Design and Covid-19: Monitoring Urban Data

Abstract

This article discusses the use of population monitoring within urban space by designers. It considers its use to define design strategies aiming at mitigating the Covid-19. Some governments have used identified citizens data as well as stored population data through telephone companies. In search to establish new strategies to mitigate the pandemic consolidation, data collected are used for communication, considering among other aspects statistical surveys of the population. With this, new services are offering digital applications in the pandemic context, having designers as part of the group of people involved in this new process. On population monitoring activity, issues such as data privacy, surveillance capitalism and doubts about the use of these data and activities after the pandemic are points to be considered. In this context, how and what should designers consider in this scenario is a question that arises. This work presents a discussion about the theme based upon a systematic research on the related literature. Literature was analysed resulting in a set of points that shows the importance of design strategy in the use of these projects.