by mert.altinoez -

Impulse #4 – SUX-Podcast EP15 „A Fossil-Free Internet by 2030“ with Hannah Smith

In the SUX Podcast Episode 15, titled “A Fossil-Free Internet by 2030,” Hannah Smith shared her insights on sustainability and the crucial role of rethinking our digital practices.

Understanding Sustainability

Hannah defines sustainability as meeting today’s needs while ensuring there’s enough left for future generations. This definition goes beyond environmental concerns, emphasizing personal and societal endurance. It’s about a balanced approach, acknowledging that perfection isn’t possible but striving for incremental improvements.

This idea resonates deeply with the challenges of implementing the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Every action has trade-offs: improving one area often comes at a cost in another. Progress lies in collective effort, finding a balance that optimizes outcomes for all stakeholders.

The Mission for a Fossil-Free Internet

The Green Web Foundation, where Hannah works, aims to achieve a fossil-free internet by 2030. They offer tools like the Green Web Check service, which identifies whether a website is hosted by a provider using renewable energy, and CO2.JS, a toolkit for measuring carbon emissions in tech. Their mission highlights the tangible steps individuals and organizations can take to reduce their digital carbon footprint. Despite these efforts, the internet remains far from being fossil-free. 

Awareness is critical. Many people wrongly assume that digital services operate in an intangible “cloud,” when in reality, they depend on physical infrastructure with significant environmental impacts. Hannah emphasizes that we need to reduce reliance on tech, scaling down digital infrastructure alongside improving efficiency. This approach recognizes that innovation alone cannot solve this problem, some actions require scaling back consumption entirely.

Global Inequalities in Digital Consumption

One of the podcast’s most striking revelations is the disparity between tech consumption in the global north and south. The global north’s overconsumption of AI and other technologies often exploits resources and labor from less-developed regions. For instance, moderators in developing countries endure traumatic tasks, such as filtering harmful content, to ensure safe user experiences elsewhere.

This imbalance highlights the ethical dimension of digital sustainability. Addressing these inequities involves recognizing the hidden human costs behind the “magic” of digital services and finding ways to reduce exploitation while meeting the true needs of all communities.

The Power of Stories and Creativity

Hannah argues that stories play a crucial role in shaping perspectives on the internet and sustainability. Whether real or imaginative, stories can inspire action and help envision a better digital future. She cautions, however, that technologies like AI threaten human creativity by encouraging over-reliance on machines for imaginative tasks.

If left unchecked, this trend could erode the skills and creativity of future generations. While AI offers short-term productivity gains, it risks undermining long-term societal efficiency by removing opportunities to learn foundational skills. A sustainable digital future must prioritize human creativity and imagination.

Actionable Steps Toward Digital Sustainability

So, how can individuals contribute to digital sustainability? Hannah provides practical suggestions:

  • Embrace Longevity: Use tech devices for as long as possible and resist the urge to upgrade unnecessarily.
  • Slow Down: Avoid rushing into adopting new technologies. Instead, take the time to evaluate their impact.
  • Bake in Accessibility: Ensure tech products are accessible to as many people as possible, prioritizing inclusivity over novelty.
  • Start Conversations: Discuss digital sustainability within your social circles and beyond, spreading awareness about the physical and social costs of digital infrastructure.
  • Reassess AI Use: Consider whether AI is necessary for specific tasks or if a human touch could provide more value.

Lessons Learned

From Hannah’s discussion, here are three key lessons about digital sustainability:

  • Perfection Isn’t the Goal, Progress Is: Achieving sustainability isn’t about flawless solutions but about making small, meaningful changes that collectively drive improvement.
  • Digital Has a Physical Cost: The internet’s environmental impact isn’t limited to energy consumption, it includes the resource-intensive production of tech infrastructure. Awareness of this connection is foundational to change.
  • Equity Matters: True sustainability must address global inequalities in digital consumption and labor. Without considering these disparities, progress will remain incomplete.
Links

The Podcast: https://creators.spotify.com/pod/show/suxpodcast/episodes/SUX-EP-15—A-fossil-free-Internet-by-2030-with-Hannah-Smith-e2k5e7c/a-aba96i5

SUX: https://sustainableuxnetwork.com

The Green Web Foundation: https://www.thegreenwebfoundation.org

Branch Magazine: https://branch.climateaction.tech

by mert.altinoez -

Impulse #3 – Wall-E & Blade Runner 2049

Last weekend, I watched Wall-E and Blade Runner 2049. Though they belong to different genres and tones, both explore the consequences of unsustainable systems, offering interesting parallels to the digital challenges we face today. In a world where digital waste is invisible but increasingly impactful, these movies shine a light on the kind of futures we might be heading toward to.

