FIT3179 Data Visualisation

D​ATA​ V​ISUALISATION​ 1

Semester 2, 2020
Submission
Due date: Sunday of week 6 (13 September), 10 pm​.
The submission of two documents through the unit website is required.
1. Submit a ​report as a PDF​ document through a Turnitin link on Moodle.
2. Submit a separate ​Tableau Desktop file compressed with ZIP ​on Moodle.
In addition, publish your visualisation on Tableau Public and include the URL on the
coversheet of your report.
Introduction
In this assignment you design and build an effective visualisation for data of a specific
domain. This will require you to critically evaluate information in a domain of your choice
and develop your own visualisation. The domain can be broad or specific depending on
availability of datasets. If you have difficulty finding an interesting dataset or domain,
have a look at ​https://www.kaggle.com/datasets​.
The aim of the assignment is to apply the data visualisation techniques examined during
the first 6 weeks of the semester and demonstrate their use in an innovative context. As
such, the visualisation should satisfy the following:
● Why: It should address a particular need within a specific domain of your
choosing. It must be targeted to the domain, its needs, and its users. This does
not mean the visualisation has to solve an existing problem, but it must be a
visualisation that is useful or interesting to people within the chosen domain.
● What: It should use a data source relevant to the domain. The data source does
not have to come from within the domain, however the data itself must obviously
be relevant. Data can be of any kind.
● Who: Design your visualisation for the average Australian or Malaysian.
● It must turn data into something meaningful and provide insight that would
otherwise be difficult without the visualisation.
● It must provide interactive exploration.
● It needs to show some innovation. It does not have to be wholly original but
cannot be a replica of a visualisation that already exists. It could be an innovative
visualisation, or the use of a known visualisation with a new kind of data.
● It must demonstrate the use of the Five Design Sheet methodology for sketching
and planning the design of your visualisation.
1

● It must demonstrate the use of the Munzer What/Why/How framework
discussed in lectures for correctly assessing the type of data, the goals of the
visualisation and the design of the visualisation.
● It must apply design principles discussed throughout the unit, such as data-ink
ratio, storytelling, layout, and visualisation idioms with appropriate use of marks
and channels.
Task Description
1. Choose a ​domain ​ that you would like to explore.
2. Find relevant ​datasets ​ that are publicly available.
3. Present your domain, design ideas, and datasets to your tutor to obtain ​approval
in the Week 3 lab. This is a hurdle requirement for this assignment: You must
obtain formal approval from your tutor.
4. Design a narrative visualisation using the ​5 Design Sheet Methodology ​.
5. Implement your design with ​Tableau
6. Make your visualisation publicly viewable and ensure your Tableau file cannot be
downloaded:
https://kb.tableau.com/articles/howto/preventing-workbook-downloads
7. Write a ​report with a maximum length of 700 words​ covering the following:
a. A cover sheet with the number of words and a ​URL ​of your visualisation.
b. A brief description of the ​domain, Why ​and ​ Who​.
c. What​: A brief description of the ​data​ (sources, authors, relevance,
creation process, etc.).
d. Why and How​: Give a rationale for choosing the specific idioms and
explain how they help the users to achieve their tasks. Include at least one
screen capture of your entire visualisation, and a description of features
that are special to your visualisation.
e. Bibliography​.
f. Appendix with scans of your ​5 Design Sheet Methodology ​outcome.
Expectations
Format: ​The entire visualisation must be accessible through a single URL. The entire
visualisation must be visible on a single web page that can be scrolled. There should be
no buttons (or other web links) that swap the major section of the web page, but you can
use buttons to show and hide individual page elements.
Presentation not exploration​: The goal of this assignment is to create a visualisation that
communicates interesting information in an easily accessible and graphically engaging
way using storytelling elements, layout principles, typography and graphical design. The
goal is not to create an expert tool for exploring a dataset.
Quality not quantity​: Your visualisation will likely contain between 3 and 10 charts or
diagrams that you create. However, there are no minimum or maximum numbers of
charts. Instead, we are looking for carefully designed and annotated charts that – in
2

combination with text and possibly icons and pictures – guide the user through an
interesting story.
Interactivity​: Interactive features are easy to add in Tableau. Integrate interactivity
where it makes sense, but do not just add interactive elements for their own sake.
Maps​: Maps will be required for the second visualisation assignment (due in week 11).
For this first visualisation assignment, it is recommended to use non-geographic idioms.
Copyright​: You are encouraged to use icons and other simple graphical elements where
appropriate. When using such elements, it is your responsibility to ensure you have the
right to use them. Consult with your tutor if in doubt. You need to indicate the source
and URL (if available online) in your report of any external element that you use. There is
no need to indicate the source and URL for simple icons (emojis, coats of arms,
trademarks, traffic signs, etc.).
Authorship: ​Because your visualisation is publicly accessible, you should indicate your
authorship and the license under which you make your work accessible.
Plagiarism​: We will follow up on any kind of academic misconduct. For this particular
assignment, you cannot integrate non-trivial graphics (such as diagrams, charts, etc.)
created by others.
Marking
This assignment is worth 25% of the final unit mark. A detailed marking rubric is on the
next page. ​Late penalty of 10% per day and one-week cut off days are applied.

