Self-tracking consists of recording information about one's diet, health, or activities using a smartphone or wearable. While self-tracking data is typically captured real-time in a lived experience, the data is often stored in a manner detached from the context where it belongs. Data-objects are artifacts that represent contextually relevant data and can enhance people’s lived experiences. We study how to design contextually relevant data-objects based on people’s needs.

Based on speculative ideas of data-object combinations created in object theater activities with six participants, we identified three aspects that can enhance the design of data-objects: social sharing, contextual ambiguity and interaction with the body.