Wall-E

At first, Wall-E seems to be a simple story about a robot cleaning up a trash-covered Earth. But beneath the surface, it’s a powerful critique of consumerism, overproduction, and environmental destruction. This critique translates surprisingly well to the digital world. In Wall-E, Earth has become a barren wasteland, buried under mountains of trash. While the film focuses on physical waste, it’s impossible not to see parallels in the digital sphere. Think of the gigabytes of “data trash” we generate daily, duplicated files, outdated apps, and inefficient systems that clog servers and guzzle energy.

Wall-E himself is a model of simplicity and durability: he’s designed to be repaired, reused, and adapted. Compare that to many digital tools today, which prioritize quick fixes and constant updates over long-term efficiency. A sustainable approach to (Interaction) Design could take inspiration from Wall-E’s ethos by:

  • Designing leaner systems with minimal resource demands.
  • Promoting modular, repairable software rather than disposable updates.
  • Ensuring digital experiences have clear, purposeful functionality to reduce unnecessary consumption.

Blade Runner 2049

Blade Runner 2049, on the other hand, portrays a highly technological yet deeply alienated world. Artificial intelligences like Joi, illustrate how technology can replace human relationships. At the same time, the film highlights the dark side of technological progress: environmental destruction, social inequality, and constant surveillance. If Wall-E warns us about the environmental cost of waste, Blade Runner 2049 takes a closer look at the social cost of unchecked technological development. A world where technology serves corporate greed rather than human needs.

One of the most haunting elements in Blade Runner 2049 is Joi, a digital companion designed to provide comfort and connection. Yet, her purpose is rooted in consumerism, not genuine care. It made me think: How can we design systems that empower users without exploiting them?

  • Ethical interfaces: Instead of building systems that drive addictive behavior, we should focus on designs that encourage mindful interaction.
  • Energy-efficient AI: Like Joi, AI-driven systems are becoming central to digital services. But their carbon footprint is massive. Efficient training and deployment processes could make them more sustainable.
  • Transparency in design: Users should understand how and why technology works for them and how much energy it consumes.

The hugh, resource-intensive cityscapes of Blade Runner 2049 are also a stark reminder of the environmental consequences of overdevelopment. The film pushes me to think critically about how we can design for balance instead of unchecked growth.

Lessons Learned

What connects these two films is their stark vision of the consequences of neglecting sustainability, whether environmental or social. As a designer, I see three critical takeaways:

  • Simplicity saves resources: Like Wall-E, our designs should strive for durability, efficiency, and minimalism.
  • Empathy in tech matters: Joi’s example teaches us that technology must respect and support users rather than exploit them.
  • Responsibility at scale: Both films highlight the impact of systemic decisions. As designers, we have a unique opportunity to shape systems used by millions and make sustainability a foundational part of that impact.

Watching these films back-to-back reaffirmed my belief that digital sustainability is as much about people as it is about technology. The choices we make in Interaction Design, whether it’s optimizing code, improving accessibility, or creating ethical AI can ripple out to transform entire ecosystems. If Wall-E taught me the value of efficiency and resilience, and Blade Runner 2049 the dangers of alienation, my hope is to apply both lessons to designing digital futures worth living in. Let’s not just imagine better worlds, let’s design them.

Links

Wall-E Trailer: https://youtu.be/alIq_wG9FNk?si=pSYy6B-5ipk2UzuX

Blade Runner 2049 Trailer: https://youtu.be/gCcx85zbxz4?si=d7mosqM8CeagF29f

by bensu.kaya -

→ Impulse_02 | World Usability Congress

On 16&17th October, we attended the World Usability Congress 2024 as last year. While there were many interesting talks on UX/UI design, most didn’t connect directly with my thesis topic. However, one presentation stood out—Kent Eisenhuth’s „Lessons Learned From Our Accessibility-First Approach to Data Visualization.„ It gave me fresh ideas about how to approach data visualization, and I want to share some of the key points that can useful for me.

