sarc5400
Tuesday 7:00-9:30pm
Eric Field

data visualization
Date Topic Assignments / Exercises
PART I : INFORMATION AS A CONSTRUCTION
January 23 Introductions
- Visual Data / Visual Problem Solving
- `1+1=3`
- Using and Building Visualization Tools
- Professional Context
- Semester Goals and Contexts
Language, Graphics, and Communication
- Re-thinking how we see to communicate
- Means of communication - speak, write, draw, gesture
- Graphics, Signs, Symbols, and Icons
- Ideograms and the Language of Symbols
- Braille, Morse Code, Sign, and Gesture
- Diagrams of Language
- Music and Dance Notation
- Graphic Inventions		 Assignment I -
the Good, the Bad, and the Ugly

Reading -
- Norman, The Design of Everyday Things, Preface.
- Tufte, Visual and Statistical Thinking
January 30 Review - the Good, the Bad, and the Ugly
- In-class presentations and discussion		 - peer review -
Tools for Graphic and Data Description
- Describing the display of information
- Adobe Illustrator: Objects with Properties
 Assignment II -
Me, graphically / the quantified self

Task -
Install Adobe Illustrator
February 6 The Material of Information
- The Five Senses (and how we use them)
- Information Mapping and Recording
- Cognitive Load Theory: too much information?
- Elements of Differentiation
Structuring Information Objects
- Meta languages: Illustrator, SVG, HTML
- Basic object description
- Writing Code: Objects with Properties
- Collecting Properties - Cascading Style Sheets
- [Brackets], Chrome and Dev tools
- A preview of Procedural HTML/SVG		 Task: Install Brackets
Browse: W3 Schools HTML, CSS, and SVG tutorials.

Workshop: Adobe Illustrator / Inkscape
February 13 Review - Me, graphically / the quantified self
- In-class presentations and discussion		 - peer review -
Visualization Tools for Data
- RAW - "the missing link between data and graphics"
- Tableau - "visual analytics for everyone"
- capacities and limitations		 Assignment III -
Visual Data Analysis
February 20 Visual Literacy / Escaping Flatland
- Coding / Decoding
- How people experience and understand
- Color
- Time
- Statistics, Graphs, Maps, and Diagrams
- Edward Tufte & The Grand Principles of Analytic Design
- Visualization types, techniques, and examples
- Context of graphic principles over time		 Reading -
- Tufte, Escaping Flatland
- Elkins, How to Look at Color
- Elkins, How to Look at the Periodic Table

Reference -
- Brinton, Graphic Methods for Presenting Facts
  Seeing into Complexity - more with Tableau
- "Show Me" - visual order and strategy
- Visual Hierarchy
- The 'squinty eye test'
- Custom measures
- Layering data
- Combining visual approaches
- in-class exercise
 Workshop: RAW / Tableau
February 27 Review - Visual Data Analysis
- In-class Review and Discussion		 - peer review -
Building Procedural Visualizations
- Intro to Javascript and D3
- Data-driven graphics
 Technical Exercise -
Constructing Visual HTML

Workshop: HTML / D3
March 3-11 Spring Break

PART II : INFORMATION AS AN AGENT
March 13 Seeing into Problems - Interactive Information Systems
- "Games", Data Interfaces, and Complex Problems
- Seeing into Systems
- Visual Analytics for Problem Solving?
- Interaction design - 'Apps' and professional practice		 Assignment IV -
Between Things
Big Data / Encoding the Structure of a Visualization
- "Drawing" Insight
- Processing large datasets quickly
- the Powerplants exercise - hands on big data
March 20 The Data in D3
- Data formats, reading, parsing
- Manipulating data, nests, rollups, hierarchies
- Dynamic data
- more Powerplants 		Workshop: Individual Meetings
March 27 Review - Between Things. Visual Insights.
- Discussion of visualizations		 - peer review -
Interaction and Screen Dynamics - making things move
- Interaction modes and concepts
- HTML and Javascript dynamics
- Building an interactive page		 Final Project, Part I -
Visualization Prototype

Technical Exercise -
Adding Visual Dynamics

Reading -
- Wired, Make it so: Interaction Design Lessons from Science Fiction

Reference -
- Moggridge, Designing Interactions
April 3 Maps and Geospatial Visualization
- Maps and Mapping - views, context, and grammar
- Encoding and recording places 		Reading -
- Elkins, How to Look at a Map
- D3 GeoJSON
- Maps APIs		 Workshop: Data - Finding, Cleaning, and Preparing
April 10 Review - Project prototypes
- presentations and discussion of prototype visualizations		 - peer review -

Final Project:
Visualizing Complexity
April 17 Wicked Problems / Visualization Challenges:
- Case Studies in Visualization and Information tools
- Examples from Professional Practice 		Individual Meetings
More D3, Dynamics, Data Connectivity
- Hiding and showing layers
- Providing visual feedback
- Popups for extra information
April 24 Preliminary Design Review
- Review Final Project Ideas and Progress
- Interim review of sketches / mock-ups
- Technical/Topical challenges and solutions 		Individual Meetings
May 1 Spatial Interfaces: Visual Information and Context
- Orientation and Organization
- Space, Place, and Information
- Finding your way
- A technical history of Information Space
- Human Interface
Individual Meetings
Semester wrap-up / Conclusions
- Gehry's squiggle
- Hierarchy of Visual Understanding?
- Syn(thesis)
May XX - TBD Final Project Public Showcase Event  

Instructor

TAs

Open Workshop Hours

Course Objectives

Assignments and Grading

Grading is used as a mechanism for feedback and discussion about individual work.
Final grades in the course will be determined based on a variety of factors, including performance on assignments, class participation and contribution, and an individual assessment of what and how the student has learned and progressed through the semester.

While this subject is not numerically quantifiable in the manner that a course with tests and quizes is, there is still necessity for some quantifiable basis.

Assignment weightings:
Assignment I: 5%
Assignments II, III, IV (each): 10%
Technical Exercises:10%
Final Project:40%
Peer Review:5%
Participation and Contribution: 10%
Grading rubric:
A/5Extends content and demonstrates effort and inquiry that pushes the concepts toward insight.
B/4"Gets it" and accomplishes work that demonstrates understanding of concepts.
C/3 Basically gets it, but work could improve or lacks deep effort or serious understanding.
D/2Struggling to meet criteria, needs extra attention.
F/1Completed something, but seriously deficient.
0Didn't even turn it in.