SPRING
2018
CLASS SYLLABUS
Instructor: Bruce Donald Campbell
Faculty, Continuing Education - RISD
Providence, RI
Adjunct Faculty Computer Science Research, Brown University
Providence, RI
Email: bcampbel01@risd.edu
Prerequisites: None
DESCRIPTION
Our information-saturated society is awash in data, but how do you give it useful form? This course provides an answer to students who build on their coding experience to develop a personal data acquisition process. This collection becomes a sustainable set of interest for use throughout the semester as they are given opportunities to investigate popular visualization libraries like Processing and D3.js. The class explores PHP and server-side JavaScript as middleware scripting languages for manipulating data, as well as JavaScript interaction features for exploring visual interfaces to data as a cognitive augmentation. A goal is to master the use of a relational database management system (RDBMS) like MySQL or PostgreSQL.
GRADING
Class participation - 10%
Data Project - 30%
Visualization project - 60%
RESOURCES
CLASS LINKS
WEEKLY OUTLINE
TOPIC1
welcome and course overview
Course Overview
Data Visualization Pipelines
Relational Database Management Systems
Useful Data Manipulation Types
Data Visualization Techniques
Interactive Data Presentation
Dynamic Data Sources
Your Responsibilities in Class
- Introduction
- Course Objectives
- Course Motivation
- Obtaining Data
- Our Development Process
- Ideas Brainstorming Session
- Set up a Relational Database Management System
- Investigate Processing and D3
- Walkthrough of Useful Examples
TOPIC2
data processing and relational theory
Inputs and Outputs for data visualization
Data Quality Concerns
- Three distinct roles involved in useful relational database management systems use:
- Data Modeler
- Database Administrator
- Data Analyst
- Consider roles associated with the Parts Tutorial
- Free study time
- Practice our second day start exercise (see our end code).
- Explore the role of a Database Administrator.
- Continue to dream up a project you want to work on.
TOPIC3
managing data in an RDMS
- Tables
- Atributes
- Queries
- Management commands and activities
- Practice our third day exercises.
- Consider possible data sets of interest to you.
- Review steps to set up a data back-end service.
TOPIC4
data modeling
- Investigate the Wikipedia Page on Data Modeling
- MySQL developers' take: Why you want to be good at data modeling
- Review the fourth day exercise.
- Work on your artwork and storyboard
TOPIC5
open data studio and critique
- Useful Data Manipulations
- Examples of formal querying of a database
- Consider an interesting dataset I'm working on for us.
- Map out a state machine for your visualization
TOPIC6
data visualization strategies
- Setting a narrative for analysis
- The value of visualization in good story telling
- Explore data visualization genres
- Develop an internal dialogue regarding which genre to use in different scenarios
- Take a look at our sixth week example.
TOPIC7
processing as a data vis language
- Processing and the artistic mind
- Examples of using processing for data vis
- In-class step-by-step development example
- Consider the code behind a development example
- Work on a storyboard for the user experience
TOPIC8
the value of interactivity
- Cognitive augmentation models
- Investigating a train of thought
- Warm up with the eighth day exercise.
- Follow the steps to add interactivity to a static visualization
TOPIC9
explicit goal-based data visualization
- Useful processes of analysis
- Examples of genres
- Consider examples from the D3 library
- Download the ninth day code.
TOPIC10
dynamic data integration
- Middleware systems for dynamic data management
- Design front-end, middle, and back-end
- Reasons to optimize in the back and middle
- Examine PHP-based middleware templates
TOPIC11
open project work studio
- Sharing development and debugging strategies
- Class Project Due Next Week
- Feel good about your new skills
TOPIC12
final projects critique
- Putting our visualizations on a Web server
- Class Project Due at End of Class
- Feel good about your new skills
- Take a look at our final data visualization concepts