University of Technology Sydney

36117 Data Visualisation

Warning: The information on this page is indicative. The subject outline for a particular session, location and mode of offering is the authoritative source of all information about the subject for that offering. Required texts, recommended texts and references in particular are likely to change. Students will be provided with a subject outline once they enrol in the subject.

Subject handbook information prior to 2025 is available in the Archives.

UTS: Transdisciplinary Innovation
Credit points: 3 cp
Result type: Grade and marks

Description

This subject engages students in the power of narrative and visualisation as 'person-centred’ methods for communication with visuals. Students learn principles of effective visualisations and have hands-on experience in designing and evaluating different types of visuals. Also through investigating different narrative approaches to 'tell the story', students hone their skills to succinctly and persuasively communicate descriptions of phenomena studied in the data set as well as confidently justify their findings.

Subject learning objectives (SLOs)

Upon successful completion of this subject students should be able to:

1. Evaluate the gap in knowledge between an audience and a message to be communicated.
2. Design effective ways to bridge this gap using effective representations of data pattern.

Contribution to the development of graduate attributes

2.1 Convey information clearly and fluently in written, verbal and visual form appropriate for the problem, data and stakeholders

Teaching and learning strategies

This subject is taught through self-study on Canvas, and online and in-person seminars. Subject content will be presented to students in a variety of formats (lecture slides, notes, videos, articles). The techniques to develop effective communication through visualisation will be taught through examples and problem sets. Students will be required to produce visualisations for specific topic using provided data.

Content (topics)

  1. The goals of effective communication
  2. The hurdles to effective communication
  3. The principles of effective visualisation

Assessment

Assessment task 1: Weekly hands-on activities

Intent:

Use the learning skills to create your own data visualisations and reflect the theories.

Objective(s):

This task addresses the following subject learning objectives:

1 and 2

Type: Reflection
Groupwork: Individual
Weight: 40%
Criteria:

Submit a weekly one-page hands-on activity writing report.

Assessment task 2: 3MT presentation

Intent:

Present the data story about your data visualisation report in three minutes and communicate with your peers.

Objective(s):

This task addresses the following subject learning objectives:

1 and 2

Type: Presentation
Groupwork: Individual
Weight: 20%
Criteria:

One-slide and three minutes presentation.

Assessment task 3: Assignment

Intent:

A 1000 words report which includes multiple visualisations with different techniques.

Objective(s):

This task addresses the following subject learning objectives:

1 and 2

Type: Report
Groupwork: Individual
Weight: 40%
Criteria:

Marking criteria for the assignment includes

  • Appropriateness of visualisations (50%)
  • Effectiveness of the data story (50%)

Minimum requirements

Students must achieve at least 50% of the subject’s total marks.