Schedule
This is really the schedule / list of topics / list of assignments. The syllabus has all the other syllabus parts (or at least pointers to where on the web page to find things).
The general rhythym of the class is:
- Two class meetings per week (although, there may be some variance).
- A reading every week, that might have multiple parts due on different days.
- A required discussion every week, that will have one or more required postings. You must also contribute to the discussion.
- A “Seek and Find” exercise every week.
- 3-4 Assignments (mini-projects) over the course of the semester (approximately one every four weeks)
- Some odds and ends – like in class exercises, and little web turn ins related to those exercises.
Contents
- 1 Week 1 (1/16-1/20) : Welcome
- 2 Week 2 (1/23-1/27): What is Vis (Perspectives)
- 3 Week 3 (1/30 – 2/3): Why Vis?
- 4 Week 4 (2/6 – 2/10): How to know if it’s Good?
- 5 Week 5 (2/13 – 2/17): Abstraction (how to think about Vis)
- 6 Week 6 (2/20 – 2/24): Encodings and Standard Designs (making Vis)
- 7 Week 7 (2/27 – 3/3): Perception (informing encodings)
- 8 Week 8 (3/6 – 3/10): Color (more on encodings)
- 9 Week 9 (3/13 – 3/17): Interaction
- 10 Week (3/20 – 3/24) UW Spring Break
- 11 Week 10 (3/27 – 3/31): Graphs and Networks
- 12 Week 11 (4/3 – 4/7): Implementation and Toolkits
- 13 Week 12 (4/10-4/14): Multi-Variate Visualizations
- 14 Week 13 (4/17 – 4/21): Dealing with Scale (Too Much Stuff)
- 15 Week 14 (4/24 – 4/28): Text, Sets, and other specific data types
- 16 Week 15 (5/1 – 5/5): 3D and Traditional Scientific Data
Week 1 (1/16-1/20) : Welcome
Wednesday, January 18th:
- Class meeting: Welcome Lecture
Friday, January 20th:
- Reading 1: Getting Started (before class)
- Class meeting: In-Class Exercise
- Discussion: Getting Started
- Seek and Find 1: Bring Me a Visualization!
Week 2 (1/23-1/27): What is Vis (Perspectives)
- Reading 2: What is Vis? (not due until 1/25)
- Assignment/Discussion 2: Perspectives on Vis (1st posting due 1/25)
- Seek and Find 2: Why Vis This (reprise)? (due 1/27)
- Monday, January 23rd:Class Meeting: Lecture: A semester in a day
- Wednesday, January 25th: Class Meeting: Lecture/Discussion: Perspectives on Vis
- Friday, January 27th: Optional Class: Time to chat about Vis
Week 3 (1/30 – 2/3): Why Vis?
- Reading 3: Why Vis? (try to do before class, 1/30)
- Assignment/Discussion 3: Why Vis? (1st posting due 1/30)
- Seek and Find 3: Why Vis This? (due 2/3)
- Monday 1/30: Lecture: Why Vis
- Wednesday 2/1: Lecture Why Vis (continued), Critique Practice
- Thursday 2/2: Not part of class, but there is a Vis talk (faculty candidate) at 4pm.
- Friday 2/3: No class (office hours)
Week 4 (2/6 – 2/10): How to know if it’s Good?
- Reading 4: Evaluation (best before class 2/6)
- Assignment 4/Discussion 4: Deciding if its good (1st posting due on 2/6)
- Seek and Find 4: Design School Critique (due 2/10)
- Monday 2/6: Lecture: Evaluation Strategies
- Wednesday 2/8: Lecture: More evaluation, more critique
- Friday 2/10: Office Hours
Week 5 (2/13 – 2/17): Abstraction (how to think about Vis)
- Reading 5: Abstraction (best before class 2/13)
- Design Challenge 0: Design School Redesign (due 2/14, and bring to class on 2/15)
- Assignment 5/ Discussion 5: Abstraction (1st posting due on 2/13)
- Seek and Find 5: Design School Comparison (due 2/17)
- Monday 2/13: Lecture: Task and Data Abstraction
- Wednesday 2/15: Design School Critique Day (bring your assignments to class on paper!)
