This thesis proposes the exploration and visualization of social media data as a way of understanding human relationships in the age of the internet. The research includes the process of creating visualizations from a dataset composed of archival messages sent between my sister and I on Facebook Messenger between 2010 and 2018.
I employ autoethnographic methods to reflect on my exploration of the data, and use research through design methods in order to create interactive data visualizations. This exploration and creation process is guided by the following research questions:
1. In what ways can a visualization of my Facebook message data show how social media is used to maintain a relationship with my sister across changing distances and time?
2. How can data visualization help me learn more about the online connection between my sister and I?