Course Description
In this course, we study the principles for transforming abstract data into effective information visualizations. We learn about the state-of-the-art in visualization research and development, and we gain hands-on experience with designing and developing information visualizations. We also learn how to critique existing visualizations and how to evaluate the systems we build. Weekly readings include current research papers from the Information Visualization community.
Schedule
| WEEK | DATE | TOPIC | DATE | TOPIC | PAPERS | ASSIGNMENT | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1/17 | Introduction | 1/19 | Discussion: Chart Junk Lab 1: Intro to Processing |
Bateman et al. 2010 | Design Critique | due in 1 week | |
| 2 | 1/24 | Design | 1/26 | Discussion: Visualization Purpose Lab 2: City Highs |
Borkin et al. 2013 | Bar and Line | due in 2 weeks | |
| 3 | 1/31 | Data Mapping | 2/02 | Discussion: Bars vs. Pies | Cleveland and McGill (Pro Bar) Simkin and Hastie (Pro Pie) No humble Pie (History of Pies) Reading Bar Graphs (How We Perceive Bars) Spence and Lewandowsky 1991 (more comparisons) Spence 1990 (more comparison) |
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| 4 | 2/07 | Tabular Data | 2/09 | Discussion: Data Mapping Lab 3: Intersction Detection |
Polaris | Parallel Coordinates | due in 2 weeks | |
| 5 | 2/14 | Assignemnt 1 Review | 2/16 | Intro to D3 Lab 4: Scatterplot |
Web Tutorial Basic Template data |
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| 6 | 2/21 | Perception | 2/23 | Discussion: Perception Lab 5: Working With Grids |
Harrison et al.: Ranking Correlations Visual Thinking for Design (Chapters 1 & 2) Perception in Visualization |
Electoral Map | due in 2 weeks | |
| 7 | 2/28 | NO CLASS | 3/02 | Discussion: The Right Visualization Lab 6: TreeMap |
Schniederman (Eyes) | ||
| 8 | 3/07 | Tree and Graphs | 3/09 | Discussion: Graph Simplification Lab 7: Networks |
Dunne and Schniederman: Motif Simplification | ThemeRiver | due in 2 weeks | |
| 9 | 3/15 | SPRING BREAK | 3/17 | SPRING BREAK | |||
| 10 | 3/21 | NO CLASS | 3/23 | Final Project | Final Project Proposal | due in 1.5 weeks | ||
| 11 | 3/28 | Text Visualizaitons | 3/30 | Final Project | An Empire Built on Sand | ||
| 12 | 4/04 | Storytelling | 4/06 | Final Project | |||
| 13 | 4/11 | Evaluation | 4/13 | Final Project | |||
| 14 | 4/18 | Human in the Loop | 4/20 | Final Project | Ziekiewicz et al./ Peck et al. | ||
| 15 | 4/25 | Hot Topics in Vis | 4/27 | Project Presentations |
Syllabus
| PREREQUITES | There are no enforced prequisites for the course, but having taken CSE 247: Data Structures and Algorithms is very helpful. |
| RECOMMENDED TEXTBOOKS | Visual Thinking for Design, Colin Ware Visualization Analysis and Design, Tamara Munzner Learning Processing - A Beginner's Guide to Programming, Images, Animation, and Interaction, Daniel Shiffman ( free e-book through Google books ) Processing: A Programming Handbook for Visual Designers, Second Edition, Casey Reas and Ben Fry |
| ROCOMMENDED READING | The Visual Display of Quantitation Information, Edward Tufte Envisioning Information Edward Tufte |
| GRADING |
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| LATE POLICY | Each individual in the class gets two free days for the entire semester. This means turning in an assignment up to 24 hours late with no penalty (there are no partial free days--1 hour late uses up the whole free day). If a partnership turns in a late assignment, both partners have used up their free day. (Exception: if one partner still has a free day and the other doesn't, the assignment for the partnership may still be turned in one day late.) All other late assignments will receive a zero. Free days are not permitted for the final project. |
| LINKS | Piazza course page: For questions and discussions. Blackboard Site: For posting grades only |
| ACADEMIC HONESTY | Please make sure you are familiar with the Washington University Academic Integrity Policy, as it will be strictly applied. |
Labs
| L1: INTRO TO PROCESSING | ||
| L2: CITY HIGHS | data | |
| L3: INTERSECTION DETECTION | ||
| L4: INTRO TO D3 | ||
| L5: ICON ARRAY | ||
| L6: STACKED BAR | data |
Assignments
| A1: DESIGN CRITIQUE | |
| A2: BAR AND LINE CHARTS | data | Animated Transition Bad Example | Animated Transition Good Example | Solution |
| A3: PARALLEL COORDINATES | |
| A4: ELECTORAL MAP | |
| A5: THEME RIVER |