- Friday 2/17: Office Hours
Week 6 (2/20 – 2/24): Encodings and Standard Designs (making Vis)
- Reading 6: Encodings (best before class 2/20)
- Assignment 6: Encodings (1st posting due on 2/20)
- Seek and Find 6: Name that encoding (due 2/24)
- Design Challenge 1 Assigned
- Monday 2/20: Lecture: Encodings
- Wednesday 2/22: Hands-on day: Standard Visualization designs and Excel
- Friday 2/24: Optional (in class) discussion: Design Challenge 1 kickoff
Week 7 (2/27 – 3/3): Perception (informing encodings)
- Reading 7: Perception Basics (best before class 2/27)
- Assignment 7: Perception Discussion
- Seek and Find 7: Standard Designs
- Monday 2/27: Lecture: Perception 101
- Wednesday 3/1: Hands-on day: Making visualizations with Tableau, and perceptual critiques
- Friday 3/3: Optional (in class) discussion: Design Challenge help session
Week 8 (3/6 – 3/10): Color (more on encodings)
- Readings 8: Color (best before class 3/6)
- Assignment 8: Discussing Color
- Seek and Find 8: Something Colorful
- Design Challenge 1: Rough Drafts Due (3/7)
- Monday 3/6: Lecture: Color
- Wednesday 3/8: In-class Design Exercise
- Friday: 3/10 – CS Grad Student Visit Day (no class)
Week 9 (3/13 – 3/17): Interaction
- Readings 9: Interaction (best before class on 3/13)
- Assignment 9: Discussing Interaction
- Seek and Find 9: Something Interactive
- Design Challenge 1: Designs Due (3/14)
- Monday 3/13: Lecture: Interaction
- Wednesday 3/15: Interaction Examples, In-Class Design (class data)
- Friday 3/17: Get ready for break! (no class)
Week (3/20 – 3/24) UW Spring Break
Week 10 (3/27 – 3/31): Graphs and Networks
- Reading 10: Graphs and Networks
- Assignment 10: Graphs and Networks Discussion
- Seek and Find 10: A Graph Visualization
- Design Challenge 1: Peer Critiques Due
- Design Challenge 2: Assigned
- Monday 3/27: Lecture on Graphs
- Wednesday 3/29: In-class exercises: graph critique and graph drawing
- Friday 3/31: No Class! Vis Conference Paper Deadline – don’t expect much from the course staff!
Week 11 (4/3 – 4/7): Implementation and Toolkits
- Reading 11: Toolkits and implementations
- Assignment 11: Toolkits and implementation discussion
- Seek and Find 11: Viewer’s Choice!
- Design Challenge 2: Phase 1 Due
- Monday 4/3: Lecture on Implementation and Graphics, D3 intro
- Wednesday 4/5: In-class assignment D3 “Petting Zoo”, Design Challenge 2 example
- Friday 4/7: Optional class: Implementation Workshop
Week 12 (4/10-4/14): Multi-Variate Visualizations
- Reading 12: Multi-Variate
- Assignment 12: Discussing Multi-Variate
- Seek and Find 12: Something Multi-Variate
- Design Challenge 2: Phase 2 due
- Monday 4/10: Lecture on Multi-Variate Designs
- Wednesday 4/12: In-Class Design/Critique Exercise
- Friday 4/14: No Class
Week 13 (4/17 – 4/21): Dealing with Scale (Too Much Stuff)
- Reading 13: Too Much Stuff
- Assignment 13: Too Much Stuff
- Seek and Find 13: Too Much Stuff
- Design Challenge 2: Phase 3 due
- Design Challenge 3: Assigned
- Monday 4/17: In-Class Exercise (Scalability of Graphs), Lecture on Item Reduction
- Wednesday 4/19: Discussion of DC3, Lecture on Dimensionality Reduction
- Friday 4/21: No Class
Week 14 (4/24 – 4/28): Text, Sets, and other specific data types
- Reading 14: Presentations and Animation
- Assignment 14: Presentations and Animation
- Seek and Find 14: 3D
- Design Challenge 3: Checkpoint 1 (due Tuesday)
- Monday 4/24: Lecture: Text Visualization
- Wednesday 4/26: In class exercise: Design Challenge 2 Review
- Friday 4/28: No Class
Week 15 (5/1 – 5/5): 3D and Traditional Scientific Data
- Reading 15: Uncertainty, 3D, SciVis
- Assignment 15: Uncertainty, 3D, SciVis
- Seek and Find 15: Your Choice
- Design Challenge 3: Checkpoint 2
- Design Challenge 3: Designs Due (due Tuesday)
- Monday 5/1: Lecture: 3D
- Wednesday 5/3: Lecture: SciVis