What I Learned

  1. Clarity Makes Data More Universal
    Kent emphasized the importance of making visualizations simple and clear. Overly detailed or complex charts make it harder for people to understand the message. This idea connects with my work on language visualization. If visualizing the sounds of words or sentences becomes too busy, it could lose its meaning.
  2. Accessible Visuals Help Everyone
    One takeaway that stuck with me was how accessibility benefits all users, not just those with disabilities. For example, using high-contrast colors, patterns, or clear text labels in data visualization makes it easier for everyone to interpret, even in situations like low light or small screens. I realized this applies to visualizing language sounds too—users should be able to understand the visuals without needing extra effort.
  3. Using Multiple Senses
    Kent talked about going beyond visuals by incorporating sound or touch into data visualizations. This reminded me of the potential for multisensory designs in my language visualization project. For example, visualizing how German or English sounds could include audio feedback to make the experience richer for users.
  4. Focus on the Message
    A big part of accessibility is focusing on what you’re trying to say with the data. Kent showed examples where the message was lost because of too much decoration or unnecessary details. For my work, this means focusing on the core idea: how different languages “look” when spoken, and not getting distracted by extra effects.

Conclusion

Kent Eisenhuth’s talk made me think about how important accessibility is in data visualization and how I can use it in my thesis. Visualizing language sounds in a way that’s clear and easy to understand is essential for making it useful to others. Overall, it was a very inspiring talk!

by bensu.kaya -

→ Impulse_01 | Klanglicht

Klanglicht 2024 was both challenging and exciting for me. Having the chance to showcase two projects, I experienced some of the most rewarding but also stressful moments throughout the process. We presented Sonolux Speculative Future in the Young Masters exhibition with Mahtab Jafarzadeh Miandehi, Hannah Albrecht, Francisco Sylla, and David Laßlberger, and Langnicht as part of Spektrum. Klanglicht festival is such an inspiring event for me and my thesis, featuring installations that combine sound and visuals in creative ways.

SONOLUX SPECULATIVE FUTURE

© Max Kathan

For this project, we created a multi-sensory installation inspired by research into the acoustic ecology of the Hilmteich area in Graz. It explored how urbanization—like the construction of the LKH hospital—impacts this natural space. We imagined speculative futures for Hilmteich, showing two scenarios while reflecting on its current state. This installation was featured in the Young Masters exhibition at Schlossbergstollen.

David and I worked on audio-reactive visuals using TouchDesigner, which was a great way to practice my skills and showcase them in an exhibition. On top of that, we all worked together to construct the installation, which made the whole experience even more challenging but good 🙂

Being part of Young Masters was truly amazing. I’m really proud of our team and what we did!

© Max Kathan

SPEKTRUM

For Spektrum, we transformed the nave of Antoniuskirche in Graz into an immersive media experience. The title reflects the exploration of light and sound spectra, as well as the broader concepts of diversity and range. Our narratives focused on the in-betweens—like emotional and meaning spectra, harmony and chaos, colors and movement.

This was made possible with the guidance of our amazing lecturers: Astrid Drechsler, Daniel Fabry, Michael Kernbichler, Didi Mosbacher, and Roman Pürcher.

LANGNICHT

Langnicht explores the spectrum between nature and technology. The entire process—from planning to building to the final presentation—was such a mix of excitement, learning, and occasional stress. Our team grew so much during this time, and we created something we’re all really proud of. For me, working with After Effects and contributing to the construction was especially inspiring.

© Max Kathan

Conclusion

I feel really proud and lucky to have been part of Klanglicht 2024! It was an amazing experience to not only showcase our work but also to see and connect with other artists, exchange ideas, and receive feedback from professionals from the field of design. All the hard work, stress, and long hours were absolutely worth it. I’m so grateful for this opportunity and everything I’ve learned along the way! ✨💙

Overall,

by mert.altinoez -

Impulse #2 – SUX-Podcast EP13 – „Changing design towards a better world“ with Don Norman

The conversation around design and sustainability is evolving, especially with thought leaders like Don Norman challenging traditional ideas. In the SUX-Podcast EP13 – “Changing design towards a better world” Norman addresses how design can pivot to make a more profound impact on both society and the planet.

Curiosity as a Driver of Innovation

Norman opens with a compelling call to embrace curiosity, stating that “a lot of creativity comes from curiosity.” This mindset shift is essential for designers, especially in the context of sustainability, because it encourages them to question established norms and explore unconventional solutions. Curiosity leads designers to explore, question, and test new ideas—a critical approach in a world where conventional methods may no longer be sufficient.

Redefining “Sustainability”

One of the most thought-provoking points Norman raises is about the term “sustainability” itself. According to him, the term is now outdated because it implies maintaining the status quo, which is no longer enough given today’s environmental challenges. In its original context, sustainability aimed to prevent things from worsening. However, “sustaining” harmful systems is counterproductive. For example, sustaining high levels of pollution or non-recyclable product design perpetuates the very problems sustainability once sought to avoid.

