ITI 321 Information Visualization – Spring 2013
Anselm Spoerri, Ph.D.
SC&I, Rutgers University
aspoerri@rutgers.edu
Course
Description
Course
Goals
In this course, students learn how to effectively present complex
information using the Web, multimedia or information visualization
techniques. The course develops an understanding of how best to
leverage human perceptual capabilities to communicate information
or gain insights into large and abstract data.

Foundation in Human Visual Perception

Understand Key Design Principles: Web Design, Multimedia,
Information Visualization

Create Immersive Visual Environments
and Effective Data Visualizations

Video Editing using Premiere Elements

Flash Programming: Animation, Interactivity, ActionScript

Have Impact and Contribute to Large-scale Project
Specifically you can be part of a special Class Project:

Contribute to whereRU project
– Capture Campus with Photosynth
– High-Resolution Panoramas with Gigapan
– Life in a Day Videos
Course
Website
Course
Structure
Hosted on Sakai and lecture slides and links to online lectures, video
demos, tutorials, resources and readings will be posted there.
You will submit your exercises, participate in the class discussions
and contribute to the Wiki via Sakai.
This is a hybrid course with an in-person class on Tues (section 1)
and Tues (section 2) from 4:30pm-5:50pm in the 119 Lab at SC&I.
In-person class: we will review and discuss key concepts as well as
use it to help you to troubleshoot and complete the assignments.
In-class attendance is required.
Online class: you will review in self-study mode the provided online
lectures, video demos, tutorials, resources and readings to familiarize
yourself with the key concepts and learn how to use the needed
software tools to complete the assignments.
Students can select one of these specialized tracks to pursue:
Participation

Gigapixel Visualization: Photosynth + Gigapan + Video

Data Visualization: Fusion Table + Motion Chart + Tableau

Visualization Programming: d3.js
Class Attendance: required in the in-person class.
Sakai Discussions: will use “ALL: Topic Name” to indicate which
topics require you to post at least once. There will be also assignment
specific discussions that you will need to participate in and you will
receive specific instructions.
Schedule (due dates may be shifted slightly and you will be notified)
Week
Topics
1
Introduction: Course Overview.
2
Gigapixel Visualization (Photosynth | Bing Maps | Google Maps)
Map Visualization (Fusion Tables Tips)
Online: view assigned online lectures; read assigned chapters.
3
Human Visual Perception
Data Visualization (Google Motion Chart | d3.js)
Online: synthesize assigned chapters; review relevant
resources for Exercise 1.
1/22-27
1/28-2/3
2/4-10
4
2/11-17
Information Visualization (Principles & Classics)
Visualization of Abstract Data (Hierarchical Data)
Gigapixel Visualization (Gigapan | Hierarchical Image Pyramid)
Online: review relevant resources for Exercise 1.
5
Visual DataStory Principles
Information Visualization (Showcase | d3.js)
Online: review relevant resources for Exercise 2.
6
Information Visualization (NYTimes | d3.js)
Video Editing Principles
Online: review relevant resources for Exercise 2.
7
Video Editing Principles
Working on Ex2
Online: review relevant resources for Exercise 2.
2/18-24
2/25-3/3
3/4-10
8
3/11-17
Information Visualization (Tableau Tips)
Video Editing (Premiere Elements Tips)
Online: select & analyze NYTimes visualization; review
relevant resources for Exercise 3.
Due
SP1
2/8
Ex1
2/15
Ex2
3/8
Ex1 Rev
3/10
SP2
3/15
Spring Break
9
3/25-31
10
4/1-7
Animation Design Principles (Flash)
Online: review relevant resources for Exercise 3 and Flash
resources.
Animation Design - Advanced (Flash)
Online: review Flash resources.
11
Interaction Design - Basic (Flash)
Online: review Flash resources.
12
Interaction Design - Advanced (Flash)
Online: review Flash resources.
4/8-14
4/15-21
13
Working on Project.
14
Course Review and Project Presentations.
4/22-28
4/29-5/5
Ex2 Rev
3/31
Ex3
4/5
Project
Outline
4/13
Ex4
4/19
Ex3 Rev
4/21
Ex4 Rev
4/29
TP
5/7
Grading
Policy
Participation – 5%

