Latent Scope: Finding structure in unstructured data
This video is featured in the AI and UX playlist and 1 more.
Summary
Latent Scope is an open-source tool I built that streamlines a process of embedding text, mapping it to 2D, clustering the data points on the map and summarizing those clusters with an LLM. Once the process is done on a dataset structure emerges from the unstructured text, allowing us to get a sense of patterns in the survey answers. Themes like “the time it takes” to develop data visualization pop out, as do “the importance of good design.” While people don’t use the same language to describe these themes, they show up as clusters in the tool thanks to the power of embedding models.
https://github.com/enjalot/latent-scope
Key Insights
-
•
AI embeddings transform unstructured data like text or sketches into high-dimensional vectors capturing hidden semantic patterns.
-
•
Dimensionality reduction algorithms map these high-dimensional embeddings into 2D clusters, making patterns visually accessible.
-
•
Free text survey responses, often too large to analyze manually, can be organized and explored effectively through embedding and clustering.
-
•
Google Cloud user journey data revealed surprising usage patterns, like enterprise and beginner tools being combined unexpectedly.
-
•
Simple rule-based filters for harmful prompts in generative AI image models can be bypassed by subtle prompt variations; embedding-based classifiers are more effective.
-
•
Latent Scope is an open source tool enabling non-technical users to embed, cluster, label, and visualize unstructured text data locally.
-
•
Local runs of embedding and clustering models on modest hardware are practical, preserving data privacy and sensitive user information.
-
•
Embedding models trained on multilingual data can cluster semantically similar texts across diverse languages in one shared space.
-
•
Breaking long text into smaller chunks can make embeddings more manageable and improve similarity comparisons.
-
•
Hands-on exploration of embedding models via platforms like Hugging Face helps users internalize concepts of semantic similarity and pattern discovery.
Notable Quotes
"People just don't get that the design and the process is fundamental."
"Similar inputs will produce similar high dimensional numbers."
"Dimensionality reduction algorithms take data points in high dimensional space and put them close together in 2D if they're similar."
"We found patterns that product teams didn’t expect or even want to look for."
"Simple word-list based filters can easily be tricked by misspellings or slight variations in prompts."
"What if you didn’t know there were important questions you should be asking in your data?"
"Latent Scope lets you quickly explore hundreds or thousands of free text responses to find clusters and patterns."
"You don’t need special hardware; these open source models can run locally on an M1 MacBook or a gaming machine."
"Multilingual embedding models can cluster similar meanings across languages in a shared latent space."
"Downloading and playing with local open source models gives a different experience than using faceless APIs mediated through interfaces."
Or choose a question:
More Videos
"Employees are now suing employers for inaccessible tools, with million-dollar verdicts even in conservative courts."
Sheri Byrne-HaberThe Importance of Accessible Design Systems
January 8, 2024
"In the enterprise, how quickly and easily your design system can scale is directly proportionate to the amount of impact it can have."
Dawn ResselFull-Stack User Experiences: A Marriage of Design and Technology
June 9, 2016
"Continuous understanding means both strategic and tactical research with strong customer connections."
Sean McKayWhole Product Thinking: Expanding beyond problem and solution space thinking
March 14, 2024
"Eventually, I expect AI to help create designs by combining patterns from meta design systems and research, making design more about crafting experiences."
Abby Covert Tomer SharonPanel: Collaboration Tools
November 6, 2017
"Conducting the first benchmark study always leaves you questioning, and the first comparison study is less of a big bang and more likely to be a subtle sigh of relief."
JD BuckleyCommunicating the ROI of UX within a large enterprise and out on the streets
June 14, 2018
"Customer obsession is actually one of our key values, which makes my job as a researcher a little bit easier."
Joanna Vodopivec Prabhas PokharelOne Research Team for All - Influence Without Authority
March 9, 2022
"Building trust is a slow, brick-by-brick process, especially when you’re entering new environments."
Melissa Eggleston Maya Israni Florence Kasule Owen Seely Andrea SchneiderPractical People Skills for Building Trust on Teams and with Partners
December 9, 2021
"Post-its give everyone an equal playing field, preventing dominant voices from overshadowing others in community conversations."
Justin Entzminger Terrance Smith Tracy M. Colunga Mai-Ling GarciaRisk and Reward: How to Diversify the Field of Civic Innovators and Designers
November 17, 2022
"How you make service is part of what you make; functionality and operability become one inseparable experience."
Jeff SussnaWhat DesignOps Can Learn From DevOps
November 6, 2017