Humanity-Centered Design: Beyond Humans Alone

Norman’s concept of “Humanity-Centered Design” (HCD) is a shift from focusing solely on human convenience to a more inclusive approach. Humanity-centered design, as he explains, encompasses not only humans but all living things and the entire environment that impacts us. By broadening the focus, designers are encouraged to think about how their creations affect all life, including flora, fauna, and natural ecosystems. HCD reminds us that truly “human-centered” solutions also safeguard the well-being of the natural world that supports human life.

Flawed Assumptions in Traditional Economic Solutions

Norman critiques the economic principles often used to approach sustainability, stating that they’re based on flawed assumptions about human behavior. Economists often view people as logical actors who make sensible choices, but Norman emphasizes that people are not purely logical. This disconnect can lead to ineffective strategies that do not resonate with real human behavior. For example, a digital sustainability approach may assume users will minimize energy use for economic reasons, yet many do not unless prompted by design. Understanding human unpredictability can help designers create solutions that fit real-world habits, such as software that automatically shifts to energy-saving modes or apps that encourage sustainable habits through subtle prompts.

The Role of Designers and the Need for Empowerment

Designers, Norman argues, often lack decision-making power and are constrained by client demands or executive decisions. He points out that while engineers frequently rise to executive positions by pursuing additional qualifications, designers rarely take this route. Norman challenges designers to pursue leadership roles actively so they can advocate for sustainable practices at decision-making levels. By taking on responsibilities that go beyond traditional design roles, designers can gain the influence needed to make a difference.

Designers as Integrators of Knowledge

Norman views designers not as content specialists but as methodical thinkers who can tackle a wide variety of problems. He describes designers as generalists who can bridge gaps between specialties, bringing together insights from environmental science, economics, engineering, and more. Designers’ integrative skills allow them to assemble these diverse elements into cohesive, sustainable solutions.

Lessons Learned

  • Embrace Curiosity: A sustainable design approach thrives on a curious mindset. By questioning current practices, designers can uncover new methods and technologies that reduce environmental impact.
  • Reimagine Sustainability: Go beyond maintaining the status quo. Digital sustainability efforts should aim for positive environmental impacts, such as reducing resource use or creating longer-lasting products.
  • Adopt a Humanity-Centered Design Approach: Consider the broader ecosystem in design choices. Digital tools, for instance, should prioritize low energy consumption, minimal waste, and non-toxic materials.
  • Challenge Economic Assumptions: Recognize that user behavior is not always logical. Effective sustainable design aligns with real-world habits, encouraging users to adopt eco-friendly practices in ways that feel natural.
  • Take on Leadership Roles: Designers have unique problem-solving skills but need to pursue leadership opportunities to effect change. By influencing decision-making, they can prioritize sustainability in digital innovation.
Links

The Podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/suxpodcast/episodes/SUX-EP-13—Changing-design-towards-a-better-world-with-Don-Norman-e2gococ

SUX: https://sustainableuxnetwork.com

Don Norman. Design for a Better World: https://jnd.org/books/design-for-a-better-world/

by mert.altinoez -

Impulse #01 – World Usability Congress

From October 14th to 17th, the World Usability Congress was once again held in Graz, and we, the Interaction Design Master’s students from FH Joanneum, had the opportunity to attend on October 16th and 17th. It was my second time at the conference, and I was all the more excited to see familiar faces again, even if it was just DJ Mama Feelgood, a UX employee from Aldi Süd, and speaker as well as digital sustainability expert Thorsten Jonas. As in previous years, I enjoyed not only the good food but also took away many valuable insights from these two days, which I’d now like to share with you.

Before the conference even began, I was pleased to see that accessibility and inclusivity would be major topics this year, with many talks dedicated to these themes. As mentioned in previous blog posts, both accessibility and inclusivity are aspects of digital sustainability, which is the focus of my blog posts and my Master’s thesis. Therefore, I will mainly share insights from these specific talks.

