Excerpt from written assignment:

As the quantified variables in my dataset are based on broad scales and subjective impressions rather than exact measurements, the outcome of the datafication process is inevitably shaped by my own experiences and interpretations. This means that the dataset is not a neutral reflection of the objects themselves but a record of how I chose to represent them. This key point connects to Jacqueline Wernimont’s discussion of quantification. She explains that when phenomena are quantified, it is often seen as neutral, but in fact they always result from choices and interpretations. What is counted, and how it is counted, actively shapes reality and can even produce inequalities (Wernimont, 2021). In my dataset, the decision to rely on scales and subjective variables demonstrates this point: the data appear structured and systematic, but they are still shaped by my personal perspective and interpretation.
As the quantified variables in my dataset are based on broad scales and subjective impressions rather than exact measurements, the outcome of the datafication process is inevitably shaped by my own experiences and interpretations. This means that the dataset is not a neutral reflection of the