3


HD (80–100) D (70–79) C (60–69) P (50–59) N (0–49)
5 Design Sheet
2%
All 5 stages completed,
large variety of
sketches, creative and
useful outcome.
All major stages
completed, large variety
of sketches, useful
outcome.
All major stages
completed, some
variety of sketches,
useful outcome.
Not all stages
completed, limited
variety of sketches,
useful outcome.
Most stages not
completed, small variety
of sketches, outcome
not applicable.
Visualisation
(a) Idioms and
complexity
10%
A substantial number of
appropriate standard or
custom-built idioms.
A substantial number of
appropriate idioms.
A number of standard
idioms (e.g. bar chart,
line graph).
Small number of
standard idioms (e.g.
bar chart, line graph), or
inappropriate use of
idioms.
Inappropriate selection
or use of idioms, very
small number of
standard idioms,
incomplete
visualisation.
Visualisation
(b) Layout,
colour,
figure-ground
4%
Balanced and symmetric
layout clearly structured
in columns/rows with
good use of white
space. All elements
aligned with sight lines.
Very clear visual
hierarchy by using
colour and
figure-ground.
Balanced and symmetric
layout mostly structured
in columns/rows with
use of white space.
Most elements aligned
with sight lines. Visual
hierarchy by using
colour and
figure-ground.
Somewhat balanced and
symmetric layout not
consistently structured
in columns/rows. No
use of white space.
Some elements aligned
with sight lines. Some
visual hierarchy.
Layout not balanced or
not symmetric, no
apparent layout
structure. Some
elements aligned with
sight lines. Limited
visual hierarchy.
Layout not balanced and
not symmetric, no
apparent layout
structure. Most
elements randomly
placed. No visual
hierarchy by using
colour and
figure-ground.
Visualisation
(c) Typography,
storytelling,
annotations
4%
Use of non-standard
and appropriate
typeface. Clear guidance
of reader through
visualisation. Extensive
use of high-quality
annotations on
diagrams and text
outside of diagrams.
Use of appropriate
typeface. Guidance of
reader through
visualisation. Use of
high-quality annotations
on diagrams and text
outside of diagrams.
Use of appropriate
typeface. Some
guidance of reader
through visualisation.
Use of annotations on
diagrams and text
outside of diagrams.
Use of appropriate
typeface. Limited
guidance of reader
through visualisation.
Limited number of
annotations on
diagrams and text
outside of diagrams
with grammar or
content issues.
Use of inappropriate
typeface. No guidance
of reader through
visualisation. Small
number of annotations
on diagrams and text
outside of diagrams
with grammar or
content issues.
Report
(a) Structure
and content
3%
Clear report structure.
Why, Who, What, How
are appropriately and
succinctly described.
Bibliography included.
Clear report structure.
Why, Who, What, How
are described.
Bibliography included.
Mostly clear report
structure, some content
is misaligned. Why,
Who, What, How are
mostly described. No
bibliography included.
Report structure not
clear, some content is
misaligned. Why, Who,
What, How are partially
described. No
bibliography included.
Report structure
confusing. Substantial
aspects of Why, Who,
What, How missing. No
bibliography included.
Report
(b) Writing and
figures
1%
Correct grammar.
Writing easy to follow
and understand. Figures
carefully designed, with
numbered caption, and
referenced in text.
Correct grammar.
Writing mostly easy to
follow and understand.
Figures carefully
designed, with
numbered caption, and
referenced in text.
Some grammar issues.
Writing not always easy
to follow and
understand. Figures
without numbered
caption or not
referenced in text.
Grammar issues
throughout. Writing not
easy to follow and
understand. Figures
without numbered
caption or not
referenced in text.
Major grammar issues
throughout. Writing
difficult to follow and
understand. No figures.
Report
(c) Word limit
and URL
1%
URL and number of
words indicated on the
cover sheet, less than
700 words total.
As HD As HD URL or number of words
not indicated on the
cover sheet ​or​ ​more
than 700 words total.
URL or number of words
not indicated on the
cover sheet ​and​ ​more
than 700 words total​.


1


1