Incluthon (Stefan Barac, Gerhard Kühne & Claudio Zeni)

The first talk I want to cover is Incluthon, with speakers Stefan Barac, Gerhard Kühne, and Claudio Zeni. Although there were some technical hiccups during the presentation, the speakers’ solution to these challenges was all the more likable. The talk focused on accessibility, with an emphasis on visually impaired and blind people. While Stefan and Gerhard discussed hard facts, Claudio offered a glimpse into his life as a blind person, showing us how he planned and booked his journey from Bern to Graz using his smartphone. Key takeaways from this talk included the fact that 27% of Swiss people require accessibility support. As designers, we should remove all unnecessary elements and information and constantly ask ourselves, “Can someone navigate this website, app, etc., without sight?” It was also interesting to learn that Apple’s iPhone is the most popular among visually impaired and blind individuals due to its accessible design, which remains consistent across versions and models, unlike Android.

Accessibility-First Approach to Data Visualization (Kent Eisenhuth)

Kent, a UX lead designer at Google, gave an impressive talk on accessible data visualization, which I’d also like to highlight. Here are some of my main learnings: as designers, we should occasionally go outside and closely observe nature, as it provides the best inspiration. To create the most accessible design, a diverse team that includes individuals using assistive technologies should be assembled. Moreover, accessibility should be the primary focus, followed by design enhancements. It’s also crucial to ensure navigation using alternative keys and shortcuts works effectively. Using logical hierarchies is key—starting with networks, then groups, and finally individual information. Visually, designers should avoid fixating on a single solution; if, for instance, charts don’t work, switch to tables or alternative storytelling methods to present data and information. One particularly intriguing example was data sonification, a new and lesser-known concept that hadn’t previously caught my attention.

Websites and Apps for Everybody – Making Accessibility Easy (Mari-Ell Mets)

The last talk I want to discuss is by Mari-Ell Mets from Estonia. She also addressed internet accessibility, highlighting both the EAA (European Accessibility Act) and presenting 10 rules that can eliminate 80% of internet barriers. She began her talk with an interesting fact: 25% of Europeans have specific needs that we must consider when designing digital products to avoid exclusion. I won’t cover the EU regulations since they are readily available online; instead, I’ll present the 10 rules.

  1. No moving content. No autoplay (or add stop button)
  2. Contrasted color with 4,5:1 for regular text and 3:1 for bold text. Don’t put text over an image.
  3. Adapt to user’s settings and don’t use pixel values in code
  4. Support keyboard navigation and use native / semantic elements
  5. Make focus point visible for keyboard navigation
  6. Specify the language in the code
  7. Visuals and the code must be connected
  8. Use ARIA attributes and mark visible states and values in code
  9. Use clear alt. text for visuals like images and icons
  10. Write clear error messages 

Additionally: don’t use accessibility overlay plug-ins!

The World Usability Conference was inspiring, with a strong focus on accessibility and inclusivity—key themes in my Master’s thesis on digital sustainability. Claudio Zeni’s smartphone navigation as a blind user underscored the need for simplified, functional design, while learning about the iPhone’s popularity among blind users emphasized consistent usability. Kent’s “accessibility-first” approach and insights on diverse teams and data sonification broadened my perspective on accessible design. Mari-Ell’s practical guidelines for EU accessibility standards, from color contrast to keyboard navigation, were invaluable, emphasizing simplicity and user-centered code and visuals.

These sessions deepened my commitment to accessible design and provided practical guidelines to incorporate directly into my future work.

Links

World Usability Congress: https://worldusabilitycongress.com
European Accessibility Act: https://ec.europa.eu/social/main.jsp?catId=1202
Material Design Accessibility: https://m2.material.io/design/usability/accessibility.html#understanding-accessibility

by david.lasslberger -

Evaluation of a master’s thesis

Author: Benjamin Christopher Homm

Title: Gamifcation for Mental Health: Designing a Supportive Treatment Concept for Depression in Young Adults

Issued on: 21.04.2021

Submitted on: 19.10.2021

Institution: Technische Hochschule Ingolstadt

Study Program: User Experience Design

Source: https://opus4.kobv.de/opus4-haw/files/2189/I001006828Thesis.pdf

Even though right now I am focusing more on physical health problems rather than mental health problems, I chose this thesis in particular because it seemed like a well put together thesis that focused on design and the creation of actual prototypes. All the other theses I looked at didn’t really feature design elements.

(1)   Level of design

In terms of aesthetics the work is kept rather simple but keeps a coherent and appealing design throughout. In terms of how design was used in the work, multiple design methods and frameworks were utilized showing a deeper understanding of design and its scientific methods. The author used UX need cards, ideation tools such as mind maps and post it sorting, personas, empathy maps, storyboarding, crazy 8 method, paper prototypes and much more.

