Training 1: Design principles for data visualisation - introduction

Click on the bookmark above to view the slides used in the live session for this module

Welcome to the “Design principles for data visualisation” training!

In this introduction, I will walk you through the topics that will be covered in the training, so you will have a good idea what to expect. I will also explain the educational approach of the training and will give you all the practical information you need to follow and complete the training.

And because this is the first training of a full training program on data visualisation, I will also introduce you to the other trainings in the program.

And of course, there is some time for questions and answers at the end of the session.

Educational approach

This training is set up to be a fully remote and asynchronous training.

A fully remote training means that the trainer and the participants do not meet physically during the training. Participants can follow the training from anywhere, as long as they have access to a computer and an internet connection.

An asynchronous training means that the trainer and the participants, apart from not sharing the same geographical space, are also separated in time. The training is set up in a way so that participants can follow the training at their own pace, and during the time that suits them best.

The training is not fully asynchronous, as you can tell from this live session: currently, we are in one of the few synchronous parts of the training. We will have a few more of these at the end of the training on Friday.

But most of the training will be asynchronous. The training is split up into modules, that you can follow in your own time and at your own pace. The training contains the following types of modules:

• Live sessions, like the one we are in right now. The live sessions are used for modules that benefit from live contact. In this session to goal is to meet each other and to make sure that all participants understand the training mechanics and can get started properly. Other live sessions in this training are for Q&A, for receiving feedback on assignments, and at the end of the training on Friday, we will also have a live closing session of the training.
• Readings are articles that explain concepts and elements relevant to the training topic. Because this is a training on data visualisation, these readings will be rich in visuals and will contain many example visualisations.
• Video lectures are used for training topics that benefit more from being shown than being explained. This is the case for demonstration of techniques and tools, for example.
• Exercises, like quizzes, are small modules used to make sure that participants have a good understanding of a training topic.
• Assignments are modules in which participants are given a task that they need to work on and submit. Usually these are scheduled towards the end of the training, and are meant to bring the knowledge gained in the training into practice. Assignments require participants to have completed particular other modules in the training.

We will discuss the training schedule and the modules of this training in more detail later in this session. But each module has an estimate of the duration to complete the module. All together, the duration of all modules in the training amounts to 16 hours. The training runs from the start of this live session to the end of the closing session on Friday afternoon.

This means that participants have 5 working days to complete the modules of the training. They can schedule the modules at their own liking. However the live session have a fixed timing, and assignments have submission deadlines.

What is graphic design?

To understand the importance of graphic design for data visualisation, we first need to understand what graphic design actually is.