Charts and graphs have an indisputable aura of objectivity and yet, much like statistics, they have an immense power to either elucidate or mislead. What makes »
February 22 Assessment of student skills, levels, and interests What do you want to learn in this class? What sorts of data/information graphics work have »
A collective research project providing examples and discussion of the basic building blocks of visual data representation. »
Python Crash Course Getting started with Python & PlotDevice Of the many scripting languages in popular use, Python has a reputation for ease-of-learning and power that »
February 29 Presentations pick a presentation topic and choose a date PlotDevice Q&A your questions PlotDevice exercises experiment with the size and background commands »
For our first warm-up exercise, we'll be examining a simple time-series dataset: the history of nuclear testing by the eight (declared) nuclear nations. In the first »
FROM HISTORY Ladislav Sutnar Otto Neurath William Playfair Charles Joseph Minard Oliver Byrne Henry Gantt Samuel Plimsoll CONTEMPORARY Catalogtree Golan Levin Ben Fry / Fathom Martin Wattenberg »
Why Do Many Reasonable People Doubt Science? By Joel Achenbach We live in an age when all manner of scientific knowledge—from climate change to vaccinations— »
March 7 Presentations Janice on Ladislav Sutnar Oscar on Experimental Media Research Group Reading #2 A Thousand Suns progress share external data sources meetings in small »
Computational Information Design By Ben Fry The ability to collect, store, and manage data is increasing quickly, but our ability to understand it remains constant. In »
March 14 Presentations Atulya on Jennifer Daniel Kevin on Jer Thorp Reading #3 from Ben Fry's Thesis A Thousand Suns progress wall crit Assignment complete final »
The Five Hat Racks By Richard Saul Wurman The principle of the five hat racks suggests that there are a limited number of ways information can »
March 21 Presentations Amily on Golan Levin Tim on lust.nl A Thousand Suns final crit L.A.T.C.H. exercise Assignment Proposals for 2 »
In the previous assignment we’ve seen how conventional plots and chart-types can be combined to convey information diagramatically. The various graphical building blocks you’ve »
Connecting with the Dots By Jacob Harris All of this has made me wonder what other approaches people have used to anchor their graphics in empathy. »
April 4 Presentations Kate on Small Design Firm James on Stamen Uncharted project ideas Assignment Pick one direction for your Uncharted, finish collecting data for it, »
April 11 Presentations Kate on Small Design Firm Katie on Catalogtree Hannah on Ben Fry & Fathom Discussion of Connecting with the Dots Uncharted: individual or »
Subtleties of Color By Robert Simmon The use of color to display data is a solved problem, right? Just pick a palette from a drop-down menu »
April 18 Presentations Daniel on Otto Neurath Yolanda on Richard Saul Wurman Discussion of The Subtleties of Color Uncharted: (pen)ultimate crit Assignment Bring in 3 »
Our previous assignments have been characterized by either the data or the form being pre-determined. In this final visualization project you will choose both the subject »