(2) Degree of innovation

In this field of mental health problems digital solutions and gamified approaches already exist but it is not very widespread so the topic itself is still very novel. The author definitely found his research gap and was able to conduct new and relevant research and also create a function prototype based upon his new research.

(3) Independence

Though the work is based on a lot of existing research and frameworks, the author did a lot of work on his own. Surveys, user tests and expert interviews were conducted, the findings analyzed, and an app prototype was created. All of this shows a strong self-driven approach to the whole thesis.

(4) Outline and structure

The thesis is structured in a very clear way. First the two main topics of depression and gamification are explored and analyzed. After that the use of gamification for mental health specifically is discussed. After this theoretical part comes the practical part. People suffering from depression are surveyed and the results are used to create personas and storyboards. Expert interviews are also held. Furthermore, potential competitors are analyzed. After doing research the author begins designing and creating a prototype app.

(5) Degree of communication

The author uses concise language as well as specialist terms but makes sure to explain them. Concepts are explained in a easily digestible manner. Furthermore, the goals, process and findings are effectively communicated. It was always clear how the author arrived at his conclusions and it felt like all the information was given and nothing was omitted.

(6) Scope of the work

The scope is comprehensive, addressing depression’s complexities, integrating gamification, and developing a working prototype evaluated across multiple stages, making the project ambitious yet well-contained. The scope of the project was set correctly in my opinion – it wasn’t too ambitious and the most focus was on the research. The prototype is rather simple but well designed and thought out, with appealing visuals.

(7) Orthography and accuracy

As previously mentioned, the author uses concise language but also uses specialist terms. I didn’t find any errors while reading. The writing style could have been more academic at certain points but as a whole I think the work is quite well written.

(8) Literature

The literature used was well chosen and many works were used – 80 references in total are given. Most of them are books or papers though some online resources were also used. The sources range from gamification to depression to design. Because I have done some research into this field already, I was able to recognize some of the most popular sources on these fields and saw that the author used those. Some contemporary sources were also used as evident by the mentioning of covid-19.

To summarize, the work itself is structured in a clear and logical way. The scope was set right, and a lot of research was done which culminated in a successful prototype. I personally quite enjoyed reading this master thesis and would rate it quite highly.

by bensu.kaya -

Evaluation of Master Thesis – Down the Rabbit Hole: Visualizing Linguistic Distance and Relationships with Alice in Wonderland

Author: Yi-Chia Cheng
Title: Down the Rabbit Hole: Visualizing Linguistic Distance and Relationships with Alice in Wonderland
Publication: Boston, November 2019
Institution: Northeastern University, Department of Art + Design
Study Program: Information Design + Visualization

Level of Design:
The design of this thesis stands out for its attention to detail and creativity. She uses visually appealing elements like color-coded charts and phonetic mappings, which help make complex linguistic ideas feel approachable. 

Degree of Innovation:
I find the topic very innovative, as Cheng goes beyond traditional ways of visualizing language relationships, such as family trees, and creates new visual methods. Using Alice in Wonderland as a shared text across different languages adds a unique touch and gives a clear reference point for the comparisons.

Independence:
Cheng clearly worked independently, especially with the custom visual tools and color-coded notation system they developed for the analysis. This creative approach goes beyond the standard methods and shows Cheng’s ability to think critically and come up with their own solutions.

Outline and Structure:
The structure of the thesis is clear and flows well. It starts with an introduction and research background, then moves into a case study that breaks down the language comparisons. Each section logically builds on the previous one, making it easy to follow. However, I think some of the visuals could use a bit more explanation to make them clearer for readers who aren’t familiar with linguistics.

Degree of Communication:
Overall, she communicates their ideas well. I like that they use Alice in Wonderland to make the research more accessible and relatable. 

Scope of the Work:
The scope feels ambitious, covering both phonetic and syntactic comparisons across ten languages. This is impressive, but focusing on fewer languages might have allowed for a deeper analysis of each. Still, Cheng does a thorough job within the chosen scope.

Orthography and Accuracy:
The writing seems polished, with no obvious spelling or grammar errors, and Cheng uses technical terms accurately. I did feel that a bit more explanation of certain terms could make the thesis easier for non-expert readers.

Literature:
Cheng includes a solid range of literature, drawing on sources in linguistics and language visualization. I noticed a good mix of both older foundational works and more recent sources. However, adding some more recent studies on visual communication might have given additional depth.

Source: https://repository.library.northeastern.edu/files/neu:m0455c25q/fulltext.pdf