The content of this e-learning tutorial is structured into three building blocks. Each building block builds on the previous one and consists of various, at times complementary or alternative, modules. The first building block, basic modules, covers the foundations of visual literacy. It is the basis for the second building block, the application modules, where the knowledge from the first basic modules is applied to real problem situations. Here, the goal is to understand real projects by in-depth analysis of the problem, solution, implementation and effect. In the same time the state of art in research is presented. The students are activated and motivated to get active in three relevant research fields: visual facilitation, visualization of multidimensional data, and strategy visualization. In the third building block, exploration modules, students experiment with their own ideas and apply novel methods to assignments. The basic and application modules include interactive exercises and final multiple choice tests. The exploration modules are graded partly by peers partly by the online tutors.
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BASIC MODULES |
Module 1: VizIntro |
Why, where and how Visualization Matters (application areas and benefits): Students understand the competences in the visual domain and the differences between verbal and visual communication. Furthermore they should be able to tell in which contexts it is most useful to communicate information / knowledge with visual means. |
Module 2: VizBasics |
Fundamentals of Perception and Visualization (theories of perception and attention, guidelines based on gestalt and attention principles). Students understand how we perceive and process visual information in the brain. Based on this theoretical knowledge, students are able to better assess visual formats, be it a diagram, a map, an image, or another format. Finally design guidelines based on gestalt and attention principles will allow students to better express ideas visually. Mandatory for all students |
Module 3: InfoViz (required for engineering students, optional for all other disciplines) |
Information Visualization Methods and Principles (overview of the classic techniques and applications of information visualization that use graphic means to search and render data structures from histograms to tree maps) |
Module 4: KnowViz (required for communication students, optional for all other disciplines) |
Knowledge Visualization Methods and Principles (overview of methods and application areas of graphic means to facilitate knowledge creation and transfer from visual metaphors in instruction to domain visualizations in scientific discourses) |
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APPLICATION MODULES Each application module consists of real-life case studies with application examples and application and reflection exercises. |
Module 5: ComViz (required for communication students, possible for all other disciplines) |
Applications from the field of Communication: Visual Facilitation (using interactive visualization to augment real and virtual workshops, e.g., strategy development workshops) |
Module 6: EngViz (required for engineering students, possible for all other disciplines) |
Applications from the field of Engineering: Multi-dimensional Visualization (in order to query and understand large data sets) |
Module 7: StratViz (required for business students, possible for all other disciplines) |
Applications from the field of Business: Strategy Visualization (employing visual metaphors to communicate the content and rationale of strategies to employees) |
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EXPLORATION MODULES Each exploration module consists of a problem description, an online tool, and guidelines to use the tool to develop possible solutions. |
Module 8: BizViz (required for communication and business students, possible for all other disciplines) |
Creating visualizations to facilitate business communication |
Module 9: DataViz (required for engineering students, possible for all other disciplines) |
Creating visualizations to understand complex data |
Module 10: SoftViz (required for engineering students, possible for all other disciplines) |
Creating Visualizations to understand software |
