Robert S Laramee (short bio)

University of Nottingham, UK

Objectives:

To provide participants with an introduction to the field of interactive data visualization with a special emphasis on storytelling. Participants will learn the major challenges in the field as well as the current state-of-the-art in storytelling and visualization.

Content and Benefits:

The tutorial consists of three parts:

Part 1: Introduction and Overview
Part 1 provides a general introduction to the field of interactive Data Visualization.  The main motivation as well as example applications are presented.  New terminology is introduce as well as some of the major subfields.  Visualization goals, advantages, and disadvantages are presented.  The visualization pipeline is described.  Varying characteristics of data are presented.

Part 2: The State-of-the-Art in Storytelling and Visualization
Throughout history, storytelling has been an effective way of conveying information and knowledge. In the field of visualization, storytelling is rapidly gaining momentum and evolving cutting-edge techniques that enhance understanding. Many communities have commented on the importance of storytelling in data visualization. Storytellers tend to be integrating complex visualizations into their narratives in growing numbers. In part 2, we present the state-of-the-art in storytelling literature in visualization and present an overview of the common and important elements in storytelling visualization. We also describe the challenges in this field as well as a novel classification of the literature on storytelling in visualization. Our classification scheme highlights the open and unsolved problems in this field as well as the more mature storytelling sub-fields. The benefits offer a concise overview and a starting point into this rapidly evolving research trend and provide a deeper understanding of this topic.

Part 3:  Visualization Resources
Visualization, a vibrant field for researchers, practitioners, and higher educational institutions, is growing and evolving very rapidly. Tremendous progress has been made since 1987, the year often cited as the beginning of data visualization as a distinct field. As such, the number of visualization resources and the demand for those resources is increasing at a rapid pace. In part 3, we present open visualization resources for all those with interested in carrying on with research in interactive data visualization and visual analytics. Because the number of resources is so large, we focus on collections of resources, of which there are already many ranging from literature collections to collections of practitioner resources. Based on this, we develop a classification of visualization resource collections with a focus on the resource type, e.g. literature-based, web-based, developer focused and special topics. The result is an overview and details-on-demand of many useful resources. The collection offers a valuable jump-start for those seeking out data visualization resources from all backgrounds spanning from beginners such as students to teachers, practitioners, developers and researchers wishing to create their own advanced or novel visual designs. This part is a response to students and others who frequently ask for visualisation resources available to them.

Target Audience:

PhD candidates, researchers, and students with an interest in interactive Data Visualization.

List of materials or devices required by the participants:

A laptop with WiFI access. We will carry out some exercises as part of the tutorial so bringing a laptop is helpful. For those with no laptops, exercises can be done in pairs or small groups.