This course teaches students the fundamentals of data visualization so that they can design solutions for a wide range of contemporary data visualization scenarios. Students will learn the fundamentals of data visualization programming tools necessary to complete their projects in this studio course as well as the communication skills to collaborate with programmers and social scientists in professional contexts. Throughout the course students will look at historic and contemporary design precedents, understand where data comes from, explore data to find meaningful communication themes, and consider the privacy and social responsibility aspects of the work. Additionally, students will explore how to successfully and critically apply their skills of communication design to data visualization and information aesthetics.
As a core studio course, Major Studio 1 aims at establishing an individual’s voice and practice in the context of data visualization. Students will conduct research, implement, question, and iterate work. Individual and group critiques alongside relevant readings, screenings, and presentations represent a vital component of the course, facilitating discussions about diverse practices within their sociopolitical and cultural contexts. Discussions allow students to demonstrate critical thinking, establish theoretical competencies, and present their individual insights and unique understanding of studied subjects and practices. Activities in the Major Studio 1 (followed by Major Studio 2) are at the center of the Data Visualization curriculum. Students are invited to draw connections and establish intersections to other courses in the Data Visualization curriculum and the New School at large.
Partnering with the Smithsonian Institution (SI), this course focuses on selected themes—Social Justice, Women’s Initiative, and Environmental Justice—based on data published through the Smithsonian Open Access portal. Through those themes, participants will narrow their focus from over 3 million digital items included in the SI collections, to a relevant subset of sources to be visualized qualitatively, quantitatively, and interactively. Staff from affiliated SI Institutions (i.e. the National Museum of African American History and Culture, National Museum of Natural History, etc.) will be available to support thematic research conducted as part of this partnership, coordinated by the Program Manager of the SI Open Access Initiative.
| Attendance & Class Participation 10% | 10% |
|---|---|
| Reading Report* 10% | 10% |
| Project 1: Quantitative Data 25% | 25% |
| Project 2: Qualitative Data 25% | 25% |
| Project 3: Dynamics, Interactivity and Narrative 30% | 30% |
| Total | 100% |
*Students will be asked to facilitate the discussion on each assigned reading, and are expected to submit discussion questions about the reading through the Canvas learning platform ahead of class. To initiate an inclusive and lively conversation, facilitators will also be expected to give a brief presentation of the issues raised by the text, and relevant praxis beyond the reading.
Exploring museum collections online: Some background reading
Visualization and Interpretation