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On Improving Data Visualization Literacy: Learn to Create Good Visualizations and Criticize the Bads
MPhil Thesis Defence Title: "On Improving Data Visualization Literacy: Learn to Create Good Visualizations and Criticize the Bads" By Mr. Yu Ho LO Abstract Communicating data is the most needed skill in the era of a data-driven world. But it is largely underdeveloped in our education system. In the current data-driven soci- ety, data is prevalent in every occupation and has a deep influence on decision making. Data visualization is the medium to communicate data between human-to-human and computer-to-human. Just the same as languages as the medium to communicate ideas, using a language requires the learning of encoding thoughts into words and decoding sen- tences on the other side. An adequate data communicator needs to have the ability to encode data into visual form and decode the messages from data visualizations. A failed communication may result in misunderstanding, or worst, wrong decisions that have deep influences. Given the importance of the ability to produce and consume data visualiza- tions, the current education on this subject is underdeveloped. It is an urgency to better prepare students in both creating and criticizing data visualizations. This thesis work includes a set of teaching materials and the design rationale behind, a curated set of over a thousand bad examples, and an analysis on the causes of bad visualizations. On the education side, this work lays the foundation for further developing better data visual- ization literacy education. On data visualization research side, it will be a cornerstone for future research on better visualization authoring tools to support both creators and readers communicating data. Date: Friday, 21 August 2020 Time: 3:00pm - 5:00pm Zoom meeting: https://hkust.zoom.us/j/3941396622 Committee Members: Prof. Huamin Qu (Supervisor) Dr. Qiong Luo (Chairperson) Prof. Raymond Wong **** ALL are Welcome ****