Some questions for guidance
Over the course of the semester, I will ask you to bring in a visualization you have found interesting and present it to the class so we can all learn from your analysis of it.
When we look at visualizations, there are times that we just really love or really hate something immediately. There are times when our initial reactions change, times when the more time we spend the better a visualization is, and also times when visually compelling work falls short upon a closer read and doesn’t generate interest beyond the aesthetic. In this class, we will learn through all kinds of encounters with visualizations.
There are many lenses through which we can look at visualizations, as makers, readers, advertisers, consumers, and advocates. In the context of this class, we try to get to the bottom of visualizations as makers. Here are some of the questions we can ask when we are looking at a visualization.
General Observations
What is the topic of this visualization?
What is the point that it is trying to make?
Who is the intended audience? is it you?
How much do we need to know beforehand?
How much time do we need to read this visualization?
Detailed Evaluation
Data
What is the data? What is its type?
Is the data up to date or historical?
Is the data clearly cited?
Do we know the source? is it reliable?
How has the data been cleaned and filtered?
Are missing data and limitations of data clearly communicated?Visual Design
Is the data represented accurately?
Is the data represented to an acceptable level of precision?
Is the graphical form appropriate?
Does color clarify or confuse? is it necessary?
Do visual elements have clear relationships? hierarchy? and scale?
Are all visual elements on screen explained in a legend or key?(not always necessary)
Are scales and dimensions of data clearly labeled by an axis or tooltips?
Do textual and outside elements support the visualization? do they repeat?Technical Details
How is it made?
Look in the source code — what tools are used?
Is the code published anywhere? What is its license for use?Context
Where is this visualization published?
How did you come to find it?
What is the prior knowledge inferred by the visualization?
Intellectual Intervention
Does the visualization make an argument or point of view clearly?
Does the visualization justify its own existence?
Is is believable?
Afterthoughts
What else could we do with the same data?
What if anything would we have done differently? audience? placement?
Where else have you seen something like it? What have others done and how does this compare?
What elements and techniques standout and could be useful in your future work?
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