In-class and Online Discussions
Short Papers – 15%

Data Journalism Handbook (10%)
http://datajournalismhandbook.org/1.0/en/index.html
Read chapters: Introduction | In The Newsroom (pick one favorite
example) | Getting Data | Understanding Data | Delivering Data.
Synthesize and summarize key take-ways and useful tips.
 NYTimes Visualization (5%)
Select and analyze a visualization created by NYTimes (from a list
of 10 visualizations that will be provided).
Exercises – 55%
 Exercise 1 (10%)
Photosynth or Google Fusion Tables or DataVis Programming (1)
o Students select one of the three options.
 Exercise 2 (15%)
Gigapan or Google Motion Chart or DataVis Programming (2)
o Students select one of the three options.
 Exercise 3 (20%)
Day in Life Video or Tableau or DataVis Programming (3)
o Students select one of the three options.
 Exercise 4 (10%)
Flash Animated Navigation Structure
o Students create an animated navigation structure in Flash that will
form the basis for the project.
Late assignments will not be accepted.
 You need to submit in Sakai – Assignments the document
and/or URL of where your assignment is stored and add the URL
in the Wiki page related to exercise so that you can see
everybody’s work and learn from it.
 You will be able to resubmit an exercise to address the feedback
provided to improve your score (provided you submitted the
exercise on time and made a valiant effort).
You can resubmit as soon as you have received the feedback
(and you don’t need to wait until the Resubmit Deadline, but you
need to have done so by the deadline).
The URL for a revised exercise is submitted via the same
assignment initially used in Sakai.
Personal Project - 25%
 Create a website that communicates "What do you have to
offer?" Showcase what you have learned in ITI program.
 Build a cool site you can use as your calling card in your job
search.
 Demonstrate your technology and media savvy - use text,
images, animations effectively.
 Demonstrate your understanding of lecture materials and class
discussions.
 The site needs to include at least 12 - 15 separate pages that
are designed for easy scanning. If you have 4-5 main themes and
2-3 pages per theme, then you will satisfy this requirement.
 Evaluation criteria
1. Mechanics (50%) - technical competency in animation
design: navigation, layout, animations, access performance.
2. Meaning (30%) - concise presentation of content and
effective use of multimedia.
3. Creativity (20%)
(Keep in mind these three criteria are interrelated).
Grading
Scale
Software
92
89
82
79
72
71
–
–
–
–
–
100
91
88
81
78
and below
A
B+
B
C+
C
F
Free Tools
 Photosynth (Win)
 Gigapan Stitcher (Win / Mac)
 Google Fusion Tables (Win / Mac)
 Google Motion Chart (Win / Mac)
 Tableau (Win)
 d3.js (Win / Mac)
Free Trials (30 days)
 Adobe Premiere Elements (Win / Mac)
 Adobe Flash CS6 (Win / Mac) (get in second week of April)
119 Lab
 Photosynth
 Adobe Premiere Elements
 Adobe Flash CS6
The goal of this course is to teach you useful software skills so that
you are able to create immersive image environments, effective data
visualizations and/or edit well-timed videos as well as create a media
rich project.
Email
Policy
Virtual Help
and
Office
Hours
I will make an effort to respond to your emails within 48 hours –
often it may be faster and sometimes slower. As we are approaching
the due date for the Personal Project, you can expect that I will
answer your emails within hours before the project is due.
Sakai: The Assignment Discussions are meant to serve as community
resource for all of you, where you can ask for technical or content
help from your fellow students and instructor.
In Person: Tues / Thurs 3:55pm–4:25pm in SC&I Annex Building in
Room 203. Please let instructor know by email if you plan to meet in
person during regular office.
Attendance / Participation Policy
Attendance and participation in each class session is an important requirement as they
provide indicators of engagement with the course, learning needs, and important
foundations for all class assignments. The availability of course material and notes online
does not represent a replacement of class attendance. Students should inform the
instructor, in advance when possible, of conditions warranting absence from class:

Illness requiring medical attention;

Curricular or extracurricular activities approved by the School;

Personal obligations claimed by the student and recognized as valid (for example,
death / serious illness of relative or family member);

Recognized religious holidays;

Severe inclement weather causing dangerous travel conditions; (note that the
university

formally advises via the Rutgers Web site if classes are cancelled due to weather)
Written documentation is strongly recommended for absenteeism.
Academic Integrity and Plagiarism
The consequences of scholastic dishonesty are very serious. Rutgers’ academic integrity
policy can be found at: http://ctaar.rutgers.edu/integrity/policy.html.
An overview of this policy may be found at http://cat.rutgers.edu/integrity/student.html.
Multimedia presentations about academic integrity may be found at
http://academicintegrity.rutgers.edu/multimedia.shtml and
http://www.scc.rutgers.edu/douglass/sal/plagiarism/intro.html
If you are doubtful about any issue related to plagiarism or scholastic dishonesty, please
discuss it with the instructor.
Serving Student with Disabilities
Students with disabilities (both short‐ and long‐term) who wish accommodations in this class
must do so through the Rutgers Disabilities Services Office and/or the Associate Dean Karen
Novick (knovick@rutgers.edu).
Other Information
Students seeking help with the content of this course should contact the instructor either
during office hours, or make a separate appointment.
Students seeking help with the scheduling of classes or registration should contact the SC&I
Student Services Office in Room 214 of the SC&I Building.
A great deal of information is available on the SC&I website, including course descriptions
and details about all degree programs: http://comminfo.rutgers.edu.
Rutgers has Learning Centers on each campus where any student can obtain tutoring and
other help; for information, check http://lrc.rutgers.edu/ Rutgers also has a Writing
Program where students can obtain help with writing skills and assignments:
http://plangere.rutgers.edu/index.html.
SC&I IT Services offers help with a variety of technology problems. They are located in the
SC&I Building in Room 120 (first floor); 848‐932‐7500 x8999; help@comminfo.rutgers.edu.