Week 3 (Mon, Sep 18-Fri, Sep 22) – Abstractions
- Mon, Sep 18 : Class: Abstraction
- Wed, Sep 20 : Class: DC1 Intro, Tableau, ICE:Abstractions
- Fri, Sep 22 : Optional Class (Workshop): DC1 Data
- Reading: Week 3 – Abstractions
- Discussion 3: Abstractions (first post due 09/19)
- Seek and Find 3: Abstractions (due 09/22)
- Design Challenge : DC1 – Data (due 09/24)
This past week, we looked at the broad question of “why use visualization,” talked about some historical examples (and Tufte), and did some practicing with critique.
This week, we’ll deal with the topic of abstraction. Which is really two topics: Data Abstractions and Task Abstractions.
On Monday, we’ll have a lecture on abstraction. We’ll also do another critique practice.
On Wednesday, we’ll have a mix of things. We’ll talk a little bit about the first Design Challenge (which should be assigned this weekend – keep your eyes open). We’ll talk a bit more about Tableau both because it may be useful for the first design challenge, but also because it makes use of some of the abstraction concepts (which is why it’s in a reading). And we’ll do an in-class exercise to make sure everyone has a good sense of data abstraction.
On Friday, there will be an optional class to talk about Design Challenge 1 – in particular, if you want to bring your own data set, this is your chance to get it “approved.” (this will make more sense once you see the rules for the assignment)
Learning Goals (for this week)
- Understand the value of abstraction in visualization design
- Have a sense of task abstraction, it’s value, and it’s limitations
- Understand data abstraction, and what it means for creating appropriate (and transferable) designs.
- Get some encoding basics and see how basic visualization designs come from attaching data variables to visual variables
