GIK38J Visualisation

Dalarna University – HT26/VT27

• Institution: Dalarna University
• Department: Data and Information Management
• Credits: 7.5 ECTS
• Location: Borlänge Campus
• Instructor: Ross May (rom@du.se)

 

Registration

You can see parts of this course room even if you are not registered in the course. Be sure to register if you are going to take the course. Registration takes place through Ladok.

Ladok

 

Course Overview

Visualisation is more than the production of charts and dashboards. Visualisations are tools that help people understand evidence and make decisions.

The course studies visualisation from both theoretical and practical perspectives. Particular emphasis is placed on evaluation of visualisations and the use of visualisation as a basis for decision-making.

The course uses authentic case studies and project work to explore visualisation through:

• Perceptual effectiveness (Ware)
• Visual communication and audience (Kostelnick & Hassett)
• Practical judgement and stakeholders (Flyvbjerg)

 

Important Note

This is not an economics course.

The economic datasets and examples used throughout the course provide realistic contexts for visualisation work. Students are assessed on visualisation design, evaluation, stakeholder awareness and decision support rather than economics expertise.

 

Course Content

The course studies visualisation from theoretical and practical perspectives with a particular emphasis on evaluating visualisations and using visualisation as a basis for decision-making.

Through lectures, seminars and project work students explore:

• Visual perception and cognition
• Visual communication and audience adaptation
• Visualisation evaluation
• Stakeholder perspectives
• Decision-support visualisations
• Responsible representation of evidence

 

Intended Learning Outcomes

The intended learning outcomes below are reproduced from the official course syllabus.

• Summarise scientific theories and methods for visualisation.
• Create, in a structured manner and in collaboration with relevant stakeholders, functional, meaningful and sustainable visualisations that serve as a basis for decision making.
• Evaluate visualisations based on purpose, meaningful quality, progression, stakeholders, area of application and technical quality.

 

How These Learning Outcomes Are Addressed in This Course

Scientific Theories and Methods

• Visual perception (Ware)
• Visual rhetoric and audience-centred communication (Kostelnick & Hassett)
• Practical judgement and stakeholder perspectives (Flyvbjerg)

Create Visualisations for Decision-Making

Students create visualisations through seminar activities and project work based on authentic datasets and decision contexts.

Evaluate Visualisations

Students evaluate visualisations through structured peer review, jury discussions, seminar activities and reflective writing.

 

Forms of Study

• Lectures: Theoretical foundations and conceptual frameworks.
• Case-Based Seminars: Analysis and discussion of authentic visualisation cases.
• Structured Peer Review: Evaluation of visualisations produced by peers.
• Reflective Writing: Individual professional reflection.
• Project Work: Group visualisation projects based on authentic datasets.

 

Assessment Overview

Component	Description	Credits
Seminar	Case analysis, visualisation critique, peer review and reflective activities.	4.5 ECTS
Project	Group visualisation project and individual reflection.	3.0 ECTS

Grades: U-G

 

Course Philosophy

Visualisation as Responsible Practical Judgement

Different stakeholders may need different views of the evidence, but every stakeholder deserves an honest view of the evidence.

 

Quick Links

Reading List