|url=https://killscreen.com/articles/your-brain-anxiety-interactive-explanation-nicky-case/|title=Your brain on anxiety: an interactive explanation with Nicky Case|last=Joho|first=Jess|date=September 2, 2015|website=Kill Screen|language=en-US|access-date=January 24, 2019}}</ref> sometimes by organisations that formerly focused on [[print news media]]<ref name=":1">{{Cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2017/04/02/technology/uber-drivers-psychological-tricks.html,%20https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2017/04/02/technology/uber-drivers-psychological-tricks.html|title=How Uber Uses Psychological Tricks to Push Its Drivers’ Buttons|last=Scheiber|first=Noam|date=April 2, 2017|work=The New York Times|access-date=January 21, 2019|language=en-US|issn=0362-4331}}</ref><ref name=":2">{{cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/datablog/ng-interactive/2017/sep/28/hooked-how-pokies-are-designed-to-be-addictive|title=Hooked: how pokies are designed to be addictive|lastlast1=Evershed|firstfirst1=Nick|last2=Ball|first2=Andy|website=the Guardian|language=en|access-date=January 21, 2019|last3=Liu|first3=Ri|last4=Davey|first4=Melissa}}</ref> and radio.<ref>{{cite webnews|url=https://www.npr.org/sections/money/2015/05/21/408234543/will-your-job-be-done-by-a-machine|title=Will Your Job Be Done By A Machine?|websitenewspaper=NPR.org|date=May 21, 2015|language=en|access-date=January 21, 2019|last1=Bui|first1=Quoctrung}}</ref> In 2015, [[FiveThirtyEight]] collaborated with [[The Marshall Project]] to produce an article on prison parole assessment<ref>{{cite web|url=https://fivethirtyeight.com/features/prison-reform-risk-assessment/|title=Should Prison Sentences Be Based On Crimes That Haven't Been Committed Yet?|last=Barry-Jester|first=Anna Maria|date=August 4, 2015|website=FiveThirtyEight|language=en-US|access-date=January 24, 2019}}</ref> that included a explorable explanation of the effects of policy changes on prison populations. The article was cited by the [[Columbia Journalism Review]] as an example of how explorable explanations could be used to advance digital storytelling.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.cjr.org/q_and_a/could_explorable_explanations_help_tell_a_new_kind_of_story.php|title=Could 'explorable explanations' help tell a new kind of story?|website=Columbia Journalism Review|language=en|access-date=January 24, 2019}}</ref> [[Newsgame]]s may be considered explorable explanations.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.robinkwong.com/newsgames-list/|title=A list of recent newsgames|website=www.robinkwong.com|access-date=April 1, 2019}}</ref>

Other newsrooms such as [[Bloomberg Businessweek]], [[The New York Times]], and [[The Guardian]] are also notable for their use of explorable explanations to tell stories, for example covering topics like climate change, drug overdoses, and economics.<ref name=":1" /><ref name=":2" /><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2014/upshot/buy-rent-calculator.html,%20https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2014/upshot/buy-rent-calculator.html|title=Is It Better to Rent or Buy?|lastlast1=Bostock|firstfirst1=Mike|date=May 2, 2014|work=The New York Times|access-date=January 24, 2019 |last2=Carter |first2=Shan |language=en-US |issn=0362-4331|last3=Tse|first3=Archie}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/society/ng-interactive/2015/feb/05/-sp-watch-how-measles-outbreak-spreads-when-kids-get-vaccinated|title=Watch how the measles outbreak spreads when kids get vaccinated – and when they don't|lastlast1=Harris|firstfirst1=Rich|work=The Guardian |access-date=January 25, 2019 |last2=Popovich|first2=Nadja|language=en-GB|issn=0261-3077|last3=team|first3=Kenton Powell on the Guardian US interactive |last4=Harris |first4=Rich |last5=Popovich |first5=Nadja |last6=team |first6=Kenton Powell on the Guardian US interactive}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2015/03/19/upshot/3d-yield-curve-economic-growth.html,%20https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2015/03/19/upshot/3d-yield-curve-economic-growth.html|title=A 3-D View of a Chart That Predicts The Economic Future: The Yield Curve |lastlast1=Aisch |firstfirst1=Gregor |date=March 1, 2015|work=The New York Times|access-date=January 25, 2019|last2=Cox|first2=Amanda|language=en-US|issn=0362-4331}}</ref><ref>{{cite webnews|date=2015-06-24|title=What's Really Warming the World?|url=https://www.bloomberg.com/graphics/2015-whats-warming-the-world/|access-date=2020-10-17|websitenewspaper=Bloomberg Businessweek.com}}</ref><ref>{{cite webnews |url=https://www.bloomberg.com/graphics/2015-whats-warming-the-world/ |title=Bloomberg – What's Really Warming the World? |last=Roston |first=Eric |date=June 2, 2015|websitenewspaper=www.bloombergBloomberg.com |access-date=January 25, 2019}}</ref> [[FiveThirtyEight]] has also used explorable explanations to cover topics such as gun violence<ref>{{cite web|url=https://theundefeated.com/features/fivethirtyeight-breaks-down-the-more-than-33000-annual-u-s-gun-deaths/|title=FiveThirtyEight breaks down the more than 33,000 annual U.S. gun deaths|last=Jones|first=Maya A.|date=July 1, 2016|website=The Undefeated|language=en-US|access-date=January 25, 2019}}</ref> and [[p hacking]].<ref>{{cite web |url=https://fivethirtyeight.com/features/science-isnt-broken/ |title=Science Isn't Broken |last=King |first=Ritchie |date=August 1, 2015|website=FiveThirtyEight |language=en-US |access-date=January 25, 2019}}</ref>

==Structure==