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 ****